Molloy College 2012 commencement

The Molloy College commencement was held Monday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.

Number of graduates

680 bachelor's degrees, 290 master's degrees and 8 advanced certificates

Keynote speaker

Mark A. Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

"The games we play, from T-ball through college athletics, serve as a unique educational experience to teach us attributes like creativity, teamwork, perseverance and commitment -- attributes we all need to be successful in life."

Gregory Lubrano, 22, of Massapequa, bachelor's in history

The commencement did not feature a student speaker or valedictorian's address. However, valedictorian Gregory Lubrano, 22, spoke at a hooding ceremony on the Molloy campus on Thursday. Monday, he credited the global studies opportunities at Molloy with giving him advantages. Those experiences led him to decide to pursue a master's in European history at a university in Leuven, Belgium, along with two of his rugby teammates from Molloy. "Being made valedictorian really made me so appreciative of everything I had here at Molloy," said Lubrano.

The graduates

Michael Valveri, 23, of Uniondale, accounting

Valveri, got his bachelor's degree from Molloy in 2010 and talked about his decision to stay for graduate school. "I was able to get a lot of great internships," Valveri said. "For a small college, Molloy has a lot of great opportunities if you take advantage of them." He works as an auditor at accounting firm Deloitte in Jericho.

Kylie Barbosa, 21, of Westbury, bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies

"I see myself at a large firm, hopefully as a partner," said Barbosa, whose degree featured concentrations in history and business. "I like being in a leadership role." Barbosa, who was captain of Molloy's women's soccer team, is going to NYU Law School in the fall.

Linwood Pitt, 23, of North Amityville, bachelor's in elementary education

Pitt, 23, said he will put his teaching plans on hold while he pursues further education and a career in criminal justice. He is to start a one-year program at Molloy this fall to work toward a master's degree in criminal justice. "I want to go into the FBI or do detective work," Pitt said, "and one day down the road I would like to teach criminal justice."

Caroline Lynch, 21, of Hewlett, bachelor's in history

"I had great professors that really helped me, and a wide range of classes," said Lynch, 21. "I really feel like I got a great education here." Lynch said she will attend Queens College in the fall, pursuing a dual master's degree in history and library sciences. "I like to keep my options open," she said.