Briarcliffe College 2009 Commencement Reverend Eboni K. Marshall of The Abyssinian Baptist Church To Deliver Keynote Address

April 27, 2009

(Bethpage, NY…April 27, 2009) Briarcliffe College will graduate nearly 700 students during commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 30, 2009. Reverend Eboni K. Marshall, Assistant Pastor for Christian Education at The Abyssinian Baptist Church (NY, NY), will deliver the keynote address.

Briarcliffe College President Dr. George Santiago, Jr. will confer diplomas to graduating students assembled from the College’s Bethpage, Patchogue and Queens campuses, with over 3,000 family, friends and faculty expected to attend the commencement ceremonies held at Suffolk Community College Sports/Convention Complex at 101 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood beginning at 10:00 a.m.

A resident of Manhattan, NY, Rev. Marshall holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and African American Studies from Fordham University, a Master of Divinity in Social Ethics and a Master of Philosophy from Union Theological Seminary. She is currently completing her dissertation for a Doctorate of Philosophy at Union Theological Seminary/Columbia University Graduate School of Religion.

Rev. Marshall is the youngest woman to be licensed and ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the historic 200 year-old Abyssinian Baptist Church. In 2004, she began serving at The Abyssinian Baptist Church as Intern Minister for Christian Education & Youth and today is Assistant Minister for Christian Education, Dean of the Abyssinian Institute for Christian Education, and Editor-in-Chief of the quarterly The Abyssinian Spirit. In addition to pastoral duties, she oversees the Abyssinian Youth Ministry, introducing or expanding upon programs from bible study, college preparation courses, job placement assistance, annual Youth Expo, and more.

A member of the Board of the Harlem YMCA, Rev. Marshall has been featured in Ebony magazine, is the recipient of the 40 Under 40 award from The Network Journal, recognized as an emerging minister by The African American Pulpit, and honored as a “Woman in Action” by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc – NY Chapter. She has published articles and her Sunday sermons are frequently heard on 98.7 KISS-FM radio.

Prior to her academic and ministerial studies, Rev. Marshall performed as a dancer in theaters around the world. Trained in classical and modern dance, she worked on The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s national “Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach Tour” and served as an Ailey teaching artist, informing youth on dance techniques. She is also a trained violinist.

“It is important to demonstrate to our students that with focus, hard work, and a love for what you do, the future holds great prospects,” said Dr. Santiago, Jr. “I know we will all be inspired by hearing from this accomplished and caring woman.”

About Briarcliffe College: A proprietary institution with campuses in Bethpage, Patchogue and Queens, and a combined student body of 1700, Briarcliffe College is a four-year career education college offering degree programs in Criminal Justice, Graphic Design, Business Administration and Information Technology. For more, visit www.bcl.edu.