The Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-founder of the My Sister’s Keeper collective, gets her honorary degree Saturday at Lesley University commencement ceremonies in Boston. (Photo: Lesley University)

More than 2,300 degrees were conferred this year by Lesley University, school officials said, including for 33 doctorates, 1,899 masters and 456 undergraduates at 2012 Commencement ceremonies Saturday at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston.

At a 10 a.m. ceremony, graduates of Lesley’s Graduate School of Education and Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences were addressed by honorary degree recipients Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust and one of the nation’s leading education advocates; and the Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-founder of My Sister’s Keeper, a faith-based, multiracial collective assisting communities of women around the world.

During a 2 p.m. ceremony, graduates of Lesley’s two undergraduate schools, Lesley College and The Art Institute of Boston, were addressed by honorary degree recipients Xu Bing, an internationally acclaimed installation artist; and Lesley University education professor Mary Mindess, a 53-year member of Lesley’s faculty who is retiring this year. Cambridge’s vice mayor, Denise Simmons, gave remarks at the start of the ceremony.

In his remarks to the graduates, Lesley University President Joseph B. Moore said a graduate degree is not just for personal benefit, but it is also expected to be a public benefit. He wished graduates success in finding meaningful employment and carrying forward this mission and urged them to “use your educational privilege to support the public good.”

“Many of you completed your degree programs in order to assume more responsibilities,” Moore said. “We hope the nobility of that decision and this degree accomplishment is awarded many times over … A Lesley education supports both individual autonomy and the common good. Use your educational privilege to support the public good.”

A year ago the university said it conferred 2,632 degrees, including 453 to undergraduates, 2,101 at the master’s level and 18 at the doctorate level.