Ruth Bader Ginsburg SUNY Honorary Degree Conferral

"Good morning – and welcome to the University at Buffalo!

The first day of class is always an exciting one at UB. But this is truly an incredible way to kick of the school year!

Thank you all for joining us for today’s SUNY Honorary Degree presentation and discussion with the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

I know I speak on behalf of the entire UB community when I say how honored and delighted we are to welcome Justice Ginsburg to campus. Today’s event is truly historic – as it marks: the first time a Supreme Court Justice has received a SUNY Honorary Degree; and the first time a Supreme Court Justice has visited our campus.

Every day, public research universities like UB address key social issues that impact our communities—locally and globally. We do this through the scholarship and research of our faculty, who are actively shaping these conversations at the national and international level. We do this by preparing our students to lead as thoughtful, engaged, and informed citizens of our 21^st century world. We do this by fostering a culture where people of all backgrounds can come together to explore, discuss, and debate issues and ideas of consequence.

And today—on this first day of the academic year—we do this by welcoming a profoundly influential Supreme Court justice to share her perspectives on her remarkable life and career.

Thank you all, again, for joining us for today’s historic visit by Justice Ginsburg."