- Judge Hannah selected to receive Hilbert College Medal -
HAMBURG, N.Y. – Bishop George V. Murry will be the commencement speaker at Hilbert College’s 57th annual commencement ceremony planned for 1 p.m. on May 12 at the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg at 4999 McKinley Parkway. Bishop Murry will also be recognized at Hilbert’s commencement with an honorary doctorate of humane letters. In addition, Hilbert will present the Hilbert College Medal to Craig Hannah, Judge, Buffalo City Court.
Bishop Murry is the current Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown (Ohio) and the chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education. He is currently a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and serves as Chairman of the Committee Against Racism.
Bishop Murry was born in Camden, NJ where he graduated from Catholic elementary and high schools. He then attended St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn., and St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy.
In 1972, Bishop Murry entered the Society of Jesus. He was ordained for the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus in 1979. He received a Master’s of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology in 1979 and a doctorate in American Cultural History from George Washington University in 1995.
From 1974-1976, Bishop Murry was dean of student activities at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. He then accepted the position of President at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. from 1986-1990. He was named Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Detroit-Mercy in 1994. On January 24, 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Murry Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago where he was ordained to the episcopacy on March 20, 1995. In May of 1998, Pope John Paul II selected him Bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
The Hilbert College Medal represents those “who embody Franciscan values, demonstrate excellence in their profession or career, and excellence in community service.” This Medal is also one of the College’s highest honors. Hannah was selected for his commitment to helping people who have succumbed to the opioid epidemic. Craig Hannah has served as a judge of the Buffalo City Court since he was appointed in 2006, he was then elected in 2007 and served until 2016. He then turned his focus to the opioid crisis.
Judge Hannah attended Canisius College where he received a bachelor’s degree and then earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1995. Hannah served as a Legislative Assistant, Chief of Staff at the Masten District Council Office. In 1996-98, he was an Associate in the Law Offices of Kevin M. Carter. He also served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Hannah was also a Legal Counsel on the New York State Senate from 2005 to 2006.
Buffalo’s opiate court is helping addicts, who are nonviolent offenders, into a recovery state with a chance at a reduced sentence rather than being sent to jail. Judge Hannah’s mission as a Judge in the Opiate Court in Buffalo is to save lives of those who are struggling with addiction. He prides himself as being in a position to help the lives who desperately need it and to give second chances to those who have made mistakes.
Hilbert President Cynthia Zane, Ed.D., will confer bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees, as well as associate in applied science and associate in arts degrees to Class of 2018. In addition, President Zane will confer master of science and master of public administration degrees to Hilbert’s sixth class of graduate students. Overall, more than 225 graduates will receive their degrees. Baccalaureate graduates will receive degrees in accounting, business management, computer security and information assurance, criminal justice, digital media and communication, English, forensic science/crime scene investigation, global business management, human services, liberal studies, paralegal studies, political science, psychology, small business management, and sports industry management.
Kristina Lantzky-Eaton, Ph.D., Hilbert provost and vice president for academic affairs, will be the master of ceremonies.
A reception for graduates, guests, and others in attendance will be hosted by President Zane in the Wesleyan Church atrium immediately following the commencement program.
-- www.hilbert.edu --
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 900 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and evening degree programs geared to adult learners.