Sister Andrea Ciszewski to address Hilbert College Class of 2022

HAMBURG — Sister M. Andrea Ciszewski, FSSJ, ’66 will be the commencement speaker at Hilbert College’s 61st annual commencement ceremony planned for 1 p.m. on May 20 at Hafner Recreation Center on the Hilbert campus. As the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph celebrate their 125th anniversary this year and Hilbert celebrates its 65th anniversary, Sister Andrea was chosen as commencement speaker to commemorate and support this milestone year for the sisters and Hilbert College. In addition to graduating from Hilbert in 1966, Sister Andrea also taught and served on the board of trustees at the college. She will also be recognized at Hilbert’s commencement with an honorary doctorate of humane letters. 

Sister Andrea taught at St. Columba Elementary School in Buffalo and Immaculata Academy in Hamburg. She served as co-chair and instructor in the education department at Hilbert. She served as general councilor and general minister of her congregation and served on the boards of the following FSSJ-sponsored institutions: St. Joseph Hospital, Cheektowaga; Marycrest Manor, Livonia, Michigan; Immaculata Academy and Hilbert College. She also served as chair of the committee that formed the Catholic Health System of Western New York.

A native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Sister Andrea served as associate superintendent and curriculum director of Catholic schools in the Springfield, Massachusetts Diocese from 1999 to 2006; and as interim superintendent from 2006 to 2007. She was appointed superintendent of Catholic schools by then-Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell in 2007. She served for 12 years as superintendent of Catholic schools in the Springfield Diocese before retiring in 2018. 

Sister Andea is a 1966 graduate of Hilbert (AAS in liberal arts) and served on the board of trustees from 1986-1999. She was termed emeritus in 2001. She was a past recipient of the Hilbert College Medal in 1995. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Elms College and her master’s in theology from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora.

Hilbert will celebrate the Class of 2022 and the classes of 2020 and 2021 were also invited to the ceremony as those commencement celebrations were hindered with Covid-related restrictions.

Hilbert President Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., will confer bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees, as well as associate in applied science and associate in arts degrees to Class of 2022.  In addition, President Brophy will confer master of science and master of public administration degrees to Hilbert’s graduate students. Maureen Finney, Ed.D., PA-C, Hilbert provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, will be the master of ceremonies.

A reception for graduates, guests and others in attendance will be hosted by President Brophy in a tent adjacent to Hafner Recreation Center immediately following the commencement ceremony.