Newswise — Canton, New York -- NBC News Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw will be the speaker at St. Lawrence University's Commencement, on Sunday, May 22, at 10 a.m. on Creasy Commencement Common, or in Appleton Arena in the event of inclement weather.
Brokaw will also receive an honorary degree at the ceremony, as will three Trustees Emeriti, Richard F. Brush, Archie F. MacAllaster and David L. Torrey.
Brokaw served for 21 years as the anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News," stepping down in 2004. As a special correspondent, Brokaw continues to report and produce long-form documentaries and provide expertise during breaking news events for NBC News.
Most recently, Brokaw reported for USA Network's "Bridging the Divide," a documentary aimed at assessing America's progress combating prejudice and discrimination in the nearly 50 years since the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Prior to that project, Brokaw reported on the baby boomer generation for a documentary on CNBC, and before that he traveled across the country to report on the changing face of the nation in "American Character Along Highway 50" for NBC News and USA Network.
He is the author of five books, including the 2007 bestseller BOOM! Voices of the Sixties, which included interviews with retired St. Lawrence Vice President for Administrative Operations Thomas Coakley and his wife, Nellie, both of whom are veterans of the war in VietNam. The Coakleys were also featured in a television special related to the book, and welcomed Brokaw to campus for a well received public lecture in 2008.
Brush, MacAllaster and Torrey are all graduates of the University and all have extensive family ties to St. Lawrence, in addition to their own individual legacies of generous service. With the other members of their Laurentian families, they have funded important projects resulting in the naming of the Brush Alumni House; the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery; MacAllaster House; MacAllaster Soccer Field; the MacAllaster Reading Room and Torrey Wing in Owen D. Young Library; and the Diana B. Torrey '82 Health and Counseling Center, in addition to a half-dozen scholarship funds and endowment funds for art acquisitions and operations.
Brush is a 1952 graduate of St. Lawrence and chairman emeritus of Sentry Group in Rochester, New York, a family business founded in 1931 that manufactures fire- and theft-resistant safes, boxes, chests and files. He was elected Alumni Trustee in 1990, Term Trustee in 1996 and Trustee Emeritus in 2002. He was a member of Alumni Executive Council and was awarded an Alumni Citation in 1980. Brush was involved with the University's Campaign St. Lawrence feasibility study, later serving on the Campaign Steering Committee. He has made numerous gifts to St. Lawrence, including the "Cluster of Four Cubes" sculpture by George Rickey.
Class of 1950 graduate MacAllaster is chairman of MacAllaster, Pitfield, MacKay Company Inc., an investment firm in New York. He was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1977 to 1999, when he was elected to emeritus status, and has actively served on committees including the Campaign Steering Committee and Investment Committee. As a member of the board of directors of the Clark Foundation, he helped St. Lawrence receive grants to establish and support the Clark Foundation Scholarship.
Torrey, who graduated in 1953, is president of Torcanus, Inc., an investment company specializing in cross-border investments between the U.S. and Canada. He was elected Term Trustee in 1987, serving until 2002, when he was elected to emeritus status. Torrey has been active on a number of board committees and currently serves on the Momentum St. Lawrence Campaign Steering Committee.
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