The Spokesman-Review newspaper out in Spokane, Washington has been reporting on a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into a phony diploma mill based in that city that sold fake degrees to almost 10,000 people.

Today, the paper posted a list of buyers and their purported degrees, some of which allegedly invoked the name of real institutions. The list published by the newspaper included what reporter Bill Morlin clarified to me in an email as three “unrecognized” (or fictitious universities): Concordia Bible College; Concordia College & University; and Concordia Graduate Institute, as well as three “legitimate” universities: Concordia; Concordia
College and Concordia University.

While Morlin says federal papers identify the schools in question as Concordia and Concordia College in Minnesota and Concordia University in Wisconsin, I couldn’t help but wonder if our local folks here at Concordia in Bronxville had any concerns about their name being potentially sullied.

School spokesman Charlie Brown sent this response:

Bronxville, NY— Concordia College-New York is very concerned with regard to its name being confused with “diploma mills” of similar title and their “prior learning degrees”.

Founded in 1881, Concordia College–New York is part of the Concordia University System—a national network of ten colleges and universities—and is widely recognized for its programs in education, business, social sciences, liberal studies, and social work, and competes in NCAA Division II athletics.

We’ve posted between 55 and 60 high school graduation lists from the three counties that make up the LoHud coverage area (Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties), but we’d like to publish them all.

Some schools didn’t get us their lists of graduates before the ceremonies, but we published them as soon as we received them. We’d be glad to do the same for any other schools that get us their lists. (Ditto the two colleges that didn’t get us their lists of local grads.)

All published lists can be accessed via this post.

We can accept the lists only from school officials, and they must be alphabetized in a Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or plain text document — and not all in upper case letters. Please email them to me at avernon@lohud.com

We congratulate all graduates and wish you the best of luck!

Sarah Lawrence College held its commencement exercises recently.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Here’s a link to the photo gallery for this ceremony and here’s a link to the graduation photo gallery index page.

Congrats to all!

Berkeley College held its graduation recently at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino was the commencement speaker.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Congrats to all!

Monroe College held its commencement exercises this evening.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. A link to the photo gallery for this ceremony will be posted once it goes live; here’s a link to the photo gallery index page for all graduations.

Congrats to all!

The College of Westchester held its 92nd commencement ceremony at the County Center  today.

Here’s an interesting tidbit about the graduation:

The theme of this year’s Commencement is derived from Project Graduation which is sponsored by The College of Westchester’s honor society Phi Theta Kappa, the largest honor society in American higher education.  The mission of Project Graduation is to battle the social issues of hunger, low literacy skills and to help children in need.  The Phi Theta Kappa students have decided that this year’s project will be to raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  St. Jude’s provides care for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.  It is a hospital where no one pays for treatment beyond what is covered by insurance and those without insurance are never asked to pay.  It is America’s 3rd largest health-care charity with a model that keeps the costs down and the funds flowing, so science and care never stops.

Congrats to all!

Pace University held commencement exercises for its undergraduate and graduate students recently at its campuses in White Plains and Pleasantville.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Here’s a link to the home page for the photo galleries for all local graduations. Here’s a link to our Pace University graduation photo gallery.

Congrats to all!

Rockland Community College held its Spring commencement ceremonies today.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley.

Here’s a link to the home page for the photo galleries for all local graduations. Here’s a link to the RCC photo gallery.

Congrats to all!

New York Medical College held its commencement ceremonies May 20.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Congrats to all!

Mercy College held its commencement exercises this morning (the ceremony for grad students begins at 4 p.m.).

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Here’s a link to the home page for the photo galleries for all local graduations.  Here’s a link to Mercy’s photo gallery.

Congrats to all!

Concordia College held its commencement ceremonies May 10. Click here for the photo gallery of the event.

Read on for the full list of graduates. Congratulations to all!

Iona College held its 64th annual commencement May 18 at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Click here for the photo gallery of the graduation.

Congrats to all! Read on for the full list of graduates.

The Rockland Graduate Campus of Long Island University is holding its commencement exercises at 7 tonight, with Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee addressing the graduates.

Following is a list of of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley.

Congrats to all!

Westchester Community College held its commencement exercises today.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Here’s a link to the home page for the photo galleries for all local graduations. Here’s a link to the photo gallery for this ceremony.

Congrats to all!

The Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary held its commencement ceremonies this afternoon at the Westchester County Center.

Following is a list of all the graduates from the Lower Hudson Valley. Here’s a link to the home page for the photo galleries for all local graduations. Here’s a link to the Nyack College graduation gallery.

Good luck to all!