The 91st annual Commencement Exercises for the academic year 2019-2020 were held in an atmosphere brimming with emotion and pride; however, with far fewer than usual in attendance due to current circumstances. Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nicolas Tsavliris, and Athens College President, Richard Jackson, gave speeches, the latter bestowing the prestigious President’s Award upon Athanasios Martinos ’68 for his invaluable, sizeable and timeless contributions to the College.  Mr. Jackson, in his last speech as College President, reflected on his tenure that lasted from 2017 to 2020.

Speech by N. Tsavliris, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation

Speech by College President, R. Jackson, and the bestowal of the President's Award 2020

Professor Costas Synolakis ’75, who took over as College President on Monday, July 13, 2020, also addressed the audience.

This year’s keynote speaker was U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, who, via a videotaped message, advised graduates to get to know the world and to try to build bridges of communications and cooperation with other people in order to evolve and achieve their goals.

Co-Director of Athens College and Coordinator of the HAEF School Units, Apostolos Athanasopoulos, introduced the 2020 Athens College and Psychico College Valedictorians and Salutatorians and announced the winners of the Homer Davis, Howland, and Delta Prizes. He also acknowledged the winners of the Alexander Petrellis-Perry and Athletic Awards, those graduating with the distinction summa cum laude, as well as the winners of the Junior High Schools’ “Bodossakis Athanasiadis Memorial Award” and “John Latsis Memorial Award.”

Athens College High School Director, Christos Konstantopoulos, and Psychico College High School Director, Anastasia Papakostopoulou, addressed the graduates before conferring diplomas.