Academics

Penn State announces spring 2015 commencement events and speakers

This spring Penn State expects to award 13,381 diplomas to students University-wide, bringing the University’s number of graduates to an estimated total of more than 760,238. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This spring Penn State expects to award 13,381 diplomas to students University-wide who are completing 433 associate, 10,916 baccalaureate, 1,437 master’s, 202 law, 262 doctoral and 131 medical degrees, bringing the University’s number of graduates to an estimated total of more than 760,238.


At University Park, four students are expected to receive associate degrees, while 8,800 will be awarded baccalaureate degrees. Approximately 976 master’s degree students are expected to graduate, as are 258 doctoral degree candidates.
All figures listed are estimates as of March 27; totals do not include Penn College.

Following is a compilation of commencement ceremonies and speaker information for Penn State’s 24 locations. Additional information about University Park commencement is available at http://commencement.psu.edu.

Penn State Abington10 a.m. Friday, May 8, Athletic BuildingSpeaker: State Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-153)Dean was elected in 2012, representing portions of two Montgomery County townships. She sits on several committees, including Appropriations, Judiciary, Ethics, Human Services and Finance, of which she is vice chair. Prior to joining the General Assembly, Rep. Dean served as an Abington Township commissioner. Her experience includes nearly three decades as a lawyer, writer and college professor.http://www.abington.psu.edu/commencement

Penn State Altoona10 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Jaffa Shrine, AltoonaSpeaker: Cameron Conaway, instructor, Penn State BrandywineConaway is an Altoona native and a 2007 graduate of Penn State Altoona. He is a former mixed martial arts fighter, a certified personal trainer through the National Strength & Conditioning Association, a human rights activist and the author of five books. Conaway has his masters of fine arts degree and has served as a United Nations Social Good Fellow, as a Rotary International End Polio Now “HistoryMaker” and as the Emerging Writer-in-Residence at Penn State Altoona. He currently serves on the Editorial Board at Slavery Today: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Human Trafficking Solutions. http://www.altoona.psu.edu/commencement

Penn State Beaver7 p.m. Friday, May 8, Student Union Building auditoriumSpeaker: John J. Feraco, director of expandable styrenics, NOVA Chemicals, Corp. and outgoing president, Penn State Beaver Advisory BoardA 10-year advisory board member, Feraco has been its president since 2011. He graduated from Penn State in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and joined NOVA as a process/controls engineer. Since then Feraco has held various positions within the company, including Expandable Styrenics Manufacturing and Technology Leader at the Beaver Valley site and Plant Manager/Site Leader in Painesville, Ohio, and Indian Orchard, Mass. He holds an MBA from Robert Morris University.http://news.psu.edu/story/348344/2015/03/13/outgoing-advisory-board-president-be-beaver-commencement-speaker

Penn State BerksSaturday, May 9, Perkins Plaza (rain location: Beaver Community Center)-- 10 a.m., EBC graduates-- 2 p.m., HASS/Science graduatesSpeaker: Madlyn L. Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses, Penn StateHanes has executive oversight for 20 campuses of the University and provides leadership for the University’s multiple missions across the Commonwealth. She has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the 2015 Donna Shavlik Award for Advancing Women in Higher Education, presented by the American Council on Education. Hanes has served as a consultant to international ministries of education and boards of higher education in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Israel and Korea, including a special appointment to the University Council of Jamaica by the Prime Minister.http://www.bk.psu.edu/Academics/CommencementHome.htm

Penn State Brandywine10 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Commons/Athletic BuildingSpeaker: Seth Williams, Philadelphia district attorneyWilliams was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia in 2009. He is a graduate of Penn State, where he served as president of the Black Caucus and president of the Undergraduate Student Government, and the Georgetown University law school. He previously served as an assistant district attorney, inspector general of Philadelphia and in private practice. Williams is an adjunct professor, a major in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Army Reserve, and a Penn State Abington advisory board member.

The Dickinson Law of Law, Carlisle campus10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, Lewis Katz HallSpeaker: Donald B. Verrilli Jr., U.S. solicitor generalVerrilli, the 46th solicitor general of the United States, has participated in 100 cases before the Supreme Court and argued for the United States in National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius, Arizona v. United States and United States v. Windsor. Recently, he has argued the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act before the Supreme Court, as well as the landmark case Shelby County v. Holder regarding the constitutionality of two provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Verrilli previously served as deputy counsel to President Obama and as an associate deputy attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to his government service, he was a partner for many years in Jenner & Block, and co-chaired the firm’s Supreme Court practice.https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/events/commencement-2015https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/2015-commencement-speaker

The Dickinson School of Law, University Park campus10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, Eisenhower AuditoriumSpeaker: The Hon. Kelly Ayotte, United States Senator from New HampshireAyotte was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, where she serves on the Armed Services, Budget, Commerce, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees, and chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations. A prosecutor at heart, Ayotte served as attorney general of New Hampshire from 2004 to 2009, and previously held a number of other positions in the New Hampshire Department of Justice. In 2003, she served as counsel to New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson. Sen. Ayotte earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Penn State and holds a juris doctorate degree from Villanova University.https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/office-student-services/commencement-2015

