When Jonah Hawthorne arrived at SUNY Oswego as a transfer student, he expected history to repeat itself.

After previously dropping out of college, Hawthorne admitted he came to Oswego prepared to walk away from higher education once again.

“Fortunately, I was wrong,” Hawthorne told fellow graduates gathered for SUNY Oswego’s 90th Annual Commencement Eve Torchlight Ceremony on May 15. “To my surprise, the people I came to meet here were incredibly accepting in a way I had not seen in my past.”

As he prepared to graduate with a degree in broadcasting and mass communication, Hawthorne stood before classmates not as someone defeated by setbacks, but as a student leader encouraging others to reclaim ownership of their futures.

“I took my future back,” he said. “Now it’s your turn.”

Hawthorne’s message of perseverance and possibility set the tone for one of SUNY Oswego’s most cherished traditions, as graduating seniors, alumni, faculty, staff and families gathered to celebrate the symbolic passing of the Torch of Learning ahead of Commencement ceremonies the following day.

Shaping futures

The evening featured remarks from 1991 graduate Katie Kranze Million, Hawthorne and SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu, while senior student emcee Emma Halsey guided the ceremony and senior Ian Katz served as this year’s torchbearer.Executive Director of the Oswego Alumni Association Laura Pavlus Kelly, a 2009 Oswego graduate, read the names of the alumni who were in this year's Inner Circle.

Million, director of Women’s National Team Programs for USA Hockey, reflected on how her experiences at Oswego helped shape both her career and leadership philosophy.

“Standing here tonight brings back so many memories,” Million said. “Memories of friendships, long winters by the lake, late nights studying and the excitement of trying to figure out what came next in life.”

Growing up nearby in Hannibal, Million said SUNY Oswego once felt “larger than life,” offering opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

“What I didn’t realize at the time was how much this university would shape every part of my future,” she said.

After graduating from Oswego, Million spent 17 years working in Lake Placid, eventually building close professional relationships with members of the legendary 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team while helping manage their business affairs and public appearances. She now serves as director of Women’s National Team Programs for USA Hockey and earlier this year served as general manager for the gold medal-winning 2026 U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team in Milano Cortina.

Million said working alongside elite athletes reinforced lessons about humility, resilience and teamwork that continue to guide her leadership today.

“Great accomplishments rarely happen because of one person,” she said. “They happen because a group of people commit to a shared purpose and continue showing up for one another, especially during difficult moments.”

She also reflected on the emotional experience of watching the U.S. women’s hockey team capture Olympic gold earlier this year.

“The truth is the gold medal moment itself goes by very quickly,” Million said. “What stays with you are the years of work behind it. The sacrifices. The setbacks. The pressure. The relationships that carried everyone through the difficult days.”

Million encouraged graduates to remain open to uncertainty and opportunity, even when the path ahead feels unclear.

“You do not need to have your entire future figured out today,” she said. “Very few people actually do.”

Instead, she urged students to embrace discomfort, work hard and invest in relationships.

“The people who succeed are not always the most talented,” Million said. “Often, they are simply the people who keep showing up.”

Transformative journey

For Hawthorne, the evening offered a chance to reflect on how dramatically his own educational journey had changed since arriving at Oswego.

As a student intern with the Office of Marketing and Communications, Hawthorne helped tell the stories of fellow Lakers through social media videos, campus features and student projects.

“I have shared your stories, your successes and your future desires,” he said in a speech that drew cheers, laughs and tears from those in attendance. “It has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my time here.”

Drawing on boxing imagery throughout his remarks, Hawthorne encouraged classmates to “step into your punches” by taking risks and pursuing opportunities with confidence.

“When you take a risk, when you work toward a goal, when you go for something, you put one foot forward,” he said. “And if you miss, well, you’ve still made ground.”

Hawthorne also acknowledged the uncertainty facing many graduates as they enter a rapidly changing world shaped by economic challenges, misinformation and evolving technology.

“We are stepping into a world that is becoming increasingly more difficult to afford to live in,” he said. “A world where AI threatens a change so swift and radical it may come at the cost of our anticipated career paths.”

But rather than expressing fear, Hawthorne challenged graduates to use their education to create meaningful change.

“When you reach positions of power, and you will, you can shape AI technology ethically, you can make living essentials affordable and you can fight false information,” he said.

He concluded by urging graduates to carry forward the determination and passion symbolized by the evening’s torchlight tradition, drawing a rousing reaction from the Laker family in attendance.

“If the odds are stacked against us, then let’s step into our punches,” Hawthorne said. “If we are to call ourselves Lakers we must be the waves that crash onto the shore reaching for the greener pasture beyond.”

President Nwosu connected the evening’s symbolism to the broader legacy of SUNY Oswego’s alumni community, officially welcoming graduates into a network now more than 96,000 strong.

“We congregate to celebrate our Commencement Eve Torchlight ceremony, an academic tradition second only to Commencement in its age and symbolism,” Nwosu said.

He encouraged graduates to reflect on both the generations of Lakers who came before them and the role they will play in shaping the university’s future story.

“You will add a fresh spark to this community,” Nwosu said. “Their strength and success will fan the flame of your passions and ambitions.”

Nwosu also emphasized that learning extends far beyond graduation day, reminding students that the Torch of Learning represents a lifelong commitment to curiosity and service.

“Learning never ends,” he said. “Let your curiosity and drive for better understanding fuel your career and your life.”

-- Submitted by University Advancement