Retired Lt. General Benjamin Freakley to Deliver 2012 Commencement Address

Jefferson Community College will hold its 48th annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the McVean Student Center Gymnasium.  The commencement exercises will be video-streamed through the College’s website, www.sunyjefferson.edu, beginning at 6:45 p.m. A reception for graduates and guests will be held in the Jules Center Commons immediately following the ceremony.

The College is privileged that United States Army Lieutenant General (Retired) Benjamin C. Freakley, former Fort Drum commanding general, will deliver the keynote address to graduates at the commencement exercises.

LTG Benjamin C. Freakley (RET) served as Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum from August 2005 to April 2007.  During this time, he led the 10th Mountain Division as Commanding General of the Combined/Joint Task Force-76 in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, from February 2006 to February 2007.   

In May 2007, General Freakley assumed command of U.S. Army Accessions Command in Fort Monroe, Virginia which included the U.S. Army Accessions Support Brigade in Fort Knox, Kentucky.  In this role, General Freakley was responsible for meeting accessions goals for officer and enlisted personnel, managing and conducting recruiting operations, developing accessions policy, developing direct commission and appointment policy, and overseeing accessions programs. In May 2010, General Freakley assumed the additional role of Senior Commander at Fort Knox, as U.S. Army Accessions Command became senior mission command of Fort Knox and established the Human Resource Center of Excellence.  General Freakley retired earlier this Spring.

General Freakley graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Infantry, Regular Army.  He has a Masters of Military Arts and Science Degree in Operations.  His military schooling includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, British Long Armor/Infantry Course, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, School of Advanced Military Studies, and the Army War College.

It is anticipated that more than 600 graduates in the class of 2012 will be awarded degrees or certificates.   Tickets are required for admission to the gymnasium and each student who is participating in the ceremony has received up to four tickets for guest seating in the bleachers.  Guest entrance doors, adjacent to Parking Lot D, will open at 6:30 p.m. and handicapped and special needs guests may disembark at this entrance. The ceremony will be simulcast in the air-conditioned Sturtz Theater and tickets are not required for entrance to the Sturtz Theater.

Free childcare is available during the commencement ceremony and reception for children (ages 18 months to 12 years) of participants and their guests.  Registration is required by calling Jefferson Campus Care at 315-786-2357 by noon on May 16.

   Additional commencement information for students and guests is available on www.sunyjefferson.edu or by calling 315-786-2234.