CLINTON, NY — Maddigan Leifer, of Shelton, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College on Sunday, May 24, in a Commencement ceremony concluding the college’s 2025-26 academic year.
Leifer, an economics major, graduated cum laude.
Chef, chocolatier, and Hamilton alumnus Stephen Durfee, a 1985 Hamilton graduate, gave the Commencement address, urging the Class of 2026 to “be present and patient enough to find what they love,” and assuring them that they’re more ready to enter the post-college world than they may feel.
He called on his background as chef, sharing with graduates a phrase often used in the professional kitchen, “Mise en place,” which describes the French culinary tradition of having everything in its place before the work begins – ingredients prepped, tools ready, station clean.
“And it’s not just a kitchen concept,” he said. “It’s a whole philosophy of intentional preparation. Even if you’re not exactly sure which dish you’re about to pick up, what a guest is going to order, your station is set. You know the recipe. So, bring it!”
Hamilton’s 510 graduates now join an alumni body of more than 24,000, many of whom have made important contributions to business, the professions, government and the arts.
Hamilton College, a leading liberal arts institution, is in Clinton, New York.