When my last word is “Rosebud,” I hope people will understand the meaning.
I went to The College of Saint Rose in 1992 as a computer science major and received an honorary degree for communications in 2009. I had some of the greatest years of my life at that school. It could not have been more perfect. All the right people, all at the right time.
In 1993, I performed my first hour-long show ever at Saint Joseph Hall at 985 Madison Avenue. I was 18. I used to go into the laundry room in Lima Hall with my friend Frank Gentile (who went to JCA, which is now Sage College) to work on the “act.” I can’t even stress the amount of support I got from fellow students and faculty…I mean, they let me have an hour to do whatever I wanted. What an opportunity. They believed in me and built my confidence. After that show I remember thinking, “Wow, I’m gonna do this thing.”
To hear of Saint Rose’s closing makes me sad—sad for the kids that were enrolled who couldn’t graduate, who won’t have the camaraderie that I had, who won’t see the Golden Knights win a game, who won’t feel cool, who won’t fall in love, who won’t have their heart broken and who won’t have that slice of pizza at Sovrana at 2 in the morning—all of those little moments that add up to make a great college memory. And now, it doesn’t exist. I have a degree from a school that doesn’t exist. I’m going to have to explain that to people. “Where’d you go to school?” “Oh, you know that Spirit Halloween store on Western Avenue? I went there.”
I can’t say anything bad about my experience at The College of Saint Rose. I’m grateful to everyone I met there who helped me and took care of me as I was starting my life and career in comedy. I hope you, like me, think back fondly of any memories you have of Saint Rose. And if you don’t like my writing, please keep in mind that I got an honorary degree in communications from a college that doesn’t exist.
Rosebud forever.
—Jimmy Fallon
