SRU readies for a trio of commencement ceremonies

April 25, 2017

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University will confer a record number of degrees during a trio of commencement ceremonies May 11-12 at Morrow Field House as more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate degrees will be awarded. Nearly 1,400 of the degrees awarded will be baccalaureate degrees, with 276 master's candidates expected to cross the stage including those from SRU's inaugural Physician Assistants program. Fifty-three doctoral candidates will be hooded.

SRU's graduate student commencement will be at 7 p.m., May 11. 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 12. 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 12. 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 Interim President Philip Way will provide remarks and introductions. William McCarrier, chair of the University's council of trustees will bring greetings from the council at all three ceremonies.

Philip Way, interim president, 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 Dan Bauer, dean, College of Liberal Arts, will present the graduates for their degrees, which will be officially conferred by Way.

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

Lt. Col. Joseph Richey, professor of military science and head of SRU's Army ROTC program will confer the oath of office to 18 graduating ROTC cadets, inducting them into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants.

Receiving commissions will be:
-Jonathan Baker, a history major from Clymer.
-Rachel Brobeck, a criminology and criminal justice major from Burke, Virginia.
-Alex Davis, an economics major from Chicora.
-Kristofer Davis, a communication major from Moon Township.
-Sean Grove, a criminology and criminal justice major from Lebanon.
-Isti Istrefi, a criminology and criminal justice major from Aliquippa.
-Aaron Ketter, a safety management major from Oakdale.
-Ryan Leonard, a criminology and criminal justice major from Greensburg.
-Carson Liang, a safety management major from Pittsburgh.
-Thomas Mitchell, a criminology and criminal justice major from New Castle.
-Joshua Patishnock, a communication major from Stafford, Virginia.
-Donald Sanders, a criminology and criminal justice major from Aliquippa.
-Shane Schlak, a finance major from Fairfield.
-Dan Spiker, an interdisciplinary programs major from Fombell.
-Tiffany Tanner, a health and physical education major from Butler.
-Jamie Williams, a political science major from Oakdale.
-Danielle Wilson, a history major from Forest Hill, Maryland.
-John Wingen, a criminology and criminal justice major from Hatboro.

Since its inception, the SRU Army ROTC program has commissioned 367 officers.

Way, who assumed the role of interim president at SRU in July 2017, will serve as the speaker at each ceremony.

Don Huddart, a 1987 SRU graduate and president of the SRU Alumni Association, will induct the graduates into the association.

The SRU 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 11 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 12 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 | robb.king@sru.edu