More than 1,600 students from the Class of 2025 are eligible to be recognized for graduating, as Slippery Rock University will conduct its spring commencement ceremonies, May 9-10, at the Morrow Field House in the following four ceremonies:
- 6 p.m., May 9, Graduate Studies.
- 9 a.m., May 10, College of Business.
- Noon, May 10, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Rock Life.
- 3 p.m., May 10, College of Engineering and Science and College of Health Professions.
Electronic tickets are required for entry and each graduate will be provided up to five guest tickets. All ceremonies will be livestreamed on www.sru.edu for those friends and family members without a ticket, unable to attend in person, or who prefer to watch the ceremony online. Additionally, there will be livestream viewing locations for guests without tickets at the Russell Wright Alumni House on May 9 and May 10 and at the Smith Student Center Theater and the Advanced Technology Science Auditorium on May 10.
There will be a different commencement speaker for each ceremony. They are:
- 6 p.m., May 9: Nicole Stout, ’94, senior director of survivorship and wellness for the American Cancer Society.
- 9 a.m., May 10: Prasad Vemala, professor of management at Robert Morris University and future dean of the SRU College of Business.
- Noon, May 10: Theodorea Berry, ’85, dean of Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.
- 3 p.m., May 10: Christopher Clark, president and CEO of Allegheny Health Network Saint Vincent, Grove City and Westfield Memorial Hospitals.
Larry McCarthy, assistant professor of accounting, economics and finance, will serve as grand marshal and will open the ceremonies. SRU President Karen Riley will provide remarks and confer the degrees. There will also be greetings from members of the SRU council of trustees, as well as a welcome from Michael Zody, ’88, president of the SRU Alumni Association.
Michael Zieg, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will present candidates for degrees, as well as Dan Bauer, dean, College of Liberal Arts; Joe Cali, interim dean, College of Business; Nicole Dafoe, dean, College of Engineering and Science; Keith Dills, dean, College of Education; and Christina Karshin, dean, College of Health Professions.
Student marshals and University flag bearers, selected by their deans or provost, will hold either their respective college or program flag or the SRU flag for the ceremonies’ processionals.
The following graduating students will be University flag bearers:
- Tracy Radcliffe, an environmental education major from Spring City, 6 p.m., May 9.
- Leah Renz, an accounting major from Beaver (Beaver HS), 9 a.m., May 10.
- Kloe Soros, an early childhood/special education major from Fredonia (Reynolds HS), noon, May 10.
- Nico DeCaria, a mechanical engineering major from Ellwood City (Lincoln HS), 3 p.m., May 10.
The following graduating students will be student marshals:
- Cole Eged, a history major from Freedom, Graduate Studes.
- John Murray, a safety management major from Hermitage (Hickory HS), College of Business.
- Katherine Schrock, an early childhood/special education major from New Castle (Central Dauphin HS), College of Education.
- Brooke Hamilton, a music education major from South Park (South Park HS), College of Liberal Arts.
- Jon Whitmer, a computing major from Slippery Rock (Slippery Rock HS), College of Engineering and Science.
- Morgan Brown, an exercise science major from Scottdale (Southmoreland HS), College of Health Professions.
- Adam McChesney from Warren (Warren HS), Rock Life.
Twelve cadets from the U.S. Army ROTC program will also be recognized for their commissioning as officers with the rank of second lieutenant at their respective colleges’ ceremonies. They will be officially commissioned and take their oaths at a private ceremony on campus, May 9. The cadets include:
- Cayde Davidson, a health and physical education major from Greenville (Greenville HS), who will serve as an Aviation officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Gordon Hardy, an interdisciplinary programs major from McMurray (Peters Township HS), who will serve as an Aviation officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Seth Hickman, an interdisciplinary programs major from Irwin (Peters Township HS), who will serve as an Infantry officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- David Lucidore, a park and resources management major from Bethel Park (Bethel Park HS), who will serve as an Infantry officer on active duty.
- Pamela Manning, a criminology and criminal justice major from Mansfield, Ohio (Lexington HS), who will serve as a Signal Corps officer, detailed to Field Artillery, on active duty.
- Sydney Montana, a homeland security major from Belton, Texas (Copperas Cove HS), who will serve as an Air Defense officer on active duty.
- Jillian Panizza, a safety management major from Midway (Fort Cherry HS), who will serve as a Chemical Corps officer on active duty.
- Ethan Plesakov, a cybersecurity major from Slippery Rock (Slippery Rock HS), who will serve as a Signal Corps officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Sydney Ryan, a homeland security major from Pittsburgh (North Hills HS), who will serve as a Medical Services officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Yuliya Sager, a homeland security major from Edinburg, who will serve as a Military Intelligence officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Bank Thomas, an accounting major from Cheswick (Fox Chapel HS), who will serve as an Air Defense officer on active duty.
- Nicholas Wile, a criminology and criminal justice major from Greensburg (Hempfield HS), who will serve as an Engineer Officer, detailed to Infantry, on active duty.
Additional information is available on the University’s commencement webpage, by calling 724.738.2849 or by emailing the Commencement Office at commencementoffice@sru.edu.
