As students, in black robes walked individually across the Nassau Coliseum stage, SUNY Old Westbury's commencement seemed like any other. A name called. A diploma received. A photo taken.

The 903 graduates, including 839 bachelor's and 64 master's degrees, was the largest graduating class in SUNY Old Westbury history. Paquito D'Rivera, Grammy-winning clarinetist, saxophonist and ...