Nazareth College 2018 Commencement Speaker Announced
Nazareth College is honored to announce that Michael Park, a 1990 Nazareth alumnus and current Broadway star of Dear Evan Hansen, is the College’s 2018 Commencement speaker.
Nazareth's undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremony take place on Sunday, May 13, at 9:45 a.m. at the Blue Cross Arena, 100 Exchange Blvd., Rochester, N.Y. 14614.
Park is currently starring on Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen, in the role he originated, as Larry Murphy. Dear Evan Hansen was named Best Musical at the 2017 Tony Awards. He also originated the Broadway role of Angus Tuck in Tuck Everlasting (2016), as well as Monty in the Off-Broadway production of Violet (1997). He made his Broadway debut in Carousel, and has also appeared in Smokey Joe’s Cafe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Little Me, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Off-Broadway credits include Threepenny Opera, Middletown, The Burnt Part Boys and Violet.
He may be best known for his TV portrayal of Jack Snyder on As the World Turns, a role he began in 1997 and held for 13 years. Park earned two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in As the World Turns.
Park is married to Laurie Nowak Park, also a Nazareth alumna, who is a music therapist. They have three children.
For More Information
Julie Long | Chief Public Relations Officer | jlong2@naz.edu
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.
Michael Park '90