The Hoys know how to keep “OW” in the family.
Among the 1,150 graduates who were honored this year during the 60th Commencement of SUNY Old Westbury, Media and Communications major Avery Hoy ‘26 not only marked the completion of his degree, but joined in a tradition by becoming the fifth member of his family to graduate from the institution.
His parents Anthony Hoy ‘90 and Trina Harris-Hoy ‘92 and older siblings Bryanna Hoy ‘18 and Anthony Hoy Jr. ‘19 joined him on his special day as they participated as part of the Alumni Processional.
“It feels great to earn my degree and move on to the next chapter of my life, but it’s an even better feeling to join a community that my parents and siblings have been proud to be part of,” said Avery Hoy.
Anthony Hoy and Trina Harris-Hoy paved the way for their family of alumni after their own student experiences that saw them being active in the campus community and seizing every opportunity to excel.
As a Computer & Information Science student, Anthony Hoy immersed himself in campus life as a residential student. He attended all manner of social events, spent hours in the campus computer labs pursuing his passion and eventually earned a work-study position there supporting students with technical skills and course materials.
“The friendships I built during those years have lasted decades,” said Anthony Hoy, who today is an engineering group lead in the Enterprise Contact Center at The Bank of New York Mellon.
Along with being the place where he practiced the craft he was studying, the computer lab also served as the location where he met his future wife.
Trina Harris-Hoy, an Accounting graduate, was also a residential student who spent much time spent in the Math Lab and participating in campus activities that she says also contributed to long-lasting friendships.
“I enjoyed being part of a vibrant campus community and witnessing the traditions and student life that made OW unique,” said Harris-Hoy, who today is a retired mathematics teacher in the New York City Department of Education after beginning her career in accounting.
Avery Hoy followed in his parents' footsteps of being active on campus. He earned an on-campus internship at the Media Innovation Center where he produced video content to support his career goals of pursuing sports media. “That experience showed me what goes into working on a production in sports media and helped prepare me for the field,” he said.
The 2026 Commencement Ceremony marks the third year that the Hoy parents and their two eldest children have been able to walk together during the processional.
Having earned his B.S. in Business Administration, Anthony Hoy Jr. is today self-employed, overseeing a portfolio of Airbnb properties, vehicle rentals, and event planning ventures. Bryanna Hoy was also a student in the School of Business, earning her master's degree in Taxation. Today she works as a Senior Treasury Analyst in the insurance industry.
Anthony Hoy feels honored to be able to celebrate his family’s milestones at the same institution that helped shape their lives. “Seeing all three of our children graduate from the same institution where my wife and I met, learned, and began building our future together has been a truly special, full circle moment for our family,” he said.
Trina Harris-Hoy agreed, “That accomplishment is something we are very proud of.”
“SUNY Old Westbury is more than just a university to us—it is part of our family’s story,” said Anthony Hoy.