Northeast Holds Fall 2021 Ceremonies, Confers 103 Degrees, Presents Honorary Degree

Commencement and White-Coat Ceremonies Honor Students

Northeast College of Health Sciences recently hosted Fall 2021 ceremonies to honor student milestones and accomplishments: the Transitions Ceremony took place on Dec. 2 and Commencement on Dec. 4, both held at the campus's Standard Process Health and Fitness Center.

Transitions Ceremony Celebrates Seventh-Tri Students  

The College's Transitions Ceremony honored 60 seventh-trimester students for successfully reaching the clinical phase of their education. Friends and family gathered to celebrate the many accomplishments of the students and watch them earn their white coats.

Awards were presented for academic excellence and keynote speaker Tyran Mincey (D.C. '98) addressed the students. "Today is a day of transition. Tomorrow is the start of transformation," said Dr. Mincey, a best-selling author, chiropractor and applied kinesiologist, and Northeast alumnus. "Transitions are fodder for greatness." 

Fall 2021 Commencement Ceremony Recognizes 2021 and 2020 Grads

The Fall 2021 Commencement ceremony presented 88 Doctor of Chiropractic graduates and 15 Bachelor of Professional Studies students with their diplomas. A number of Doctor of Chiropractic program 2020 graduates were also celebrated and walked the stage for their in-person hooding, as their ceremonies were held virtually during the global pandemic.

During the ceremony, awards were given to graduating students for excellence in community service, leadership, and clinical practice. Labor and employment lawyer Louis DiLorenzo, Esq., was the keynote speaker and Dr. Frank Lizzio (D.C. '80), chair of the Board of Trustees, addressed the graduates.

"Here at Northeast College, you learned to master your chosen discipline, evolving intellectually and emotionally into mature, responsible professionals, worthy of a patient's trust and a colleague's respect," said Dr. Lizzio. "Today you complete an academic journey started years before, and move onto a new path toward a successful, rewarding career in which you will fully realize your passion to reimagine health and transform lives."

Honorary Degree Presented to Lawyer and Keynote Speaker Louis DiLorenzo

In its 102 years of existence, Northeast College has presented just a very few honorary degrees. During the Fall Commencement Ceremony, Mr. Louis DiLorenzo, Esq., became the latest recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the College in recognition of his significant contributions to society through the practice of law.

Mr. DiLorenzo is a managing member of Bond, Schoeneck and King law firm's Westchester office and co-managing member of its New York City office. He also serves as chair of Bond's Labor, Employment, Employee Benefits and Immigration Practice. DiLorenzo started his career within the Labor Department and has become one of the top labor lawyers in the U.S.  He has authored and co-authored numerous articles on labor and employment law topics and has been a keynote speaker at numerous seminars throughout the country and internationally. Additionally, he has served his profession in a wide variety of roles, including as past chair of NYSBA's Labor and Employment Law Section, in his current role on the NYSBA Task Force on COVID-19 Immunity and Liability, and as an adjunct professor in Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management.

At Northeast College, an honorary degree recognizes an individual who reflects the College's high ideals and values, and exemplifies the concepts of excellence, leadership, and professional best practices. The award was presented to Mr. DiLorenzo by Northeast President Dr. Michael Mestan.

"I have always been impressed with Lou's work ethic, pursuit of excellence, advocacy, and leadership. He is someone who truly 'walks his talk,' one who has earned many recognitions for distinguished service to the law profession, who engages in charitable pursuits, and who, through act and deed, has made it abundantly clear that he intends to leave the world a better place than he found it," said Dr. Mestan.