For the 150th Commencement Ceremonies for the Class of 2022, Stevens has invited two distinguished figures to serve as the commencement speakers. Cal Ripken Jr. will serve as the undergraduate speaker, and Dean Kamen will serve as the graduate speaker.
“Both individuals exemplify determination, commitment and excellence. In different ways, the long and extraordinary careers of both honorees have improved lives and created opportunity for future generations. The Stevens community looks forward to celebrating their contributions and to hearing their inspirational messages,” said Stevens President Nariman Farvardin when discussing the speakers.
Ripken is a philanthropist, best-selling author, and baseball Hall-of-Famer who played 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He was nicknamed “The Iron Man” after playing in a record 2,632 consecutive Major League Baseball games, demonstrating his grit and perseverance.
After his retirement in 2001, Ripken and his family established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in memory of his father. The foundation has impacted over 10 million children in underserved communities through the construction and gifting of more than 100 youth development parks and multi-purpose fields, providing them with safe play spaces. The foundation has also created more than 100 STEM centers in elementary and middle schools, and bridges together law enforcement and mentorship through the Badges for Baseball program. This life-skills training program pairs together at-risk youth with mentors in law enforcement from local communities through team sports to teach valuable life lessons, with goals of deterring juvenile delinquency. Ripken is also a best-selling author of 12 books, sits on the board of directors for the video game holding company ZeniMax, and is a current member of the advisory board for the sports betting company DraftKings.
During the ceremony, Ripken will receive an honorary Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Stevens. This award reflects upon his achievements in athletics, youth development, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and media.
Kamen is an engineer and entrepreneur most widely known for inventing the Segway. He also holds over 1,000 patents and has invented numerous devices, including the first insulin pump, a portable automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) machine called Homechoice Claria, and a wheelchair called iBOT, which contains sensors, microprocessors, and gyroscopes that allow those with mobility impairments to climb stairs and other difficult terrains.
Kamen is also the founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit that advances STEM education. Created in 1989, FIRST has served more than one million people ages six to 18 in over 113 countries since 2020. Kamen is also the founder and president of DEKA Research and Development Corp., where he pursues both proprietary inventions and initiatives for corporate clients. Through DEKA, he interacts with college students and encourages them to mentor through FIRST.
Kamen has received many awards, including the National Medal of Technology in 2000 presented by President Clinton, which recognized his inventions that made advances in medical care worldwide and his leadership in promoting interest in science and technology. He was also awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005.
During the ceremony, Kamen will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Engineering Degree from Stevens, which reflects upon his work as an inventor, engineer, entrepreneur, and advocate for science and technology education.
The undergraduate commencement ceremonies will be held on May 25, with the School of Business, the College of Arts and Letters, and School of Systems and Enterprises ceremony at 10 a.m., and the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science ceremony at 3 p.m. The graduate commencement ceremonies will be held on May 26, with the School of Business and School of Systems and Enterprises ceremony at 10 a.m., and the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science ceremony at 3 p.m. Both commencement ceremonies will be held at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
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