Albany's College of Saint Rose is throwing a viewing party as Jimmy Fallon starts his run hosting the "Tonight Show."
Fallon grew up in the Hudson Valley village of Saugerties and attended Saint Rose in the 1990s, receiving a bachelor's degree in communications in 2009. That year, Fallon gave the commencement address and received an honorary doctorate.
He was awarded the degree 14 years he left the school as a second-semester senior to pursue his comedy career. He was one semester shy of completing his requirements for a communications degree.
Saint Rose says students who fall just short of completing all the requirements may ask for "experiential learning credit" by presenting a portfolio showing they have fulfilled academic credits in their major through life experience.
Administrators from the Albany college met with Fallon to review his portfolio and discuss his work as a writer, actor and telvision personality.
Fallon said in his commencement speech: "Finally I convinced them I’ve done enough communicating to get my communications degree and it only took me 17 years."
The ceremony was featured in a segment for "Late Night."
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Fallon says the format of the "Tonight Show" won't be much different from his previous gig at "Late Night," except that it'll be an hour earlier.
