NEW PALTZ, NY (05/09/2012)(readMedia)-- The State University of New York at New Paltz will hold the May 2012 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 20 at 10 a.m. on the Old Main Quadrangle. This year, there are more than 1,900 undergraduate degrees being conferred. There will be 1,291 undergraduate candidates participating in the ceremonies who will celebrate their achievements in the presence of their family and friends.

Danielle Brown (Merrick, N.Y.) was selected as this year's valedictorian. Brown will deliver a short speech to her fellow graduates during the ceremony. Corinna L. Ridgeway (Port Crane, N.Y.) is the salutatorian. Ridgeway, who also has a 4.0 GPA, will receive her Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a cell and molecular concentration.

This ceremony recognizes degrees granted in August and December 2011 and the May 2012 candidates.

The following local residents are among more than 1,200 students to participate in the May 2012 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony:

Samantha Grassian, a resident of Catskill, NY (12414) will receive a BA in Contract.

Tyler Wilhelm, a resident of Catskill, NY (12414) will receive a BA in English.

Amanda Allen, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Psychology.

Rebecca Angle, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Spanish.

Jessica Banks, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Finance.

Corinne Boughton, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in International Relations.

Jennifer Boughton, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Sociology.

Cory Bowers, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Anthropology.

Victoria DePietro, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Accounting.

Garret Duffy, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Sociology.

Lindsay Jankovitz, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Anthropology.

Samia Khan, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in English.

Caitlin Lashomb, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in English.

Sarah Malone, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Psychology.

Crystal Matteson, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Music.

Pamela Ousley, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Contract.

Mia Pillsworth, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in French.

Claudia Quintanilla, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Biology.

Sarah Rodland, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Management.

Etsuko Rosenblum, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BFA in Graphic Design.

Rosemarie Rutledge, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Childhood Education 1-6.

Brittany Schatzel, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Spanish.

Michele Schoonmaker, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Adolescence Ed: Math.

Jiewei Shen, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Chemistry.

Jessica Spada, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Visual Arts.

Alyssa Thompson, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in Journalism.

Damien Toman, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BA in English.

Kayla Wright, a resident of Kingston, NY (12401) will receive a BS in Childhood Education 1-6.

Marie Baxter, a resident of Lake Katrine, NY (12449) will receive a BA in Communication Media.

Sadaf Rafique, a resident of Lake Katrine, NY (12449) will receive a BS in International Business.

Kevin Carpenter, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BS in Accounting.

Kulwinder Hira, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BS in Accounting.

Megan Isabella, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BS in Childhood Education 1-6.

Michael Koegel, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BS in Childhood Education 1-6.

Monica Kosinski, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BA in Communication Media.

Marc Kucharik, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BA in Communication Disorders.

Caitlin Turk, a resident of Saugerties, NY (12477) will receive a BA in Anthropology.

Holly Allen, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BA in English.

Frances Barlow, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BA in Women's Studies.

Jennifer Muir-Braunstein, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BA in Psychology.

Lana Solomon, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BA in Latin American Studies.

Robert Turner, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BS in Music.

Robert Turner, a resident of Woodstock, NY (12498) will receive a BS in Music.

Located in the heart of a dynamic college town, ninety minutes from metropolitan New York City, the State University of New York at New Paltz is a highly selective college of about 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

One of the most well-regarded public colleges in the nation, New Paltz delivers an extraordinary number of majors in Business, Liberal Arts Sciences, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts and Education.

New Paltz embraces its culture as a community where talented and independent minded people from around the world create close personal links with real scholars and artists who love to teach.