At College Grads' Photo Op, Nutter Administration Sees More Work Ahead

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mayor Nutter donned a cap and gown today and climbed the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for his annual photo with local college graduates.

With the museum as a backdrop, at a predetermined signal, members of the Class of 2014  -- and Mayor Nutter (fourth from left in front row) -- tossed their mortarboards into the air.

Lori Shorr, the mayor's chief education officer, admits the city hasn't quite reached the mayor's graduation goal.

"He put a challenge out to the city that we needed to double the college graduation rate -- which, at that time, he stated as 18 percent in '08.  And we're up to 24.3 percent," she tells KYW Newsradio.

Stefan Johnson, 22, of South Philadelphia, is getting his diploma from Villanova University.  As a political science major, he says he plans to fight for education equity.

"Everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background, should be able to attend a college or university," he says.

Three hundred grads from 14 colleges were represented in the annual photo.

In:
• KYW Newsradio 1060
• Community
• Education
• Philadelphia