104 Graduates Earned Advanced Degrees Alongside Honorary Degree Recipients Dr. William K. Stell and Dr. Ted Long
Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman Delivered Keynote Address
Watch the Full Ceremony HERE
New York, NYThe State University of New York College of Optometry held its 51st commencement yesterday, Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. 104 graduates earned PhD, OD, and MS degrees. The full ceremony can be viewed HERE.
The ceremony began with the College’s official mace being carried by Faculty Presiding Officer Dr. Matthew Bovenzi. The keynote address was given by Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, who has represented Southeast Queens in the New York State Assembly since 2015. Assemblywoman Hyndman currently serves as Chair of the Standing Committee on Higher Education.
SUNY College of Optometry President Dr. David Troilo, PhD, also provided remarks. This is the first commencement ceremony Dr. Troilo has presided over as SUNY Optometry President.
“Since they first set foot on campus at SUNY Optometry, this class of graduates has met every challenge with resilience, compassion, and purpose,” said Dr. David Troilo, PhD, President of SUNY Optometry. “I look forward to seeing how these graduates advocate for their patients and carry the profession forward with integrity and leadership as they enter into this new and exciting chapter of their lives.”
The audience also heard from Class President Willian Doan Nguyen, and Class Vice President, Neha Gubbi, who offered joint reflections on the class’s time at SUNY Optometry and the journey ahead.
“Over the past several years at SUNY Optometry, we have spent countless hours learning, studying, and practicing to serve our patients,” said Class of 2025 President William Doan Nguyen and Class of 2025 Vice President Neha Gubbi. “We are doctors now. Being a doctor is not just about what we do. It is about how we listen and how we connect. As we take the next step in our professional lives, I know this class will embody the spirit of SUNY Optometry, one of leadership, advocacy, and, above all, a commitment to our communities.”
SUNY Optometry also presented Dr. Richard J. Madonna with the Presidential Medallion. Dr. Madonna is a Professor in the Department of Biological and Vision Sciences at SUNY Optometry and Director of the Office of Continuing Professional Education. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY Optometry in 1985.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this honor from an institution that has been such an important part of my life,” said Dr. Richard Madonna, recipient of the Presidential Medallion. “While it’s been forty years since I received my Doctor of Optometry degree from the SUNY College of Optometry, I have spent each day since dedicated to advancing the mission of our profession while providing the highest quality of care to the communities I have been so fortunate to serve.”
Additionally, SUNY Optometry conferred honorary degrees upon two distinguished leaders in healthcare and science: Dr. William K. Stell, PhD, MD, and Dr. Ted Long, MD, MHS.
Dr. William K. Stell, PhD, MD, received the Doctor of Science, honoris causa, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to the field of vision science. A graduate of Swarthmore College and the University of Chicago, Dr. Stell has made foundational discoveries about retinal structure and function, particularly in understanding outer-retinal circuits and the mechanisms behind color-coding and myopia. He served for decades as a faculty member and research director at the University of Calgary and remains an active scientific advisor to international vision research groups.
“To be recognized by SUNY College of Optometry, an institution that has shaped the future of vision science and care for over half a century, is an honor,” said Dr. William K. Stell, PhD, MD. “My work has always been driven by a desire to understand the foundations of sight and translate that knowledge into better outcomes for patients, and I’m proud to join a community committed to that same goal.”
Dr. Ted Long, MD, MHS, received the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, for his transformative leadership in public health and ambulatory care. As Senior Vice President at NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Long leads one of the nation’s largest outpatient networks and was instrumental in the City’s COVID-19 response through the NYC Test & Trace Corps. A practicing physician and policy leader, he has also held key roles at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Rhode Island Department of Health. Dr. Long earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yale and is on faculty at NYU Langone, Yale School of Medicine, and Harvard Medical School.
“I’m proud to receive this recognition from SUNY Optometry, an institution at the forefront of training healthcare professionals to serve all communities and transform eye care for the better,” said Dr. Ted Long, MD, MHS. “From value-based care to community-driven access, my work has always centered on the principle that healthcare is a human right, and every New Yorker deserves quality health services. I deeply admire SUNY Optometry’s commitment to this principle through embedding equity and innovation into every level of care and education.”
Among the College’s newest alumni are six graduates who received their PhD in Vision Science; one who received a Master’s in Vision Science; 97 who received their Doctor of Optometry degree—eight of whom also earned a master’s degree; 16 who earned microcredential certificates in areas of advanced concentration; and three who received an additional certification in optometry business management. Twenty-three members of the class were recognized with awards for academic achievement, research, and service.
For more information about academic programs, residency, and patient care at SUNY Optometry, visit www.sunyopt.edu.
To donate to the Presidential Scholarship or any of our other initiatives that help improve lives and help people see better each day, visit www.sunyopt.edu/giving.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2025
Media Contact: Dawn Rigney
communications@sunyopt.edu 212-938-5600
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About SUNY Optometry
Founded in 1971 and located in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research, and patient care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in vision science. The College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research and has 65 affiliated clinical training sites as well as an on-site clinic, the University Eye Center. SUNY Optometry is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; its four-year professional degree program and residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association. All classrooms, research facilities and the University Eye Center, which is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation, are located on 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan. To learn more about SUNY Optometry, visit www.sunyopt.edu.