Jeremy Capuder ’21 is Class of 2021 Valedictorian

Jeremy Capuder ’21 is the undergraduate valedictorian for the class of 2021. A civil engineering major from Albertson, N.Y., Capuder will graduate from Manhattan College on May 19 with a 4.0 grade point average.

Capuder is a member of the Tau Beta Pi, Epsilon Sigma Pi and Chi Epsilon honor societies. He has received the Manhattan College Presidential Scholarship, and scholarships from ACEC New York and New York 811. The recipient of Manhattan College’s Draddy Medal for Excellence in Engineering, he has also received the Manhattan College Brother Azarias Medal for Excellence in Civil Engineering.

During the past year, Capuder has worked as a research assistant with Moujalli Hourani, D.Sc., chair of the civil and environmental engineering department, to explore his new method of solution for indeterminate structures. Capuder has analyzed design methods and trends for these structures and the relationships between strength, stiffness, economics and depth of each member.

Capuder also has been a resident assistant, supplemental instructor, a eucharistic minister, orientation leader and member of the orchestra and music ministry during his time at Manhattan College. In the fall of 2021, he plans to attend Northeastern University to obtain a Master’s degree in civil engineering.

At the 2021 Undergraduate Commencement, Brother Dennis Lee, FSC, the provincial/visitor for the District of Eastern North America, will be presented with an honorary doctorate in humane letters. Brother Dennis will deliver the commencement address to the class of 2021. 

A dedicated educator, Brother Dennis has served young people as an elementary school teacher at Saint Gabriel’s in Queens; through parish work at Saint Cecilia’s Church in Brooklyn, New York; as a high school religion teacher at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn; and as a campus minister at both Bishop Loughlin and Manhattan College. 

Brother Dennis came to Manhattan College in 1996 as a campus minister and led the way in combining the Social Action and Campus Ministry offices into the College’s current office of Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA). He also served as its first director. Along with his associate and future director, Lois Harr, Brother Dennis planted the seeds for numerous programs that are still a part of CMSA today, including the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience, or L.O.V.E. service and social justice immersion program.

The Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed online at https://commencement.manhattan.edu, beginning with the Baccalaureate Mass on Sunday, May 16 at 11 a.m.

The Commencement ceremonies will take place on Monday, May 17, Tuesday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 19 for graduates in person. All events will be live streamed at https://commencement.manhattan.edu and available for viewing on demand after they are completed.