Nazareth College will celebrate its 87th annual Commencement at the Blue Cross Arena on Sunday, May 11, with an address from Dr. Bradford Berk, senior vice president for Health Sciences at the University of Rochester and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Center and Strong Health. Berk will deliver the address to the Class of 2014 graduates in a joint ceremony with both undergraduate and graduate students receiving their degrees. The ceremony begins at 9:45 a.m. For more information, please contact Julie Long, Nazareth’s chief public relations officer at (585) 389-2456.
Berk received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Rochester. He has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Emory University, and the University of Washington. He was previously Chairman of Medicine (1999–2006) and Chief of the Cardiology Unit (1998-2003) at the University of Rochester. He was appointed CEO in 2006 after a national search. In addition he was Director of the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute.
Berk is a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, and a member of the Association of American Physicians. He is past-president of the North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO). He is on the editorial boards of Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) Circulation and Circulation Research, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation. He serves on the Empire State Stem Cell Board Funding Committee and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Stem Cell Clinical Trial Network and Gene and Cell-Based Therapies Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Berk has published widely—more than 250 articles, chapters, and books.
Julie Long at (585) 389-2456
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.