CLARION, Pa. — Pennsylvania Western University’s Clarion campus held spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 4, in the Tippin Gymnasium.
Undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Health Sciences and Human Services participated in the 10 a.m. ceremony. The afternoon ceremony included students from the College of Education, Arts, and Humanities and the College of Science, Technology, and Business.
Dr. Susanne Fenske, vice president for Institutional Effectiveness, Student Affairs, University Police and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, conferred associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees upon graduates during the two ceremonies.
Dr. Deborah Kelly, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services, served as master of ceremonies at Clarion. Before assuming her current role, Kelly was a nursing faculty member at Clarion for 18 years, a department chairperson and nursing administrator.
Lauren Kostosky, a graduate of Central Valley High School in Center Township, delivered the student address at the 10 a.m. ceremony. Kostosky earned a Bachelor of Science in speech pathology and audiology with summa cum laude honors. At Clarion, she was vice president of Student Senate.
Sydney Spang of Ford City addressed fellow members of the Class of 2024 at the afternoon ceremony. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biology and dual minors in nutrition and fitness and chemistry.
Spang served as president of Student Senate and was a member of Eagle Ambassadors and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.
Additional speakers included Larry Pickett ’77 and Donna Oberlander ’91 from PennWest’s Council of Trustees, and Thomas Launer ’10, president of Clarion’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Leading the academic procession and representing his faculty colleagues by carrying the Ceremonial Mace was Dr. Anthony Vega, professor of geosciences in the Department of Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences.
The mace bearer distinction emphasizes the importance of faculty in PennWest’s academic environment and the central role that faculty play in the academic and personal development of students.
Members of Clarion Army ROTC presented the colors at the beginning of both ceremonies.
Clarion vocalist Chloe Blashford performed the Star-Spangled Banner and Clarion’s alma mater.
To view the commencement program, click here.
