April 11, 2019 – Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) announced The Reverend Winnie Varghese, Senior Priest for Justice and Reconciliation at Trinity Church Wall Street, as keynote speaker and Doctor of Humane Letters recipient on June 15, 2019, at 3:45 pm at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Midtown Manhattan.
“Reverend Varghese’s work– advancing social justice and strengthening our communities—embodies the mission of Metropolitan College of New York,” said MCNY President, Dr. Joanne Passaro, “We are honored that she has agreed to serve as our keynote speaker at Commencement; I know that she will inspire our graduates, and our community, to continue to make positive change across the city and the world.”
MCNY, one of the city’s most ethnically diverse institutions, will mark its 42nd Commencement ceremony this year for the first time with its new president, Dr. Joanne Passaro presiding. Nearly 500 degrees will be conferred to the combined graduates from MCNY’s undergraduate and master’s programs.
“I am honored to be with Metropolitan College of New York’s graduates on a day that honors their hard work, creativity, and determination,” says Reverend Winnie Varghese, “You inspire me. I am already proud of the city we will build together.”
Reverend Varghese is a blogger for Patheos; author of Church Meets World; editor of What We Shall Become; and author of numerous articles and chapters on social justice and the church. She was recently named among the Above and Beyond 2019 Women of New York Non-Profits by City and State.
Before coming to Trinity, Reverend Varghese was the rector of St. Mark’s in the Bowery, a historic Episcopal congregation in New York City. From 2003‐2009, she served as the Episcopal Chaplain at Columbia University, and from 1999‐2003 as the curate at St. Alban’s, Westwood, and Episcopal Chaplain to UCLA.
Reverend Varghese graduated with a Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary and a Bachelors in Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University. As an intern in the Episcopal Service Corps, she worked with the Mental Health Association of Los Angeles as an outreach worker to people who were homeless and living with severe mental illness.
MCNY Press Contact: Tina Georgiou tgeorgiou@mcny.edu 212-343-1234 ext 2626
About: Metropolitan College of New York
Audrey Cohen, an educational visionary and activist, founded the Women’s Talent Corps in 1964. Through development and training for new professional positions, the Talent Corps created employment for thousands of people. It became The College for Human Services, later Audrey Cohen College, and today Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY). For over 50 years, MCNY has continued the tradition of offering highly motivated learners an education that combines applied skills with professional knowledge to effect personal transformation and positive change in the workplace and community. MCNY is a non-profit, accredited, private college. Year-round offerings accelerate degree completion, and a unique approach to learning permits close integration of workplace activities and study. MCNY locations are in the Financial District at 60 West Street, New York, NY 10006 and in the Bronx at 463 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10455. For more information on MCNY, visit mcny.edu or call 800.33.THINK.
