Showcasing the outcomes of its commitment to student success, Slippery Rock University will honor graduates who have reached a pivotal milestone in their academic journeys by hosting its 2025 fall commencement ceremony, 11 a.m., Dec. 13, at the Morrow Field House.
More than 530 students are eligible to graduate and participate in the ceremony. Graduate students and undergraduates from each of SRU’s five colleges will receive their degrees in one ceremony.
Electronic tickets are required for entry and each graduate will be provided up to five guest tickets. The ceremony will be livestreamed on 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 a livestream viewing location on campus for guests without tickets at the Russell Wright Alumni House.
The commencement speaker will be Elliott Haverlack, ’80, the new namesake of SRU’s Haverlack College of Business, who last month, along with his wife, Rhonda, contributed $5 million to establish the college for the single largest gift in the University’s history. Haverlack is a retired executive in consumer-packaged goods industry and a three-time bestselling author.
Sam Thangiah, professor of computing and security, will serve as grand marshal and will open the ceremony. SRU President Karen Riley will provide remarks and confer the degrees. There will also be greetings from Elise Michaux on behalf of the SRU council of trustees.
Michael Zieg, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will present candidates for degrees, as well as Tim Slekar, associate provost for academic innovation and the dean of graduate and continuing education; Dan Bauer, dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Keith Dils, dean of the College of Education; Nicole Dafoe, dean of the College of Engineering and Science; Christine Karshin, dean of the College of Health Professions; and Prasad Vemala dean of the Haverlack College of Business, for their respective colleges.
Melissa Visco, ’04, board member of the SRU Alumni Association, will welcome the graduates as new SRU alumni on behalf of the association.
Student marshals and University flag bearers include the following graduating students who will hold their respective college flag or the SRU flag for the ceremony:
- Jocelyn Holko, a safety management major from Butler (University Flag Bearer).
- Alayna Miller, an accounting major from Butler (Butler HS) (Haverlack College of Business).
- Mollie Wolfe, a special education major from McDonald (West Allegheny HS) (College of Education).
- Rachel Dickey, a geography major from Lockport, New York (Starpoint HS) (College of Engineering and Science).
- Hannah Baur, a psychology major from Munich, Germany (College of Health Professions).
- Jenna Diem, a music education major from Rochester Mills (Punxsutawney HS) (College of Liberal Arts).
- Oksana Trimble, a special education doctoral student from Sheffield Lake, Ohio (Graduate Studies).
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. A link to a digital program will also be available on the commencement webpage prior to the event as there will be only a shortened print version available at the ceremony.
