SRU’s readies for trio of commencement ceremonies

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students at commencement ceremony

April 24, 2017

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University will confer more than 1,500 undergraduate and graduate degrees during a trio of commencement ceremonies May 12-13 in Morrow Field House. Nearly 1,300 of the degrees awarded will be baccalaureate degrees, with 194 master's candidates expected to cross the stage. Fifty-three doctoral candidates will be hooded.

SRU's graduate student commencement will be at 7 p.m., May 12. Doors will open at 6 p.m. No tickets are required for the graduate student commencement.

Undergraduates in the College of Health, Environment and Science and the College of Liberal Arts will graduate at 10 a.m., May 13. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Undergraduates in the College of Business and the College of Education will graduate at 2 p.m., May 13. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Tickets for all guests, including children, are required for both undergraduate ceremonies. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All graduates have received their allotted tickets for distribution to friends and family.

Overflow seating (no ticket required) will be available in the Alumni House, Advanced Technology and Science Hall Auditorium and the Smith Student Center Theatre. The ceremony will also be streamed live on www.sru.edu.

Alan Levy, professor of history, will serve as grand marshal and will open and close the ceremonies.

SRU President Cheryl Norton will provide remarks and introductions. Jeffrey Smith will bring greetings from the council of trustees at all three ceremonies.

Philip Way, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs; Lawrence Shao, dean, College of Business; Keith Dills, dean, College of Education; Jerry Chmielewski, dean, College of Health, Environment and Science, and Jennifer Keller, interim dean, College of Liberal Arts, will present the graduates for their degrees, which will be officially conferred by Norton.

SRU's Army ROTC unit will present the colors to open the ceremony.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Barta, professor of military science and head of SRU's Army ROTC program will confer the oath of office to 14 graduating ROTC cadets, inducting them into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants.

Receiving commissions will be:

  • Caitlyn Boulette, a recreational therapy major from Coopersburg;
  • Olivia Combs, a social work major from Felton, Delaware;
  • Sierra Ejzak, a public health major from Warren, Ohio;
  • Dustin Fisch, a computing major from Morrisdale;
  • Jared Flood, an interdisciplinary programs major from Churchville;
  • Wyatt Kohl, an interdisciplinary programs major from Northumberland;
  • Logan Kreider, an interdisciplinary studies major from Etters;
  • Adam Leeper, a health and physical education major from Turtle Creek;
  • LeAnn Penn, a biology major from Conneaut Lake;
  • Samuel Quadri, an interdisciplinary programs major from Pittsburgh;
  • Briana Quinones, an interdisciplinary programs major from Slippery Rock;
  • Kevin Reno, a psychology major from Mercer;
  • Daniel Seasock, a public health major from Wilkes-Barre; and
  • Trent Viccari, an interdisciplinary programs major from Ellwood City

Since its inception, the SRU Army ROTC program has commissioned 346 officers.

Norton, who was appointed as the 16th, and first female, president of SRU in 2012, and will be retiring from the University effective July 21, will serve as the speaker at the each ceremony.

Lisa McCullough Holmes, a 1988 SRU graduate and member of the SRU Alumni Association, will induct the graduates into the association.

The SRU Student Brass will provide music for the ceremony.

The SRU Men's Quartet will sing the "Star-Spangled Banner," while the SRU Student Quartet will lead the singing of the "SRU Alma Mater."

A reception for graduate students and their guests will immediately follow the May 12 ceremony in the GrassTex area of the field house.

A reception for all undergraduate students and their guests will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May 13 in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.

Additional information about guest and special needs seating, transportation, parking and lodging is available at http://www.sru.edu/events/commencement or by phoning 724.738.2849.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robb King | 724.738.2199 | robert.king@sru.edu

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