Commencement Speakers

About CUNY BA's Student Speaker

Headshot of Brandon Greyson Kim in a dark suit and light blue tie.Brandon Greyson Kim (Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude) is proud to graduate from the City University of New York Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies Program (CUNY BA) with a bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) in Philosophy, Axiology, and Futures. Born and raised in Wayne, New Jersey, Brandon spent his first year of university abroad in the United Kingdom. Upon returning to New York, Brandon took an introductory course on ethics, which sparked his passion for philosophy. Since then, he has spent much of his undergraduate career thinking about emerging questions in ethics and value theory.

During his time at CUNY, Brandon served three consecutive terms on the executive board of the CUNY BA Student Leadership Council (SLC), most recently as Chairman & Executive Officer. In this role, Brandon directly oversaw the launch of the CUNY BA Campus Ambassadors Program (CAP) across 10 CUNY colleges and schools. Under his leadership, both the Council and program received widespread recognition from within the university and beyond. Notably, a Thomas W. Smith Academic Fellow, Brandon gave the welcome address to the Class of 2026, frequently contributed to The Laureate as both a writer and an editor, volunteered as an ambassador for the Office of Admissions, and served as a peer mentor to countless PNMs, applicants, admits, and continuing students. Brandon also served two terms as a student delegate on the University Committee and as the sole student member on the Search Committee for the Academic Director.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Brandon most recently served on the Advisory Board and the Americas Leadership Team at XR Safety Initiative (XRSI), a global 501(c)(3) Standards Developing Organization (SDO). Brandon has also worked for several professional services firms including Baker Tilly US LLP and CohnReznick LLP, clerked for the New York Regional Administration of the United States Census Bureau, and has held internships at Alexion Pharmaceuticals (now a part of AstraZeneca PLC) and PricewaterhouseCoopers US LLP (PwC).

After graduation, Brandon will be joining the New York office of PwC Consulting as an Associate in the Strategy, Risk, and Compliance Consulting practice.

About CUNY BA's Commencement Speaker

Headshot of Michael HattemDr. Michael Hattem graduated from the CUNY BA program in 2011 and was a Smith Fellow from 2009 to 2011. His area of concentration focused on the history of early America. He received his PhD in History from Yale University in 2017. Michael is the author of Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution (2020) and a forthcoming book, The Memory of '76: The Revolution in American History (2024). He has taught History and American Studies at Knox College and The New School and currently serves as Associate Director of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. His research has been supported by such institutions as the New-York Historical Society, the American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society, and others, and his work has been featured multiple times in The New York Times and TIME magazine.

 

About CUNY BA's Faculty Speaker

Photo of Christine Vitrano in her office at Brooklyn College, with a paned window in the background.Christine Vitrano is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College, CUNY. She has published numerous articles and books on happiness and well-being, including The Nature and Value of Happiness and Happiness and Goodness: Philosophical Reflections on Living Well, which was co-written with Steven M. Cahn. She is currently working on a book manuscript that examines the concept of a successful life. 

X