5/20/2012

The Class of 2012 is the largest class ever to receive undergraduate degrees from Suffolk University. Students are from New England and other regions nationwide, and about 8 percent are international students hailing from 100 nations. The class includes veterans who have enrolled through the Yellow Ribbon program.

Academics

• 453 students are graduating with Latin honors, 37 more than last year
• 304 cum Laude
• 85 Magna cum Laude
• 64 Summa cum Laude

More than 10 percent of 2012 graduates will go directly to graduate school.

Awards

Many students participated in honors programs at the University and won outside accolades that include prestigious scholarships, a Summer Honors Internship at the SEC, and recognition from a national playwriting competition.

Graduates were involved in entrepreneurial studies at the Sawyer Business School, including a graduating senior who won the school’s Entrepreneur of the Year award after raising money and launching a business centered on the development of a new method of teaching second languages.

Broadcast Journalism students won awards for Top Student Newscast and Best Feature News Reporting from the Associated Press and the Radio Television Digital News Association. One student involved in the weekly “Suffolk U News” show will go from graduation to a professional job in broadcast news.

Student leadership

The Class of 2012 engaged in all aspects of student leadership and community building. Students had the advantage of engaging with the four-year Journey Leadership program, which gave them the opportunity to learn teamwork and a calm approach to guiding others through exercises such as swimming with manatees in Florida.

Many Business School graduates were involved in case competitions.

Student leaders have:

• Founded the undergraduate Mock Trial team
• Helped the Accounting Department start its freshman Living Learning Community
• Served on the executive boards of campus clubs
• Served as Ballotti Learning Center tutors
• Coordinated the Center for Entrepreneurship
• Served as Orientation leaders
• Expanded Greek Life
• Advised and mentored other students as resident assistants

International study

More than 500 graduating students have gained a global perspective through travel-abroad study experiences, and their photographs from around the world were exhibited on campus in fall 2011:

Students took advantage of the following international opportunities:

• Beginning their Suffolk education as freshmen at our Madrid campus
• Business School Global Travel seminars that focus on how business is conducted in a particular country. For 2011-2012 academic year: India, Israel, Italy, European Union (Paris and Brussels), China
• Service learning in El Salvador, learning about 1980s civil war, then working through Habitat for Humanity to build homes in a rural village
• Travel courses, such as painting in the Italian countryside
• Spending a year or semester abroad at one of our many affiliate institutions around the world

Service

Over the course of four years, the Class of 2012 has contributed nearly 29,000 hours of service to the community.

Internships and career goals

About 60 percent of the class completed internships while at Suffolk, gaining career-related experience that provides marketable skills, professional readiness, and an expanded network.
Among the companies that provide internships for our students:

• Fidelity Investments
• PepsiCo
• Reebok
• Adidas
• WGBH
• Comcast Sports
• PriceWaterHouse Coopers
• State Street
• Foster Miller
• Hill Holiday
• WGBH
• Puma
• Sam Adams

About 70 percent of Marketing Internship students secure internships, and many of these turn into full time job offers.

Graduates are seeking careers in business, entrepreneurial ventures, non-profits, non-governmental organizations, advertising, public relations.

Athletics

Graduating Suffolk University athletes won recognition not only for physical feats, but also for sportsmanship and academic achievement.

Class of 2012 members of the Rams women’s soccer team helped secure a national award for Team Ethics. And women’s basketball-, volleyball-, tennis- and soccer-playing seniors earned conference honors for sportsmanship and athletic achievement.

Graduating members of our men’s soccer, cross-country, tennis, hockey and baseball teams won recognition for athletic prowess, and one of our graduating baseball players also was cited for sportsmanship.

Rams hockey team members also were recognized for academic achievement.

The men’s tennis team won its fourth consecutive championship season, with significant contributions from graduating athletes, who were honored for both sportsmanship and performance.

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