By Michael Bernaschina, Staff writer
John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial Inc., was announced to be Susquehanna’s keynote speaker for the 159th commencement to be hosted on May 17.
Strangfeld graduated from Susquehanna with a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration in 1975, and continued to earn a master’s degree from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 1977.
In 1999, he joined Susquehanna’s Board of Trustees, where he served as chair for ten years before becoming an emeritus board member.
“He believes in the students,” said Angela Burrows, Chief Communications Officer at the Office of Communications. “He’s the one who coined the phrase ‘At Susquehanna, it’s all about the student,’ so he’s a big supporter of students here.”
He and his wife, Mary Kay, have donated money to the con- struction of the new admission building, and have provided Susquehanna with financial support on numerous occasions over the years. They’ve also sponsored master’s degree scholarship programs at Darden for military officers who are returning to life as a civilian.
“He’s a big supporter of diversity initiatives in his profes- sional life as well as making it a priority for Susquehanna,” she added. “So his own personal values are consistent with the values of the institution.”
Prior to becoming the chairman and CEO of Prudential, Strangfeld served as vice chairman and was responsible for Prudential’s investment and insurance divisions. He also held a number of senior investment positions at the company, both within the United States and abroad. Prudential is a financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Accord- ing to the Susquehanna website the cooperation was also recently ranked No. 1 in FORTUNE magazine for the “World’s Most Admired Companies” in the “Insurance: Life and Health” category.
Strangfeld also holds the position of the chair of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, a vice chairman of the Geneva Association, and a member of the Board of Memorial Sloan Kettering Career Center.
According to Burrows, Strangfeld was selected personally by President Lemons because of their longterm working relationship.
“He and President Lemons have worked together for a number of years,” she said. “So it was appropriate in President Lemons’ last year as president to have [Strangfeld], who’s been a partner of his as board chair, do the commencement address.”
During commencement ceremony, Strangfeld will be presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, as will Harold C. and Nancy M. O’Connor of State College, Pennsylvania. Like Strangfeld, Harold O’Connor served as a member of Susquehanna’s Board of Trustees. He joined in the board 1981, and served as chair from 1986 to 1997.
The commencement ceremony, set for May 17, is the 159th in Susquehanna’s history and the last for President Lemons. It is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. in the Garrett Sports Complex.
At this year’s graduation, 460 students are expected to walk across the stage and receive their diploma.
The day before on April 16, the Baccalaureate will com- mence in a tent on Smith Field at 8 p.m. with a gala following in Degenstein Campus Center from 9 to 11:30 p.m.
