More than 1,600 members of the Class of 2026 are ready to celebrate a major achievement: their graduation from Slippery Rock University. SRU will honor their hard work and success during four spring commencement ceremonies, May 8-9, at Morrow Field House:
- 6 p.m., May 8, Graduate Studies.
- 9 a.m., May 9, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Rock Life.
- Noon, May 9, Haverlack College of Business.
- 3 p.m., May 9, College of Engineering and Science and College of Health Professions.
Electronic tickets are required for entry, and each graduate will be provided with up to four guest tickets. All ceremonies will be livestreamed on sru.edu for those unable to attend in person. Additionally, there will be livestream viewing locations for guests without tickets at the Russell Wright Alumni House on May 8 and May 9 and at the Smith Student Center Theater and the Advanced Technology Science Auditorium on May 9.
There will be a different commencement speaker for each ceremony. They are:
- 6 p.m., May 8: Tim Post, ’00, corporate partnerships manager, Pittsburgh Steelers.
- 9 a.m., May 9: Monica Lamar, ’95, assistant superintendent, Pittsburgh Public Schools
- Noon, May 9: Todd Vore, ’90, entrepreneur in the consumer products industry and former CEO of Giftcraft.
- 3 p.m., May 9: Stacey Vaccaro, ’99, president and CEO, Familylinks.
Sam Thangiah, professor of computing and security, 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 a board member of the SRU Alumni Association.
Student marshals and University flag bearers, selected by their deans or provost, will hold either their respective college’s flag or the SRU flag for the ceremonies’ processionals.
The following graduating students will be University flag bearers:
- Jaida Heckman, an athletic training major from Sandy Lake (Lakeview HS), 6 p.m., May 8.
- Samantha Toki, a dual art and strategic communication and media major from Windber (Windber HS), 9 a.m., May 9.
- Nathan Ziegler, a finance major from Pittsburgh (Brentwood HS), noon, May 9.
- Ella Schlater, an exercise science major from South Park (South Park HS), 3 p.m., May 9.
The following graduating students will be student marshals:
- Rebecca Nicholas, a clinical mental health counseling major from Renfrew (Butler HS), Graduate Studes.
- Grace Magilson, an early childhood/special education major from Carnegie (Chartiers Valley HS), College of Education.
- Taylor Pastore, a music education major from Canonsburg (Canon-McMillan HS), College of Liberal Arts.
- Ethan Vitanza, a marketing major from Pittsburgh (North Allegheny HS), Haverlack College of Business.
- Spencer Clifford, an environmental geoscience major from Leetsdale (Quaker Valley HS), College of Engineering and Science.
- Michael Henwood, an exercise science major from Hermitage (Hickory HS), College of Health Professions.
Twenty 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 8. The cadets include:
- Landon Beachly, a homeland security major from Edinboro (General McLane HS), who will serve as an Infantry officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Pearwa Becker, a safety management major from Pittsburgh (Mount Lebanon HS), who will serve as a Field Artillery officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Morgan Breon, a homeland security major from Milroy (Mifflin County HS), who will serve as a Military Intelligence officer on active duty.
- Xavier Caldero, a computing major from Olyphant (Mid Valley HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer in the Army Reserves.
- Gage Eckley, a homeland security major from Cranberry Township (Seneca Valley HS), who will serve as a Field Artillery officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Morgan Fleming, a safety management major from Coraopolis (Moon HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Hunter Hartnett, a homeland security major from Johnstown (Conemaugh Township HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Doug Joseph, a health and physical education major from Gibsonia (North Catholic HS), who will serve as a Chemical Corps officer on active duty.
- Walker Just, a mechanical engineering major from Forestville (Slippery Rock HS), who will serve as an Aviation officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Olivia Kahley, a cybersecurity major from Milroy (Mifflin County HS), who will serve as a Signal Corps officer on active duty.
- Austin Lankey, a homeland security major from Transfer, who will serve as an Infantry officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Madeline Melodia, an accounting major from Greensburg (Greensburg Salem HS), who will serve as a Finance officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Tanner Merwin, a health and physical education major from Emlenton (Allegheny-Clarion Valley HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Brady Oswald, a criminology and criminal justice major from Hanover (Delone Catholic HS), who will serve as a Chemical Corps officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Zachari Oumorou, an information systems major from McDonald (Canon-McMillan HS), who will serve as a Signal Corps officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Jacon Reisinger, a park and resource management major from Saegertown (Saegertown HS), who will serve as an Infantry Officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Aaron Russell, an interdisciplinary studies major from Export, who will serve as an Adjutant General officer in the U.S. Army Reserves.
- Lukas Sovich, an information systems major from Freedom (Ambridge HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
- Cameron Weatherly, a political science major from Baden (Lincoln HS), who will serve as a Logistics officer on active duty.
- Autumn Wyatt, a psychology major from Fairview (Fairview HS), who will serve as a Corps of Engineers officer 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.
