The President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, Kerry Alys Robinson, will address the Class of 2026 during the 72nd Annual Dominican University Commencement. Robinson is well-known as a powerful voice of compassion and love and is a sought-after speaker and writer.
For more than two decades, Robinson has played a leading role in strengthening the Catholic Church. She is the founding Executive Director of Leadership Roundtable, which looks to lay executives to help the Church be more transparent and accountable, and now serves as a member of its Board of Trustees. Robinson consistently stresses the need for Catholics and people of all faiths to help our most vulnerable brothers and sisters.
Robinson has been an advisor and trustee of more than 25 grant-making foundations, charitable nonprofits, and family philanthropies. She is the author of the prize-winning book,”Imagining Abundance: Fundraising, Philanthropy, and A Spiritual Call to Service.” During the Commencement ceremony, Robinson will be awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters for her dedication to the Catholic Church and service to those who are in need.
Other honorees include:
Margaret R. Kaplen – Kaplen is a nurse, philanthropist, and community leader. An alumna of Dominican University’s nursing program and President of the Kaplen Foundation, Kaplen has made her supporting nurses and nursing education a central focus of her philanthropic mission. She will be awarded an honorary degree of Humane Letters for her unwavering generosity in advancing the nursing profession and expanding educational opportunities for countless students.
Mary Bernadette “Molly” O’Donnell ’13 – Since graduating from Dominican University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, O’Donnell has been a model of leadership and service in the Goshen, New York, community. She is currently the Commissioner of Jurors for Orange County, New York, and was the former mayor of the village of Goshen. Her tireless advocacy of small businesses civic engagement, and the arts have earned her numerous honors, including being named a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Assembly. O’Donnell is the recipient of the 2026 Badami Outstanding Alumna Award.
Dr. Carl Procario-Foley – Procario-Foley serves as the Executive Director of the Center at Mariandale, a retreat and conference center which is a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Hope. He guides the center in pursuing the Sisters’ commitments to care for the earth, support the marginalized, and inform participants of the transformative power of hope. Under his leadership, Mariandale has begun offering opportunities for students from colleges and universities around the country. Procario-Foley will be presented with the 2026 Veritas Medal.
Commencement will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 12 noon at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York.