It was a day of celebration for the friends and family of more than 300 students at the spring 2009 St. Francis College Commencement on Wednesday May 27 at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. The group includes the second class of Accounting Graduate Students in school history. Several hundred people who were unable to attend viewed the ceremony live on the St. Francis College website where a replay is still available.

Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke delivered the commencement address and was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the College. Representative Clarke is a Brooklyn native and product of the New York City Public School System. As representative of New York's 11th Congressional District, Congresswoman Clarke is committed to continuing the district's legacy of excellence as set forth by the late Honorable Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman and Caribbean American elected to Congress. Rep. Clarkes’s voting record serves as a reflection of her philosophy that government should serve to protect people, uplift local communities and build bridges that bring everyone together