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I am the wildest dreams of my ancestors.

Iris Costner addressed her fellow graduates from ��������Ƶ’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences on May 14 during the college’s Commencement, which drew hundreds of friends and family to the University’s Events Center at 4:30 p.m.

For the first time, Decker College’s Commencement welcomed students from the Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Master of Science in Speech and Language Pathology programs. These proud students from the first cohort in their respective programs joined graduates from the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Public Health, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.

A transformation

“I am three generations from slavery. My great-grandmother was the child of a slave, born on a plantation, surviving Jim Crow, and bringing my grandmother into a world that often denied our humanity,” shared Costner, who graduated with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.

Costner joined the DPT program three years ago as an experienced physical therapy assistant seeking to deepen her impact in the profession.

She spoke about the transformative journey she and her fellow graduates have undergone: “Think of the butterfly. A caterpillar doesn’t grow wings by coasting. It grows them through pressure. Through stillness. Through a cocoon that feels confining, uncomfortable, and sometimes overwhelming. Graduate school has been our cocoon — shaping us, stretching us, challenging us, and preparing us for the next stage of our journey. And now, we stand on the edge of something new, emerging with wings formed through effort, resilience, and heart.”

As graduates, Costner emphasized that they now carry responsibilities that will define their careers, including the need to advocate for their patients, to have the courage to face difficult conversations and to question the status quo, and to never stop learning and growing.

“Graduation is not the finish line — it’s the beginning of your next transformation,” she said.

Costner was joined by almost 50 nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy students who received doctoral-level degrees at the ceremony, along with more than 200 students completing bachelor’s degrees in nursing, and over 60 students receiving master’s degrees in nursing, public health, and speech-language pathology.

In addition to the disciplines noted above, Decker College includes an academic division in health and wellness studies. As a result, a recurring theme among the speakers was the recognition that graduates will have a profound impact on helping people live healthier, fuller lives.

“I want to commend you, our incredible students, for your perseverance, dedication, and willingness to serve your community and all of those within it,” said Dean Mario Ortiz. “Your commitment to the health professions has been tested over the past couple of years, and you have overcome more challenges than anyone could have ever imagined.”

Commencement 2026 marks the first graduation for ��������Ƶ President Anne D’Alleva, who joined the University last fall. She noted that the knowledge graduates have acquired will prepare them for the future.

“You are going to do great things,” she told them. 

“I want to thank you for your contributions to the tremendous sense of community I’ve felt since I arrived at Binghamton,” she added. “I’ve been calling it the ‘Binghamton Bond.’ It’s the respect you show others, the acts of kindness, and the care you display for everyone on this campus.”

Provost Donald Hall advised graduates to make the best decisions they can with the choices available to them and reminded them that the knowledge and skills they have gained will serve them well on their chosen path.

“You will take all that you have experienced here and become change-makers,” he said.

A voice for others

Iris Lee, the second student speaker, shared that while preparing her speech, she asked herself, “What is the most meaningful lesson Decker has given me?”

To the nursing student’s surprise, it was not about keeping an airway open or performing a head-to-toe patient assessment. It was about the need to use her voice as a nurse — to speak up and speak out, to always advocate for her patients.

“Becoming a nursing student has shown us that our voices are the most powerful tool we have,” she said.

“I have used my voice to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a patient who spent her special day in the hospital; to play games with pediatric patients, transforming fear into laughter; to comfort family members and talk about fond memories after a loved one has passed. And, perhaps most importantly, I have used my voice to sit in silence when my patients needed to use theirs.”

A Doctoral Reception was held at the conclusion of the Commencement ceremony. It was open to all Decker graduates earning doctoral degrees, along with their guests.