Manhattan University announces this year's commencement speakers

Two distinguished alumni, Gerard Caccappolo and Anthony Fernicola, have been announced as Manhattan University’s 2025 commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients.

Caccappolo, a telecommunications executive with over four decades of experience, will deliver the keynote at MU’s grad students graduation ceremony. Born and bred in the Bronx, he has held senior roles at AT&T, Bell Atlantic, and Ascom Timeplex before joining GTS Europe. There, he served as president and CEO of Ebone, a GTS subsidiary, and successfully led the company through its sale before retiring in 2001.

Beyond his business achievements, Caccappolo is deeply involved in the arts, having served as chairman and now treasurer of the Concert Artists Guild (CAG), dedicated to “supporting sustainable careers for emerging musicians.”

“It is a tremendous honor for me to receive this recognition. Manhattan University has long been a part of my life and I am particularly appreciative of the education I received there. I am also so pleased to continue to remain involved in the Manhattan University community,” he said.

Caccappolo served on MU’s Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2024 and was named Trustee Emeritus last year. A fervent advocate of widening access to higher education, he and his wife Susan, established the Gerard ’63 & Susan Caccappolo Scholarship to assist Hispanic students attending MU, particularly those from inner-city backgrounds.

The university’s interim president, Frederick Bonato, described Caccappolo as “a staunch and vibrant advocate of Manhattan University,” commending his enduring commitment to the school’s philanthropic mission.

He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from MU and master’s degrees from NYU and Columbia University.

Bronx-native Anthony Fernicola, class of ’78 and ’82, will address undergraduate students on May 17. The first in his family to attend college, he’s now the president and chief customer officer at Salesforce, a cloud computing powerhouse.

In 2020, the university honored Fernicola with the De La Salle Medal, which recognizes individuals whose professional achievements and personal values align with the principles of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the patron saint of educators and the founder of the Lasallian tradition that the university upholds.

Both alumni will be receiving an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

The commencements will take place on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17.