Rocco honored by PSC; urges graduates to service

NCPR general manager Ellen Rocco was honored with an honorary degree today by Paul Smiths College. The school sent out a press release a short while ago, including some of her comments.

“As Bob Dylan said, you’ve gotta serve somebody,” said Rocco, who spoke in front of hundreds of graduates, their families and others at the college’s 63rd commencement exercises on Sunday. The event honored the 283 members of the college’s Class of 2010.

“It’s possible to serve every single day of your life in a lot of little ways,” said Rocco, who marked her 30th year at the National Public Radio affiliate earlier this month. “Seize the opportunity to serve … it will take you down the most unexpected paths.”

Rocco came bearing a gift for the new alums: each received a copy of “Three Cups of Tea” by mountaineer Greg Mortenson and journalist David Oliver Relin, a book that chronicled Mortenson’s efforts to build schools in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

After serving as NCPR’s development director from 1980-1985, she has been station manager since. Since her arrival and under her direction, the station has grown into a highly respected regional station.

Since the 1980s, NCPR has installed 19 transmitters and expanded its service to include most of upstate New York, much of western Vermont and parts of Quebec and Ontario.