FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: K.E. Schwab
724-738-2199
karl.schwab@sru.edu

SRU Army ROTC program commissions nine second lieutenants 

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The spring semester Army ROTC cadet class at Slippery Rock University saw nine second lieutenants commissioned at pre-commencement ceremonies in the Advanced Science and Technology Hall. All nine have received their duty assignments.

            The ceremony was led by Lt. Col. William Bialozor, head of the Army ROTC program at SRU, who commended the class on its leadership development, stamina and ability to work and excel as a unit. He praised the group for its numerous training exercise awards. 

            Eight of the cadets were presented their undergraduate diplomas at SRU’s commencement, and the ninth cadet will receive his diploma from Grove City College as part of the joint SRU-GCC ROTC program.

            Receiving commissions were:

• Noah Robert Benson, a political science major from Johnstown, now assigned to the quartermaster corps at Fort Lee, Va.;
• Brian James Cianchetti, a safety and environmental management major with a minor in leadership from Butler, who joins the corps of engineers at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.;
• Joseph Stephen Lustick, III, a history major with a minor in leadership from Waynesboro, joining the airborne division at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.;
• Christopher Raymond Mathis, an international business major with minors in leadership and Spanish from Altoona, now assigned to the military intelligence corps at Fort Benning, Ga.;
• Andrew Michael Sharp, a parks and recreation management major with a minor in leadership from Etters, who joins the military intelligence corps at Fort Hood, Texas;
• Jessica Beth Shimko, an exercise science major with a minor in leadership from Indiana, Pa., who will now attend graduate school for physical therapy at Thomas Jefferson University before joining the medical service corps;
• Nathaniel James Thomson, a parks and resource management major with a minor in leadership from New Castle, who reports to the ordnance corps at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.;
• Vincenzo Tucciarone, Jr., a history major with a minor in leadership from Sellersville, who joins the infantry division at Ft. Benning, Ga.; and
• Ian William Black, a history major at Grove City College from Franklin, who assumes active duty in the quartermaster corp at Fort Lee.

            Each second lieutenant’s rank bars were pinned on by family members attending the ceremony following the oath of office administered by Bialozor.

 Slippery Rock University is Pennsylvania’s premier public residential university. Slippery Rock University provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that make a positive difference in their lives. 

PN, PGN, WPN, PR, S