Penn State DuBois2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, gymnasiumSpeaker: Lois Richards '89, '02gRichards began her college career at Penn State DuBois in January 1986 as a 32-year-old mother of three elementary-age children. She graduated four years later with a bachelor of science degree in education and a minor in psychology.  In 2002 she attained a master’s degree in workforce education and development from Penn State. During her 25-year career in education, she has held positions as a long-term elementary substitute for Clearfield Area School District. Then she joined the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center staff, first teaching the Adult Business Education program for seven years, followed by seven years as the Cooperative Education Coordinator. In 2004, she began a 10-year career as the first female director of the Career Center. She retired from that position Dec. 31, 2013. Currently, she is a faculty member at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as well as a consultant for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.http://dubois.psu.edu/Academics/DuBoisCommencement.htm

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College6:30 p.m. Friday, May 8, Erie Insurance ArenaSpeaker: Jonathan C. Hall, senior lecturer in physics, Penn State BehrendHall teaches introductory physics. His study of vehicle rollover modeling and smartphone acceleration has been published by the American Association of Physics teachers. His work with convection currents was included in the book "Great Ideas for Teaching Physics." He is a graduate of West Chester University and the State University of New York at Albany.https://psbehrend.psu.edu/Academics/academic-services/college-registrar/commencement

Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus10 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Main Arena, Community CenterSpeaker: Deborah Rice-Johnson, president, Highmark Health Plan, Highmark Inc.Rice-Johnson is responsible for providing senior leadership and strategic direction for Highmark’s core health insurance business, serving 5.3 million customers and managing more than $15 billion in revenue. Additionally, she has responsibility for product management and development, provider and clinical services, sales, marketing and strategic planning. Rice-Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Carlow University. http://www.fe.psu.edu/Academics/graduation.htm

The School of Graduate Professional Studies, Penn State Great Valley7 p.m. Friday, May 8, outdoors on campusSpeaker: Anthony Gold, entrepreneur, author, investorGold is a serial entrepreneur, investor, author, adviser and board member for several companies in the Philadelphia region — both for-profit and nonprofit. He began his career designing supercomputers for Unisys, then created an open-source software and services start-up within the technology giant that was recognized by the industry as the “largest open source systems integrator in the world.” Gold was honored to be named one of the Top Leaders in Open Source Business by LinuxWorld magazine. He has eight patents around enterprise hardware and software design, and his ES7000 enterprise server was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the largest number of concurrent gamers at the Dreamhack gaming conference. He subsequently built and ran a healthcare SaaS company focused on connecting patients and caregivers around an ecosystem of collaborative health, partnering with some of the top physicians in the world. With an interest to create more of a startup ecosystem in the Philadelphia suburbs, Gold launched the Liberty Valley Initiative, a nonprofit for connecting entrepreneurs with mentors, resources and investors. His latest co-venture is a wearable tech company called ROAR for Good focused on reducing the incidence of attacks against women and addressing the underlying causes of violence.http://www.sgps.psu.edu/Academics/graduation.htm

Penn State Greater Allegheny11 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Wunderly GymnasiumSpeaker: Andrew Butcher, chief executive officer/co-founder, GTECH Strategies - Growth Through Energy and Community HealthButcher is an accomplished social entrepreneur with expertise in the fields of community development, renewable energy, social innovation and environmental justice. A committed practitioner of creative social and environmental responsibility, he has installed solar panels in South America, deconstructed buildings in Colorado and farmed Brownfields in Pittsburgh. Since co-founding GTECH in 2007, Butcher has been honored at the White House as an emerging leader in the field of social innovation, was awarded a prestigious international Echoing Green Fellowship for social entrepreneurs, and received a Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneur Award by The Hitachi Foundation.

Penn State Harrisburg9:30 a.m., Sunday, May 10, Giant Center, HersheySpeaker: James R. Hoehn, regional president, PNC Bank, Central PennsylvaniaHoehn is Regional President for PNC Bank in Central Pennsylvania, overseeing all business and management. He is extremely engaged in the central Pennsylvania community, providing leadership to eight different organizations focused on economic development and quality of life. A native of Ohio, he previously served as Regional President of PNC’s SW Ohio region and several corporate leadership positions for the former National City Bank, which PNC acquired in 2008. Hoehn began his career with the Federal Reserve, focusing on Bank Supervision and Regulation. He received his BBA from Cleveland State University and MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He also achieved the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).http://harrisburg.psu.edu/commencement

Penn State Hazleton7 p.m. Friday, May 8, Dr. Thomas M. Caccese GymnasiumSpeaker: John Colaneri ’03, co-host, “Kitchen Cousins,” “Cousins on Call,” “Cousins Undercover” and “America's Most Desperate Kitchens,” on HGTV and DIY NetworkColaneri is a senior project manager and designer at his family’s construction business, Brunelleschi Construction. Colaneri and his cousin Anthony Carino were discovered by HGTV in early 2011 and were asked to shoot a television series. The show launched to great success and “the Cousins” brand was born. After graduating from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in labor and industrial relations and a minor in business management, Colaneri accepted a position with Fisher Scientific, then transitioned to Faital S.p.A., an international manufacturer of OEM speakers for the automotive industry. A few years later, he decided to join the family business located in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Penn State Hershey College of Medicine1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, Founders Hall, HersheySpeaker: Bradford C. Berk, senior vice president for Health Sciences, University of Rochester, and CEO, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC)Berk, recruited to URMC in 1998 as chief of the Cardiology Division, founded URMC’s Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI). He served as chairman of medicine until 2006, when he became CEO. One of the world's preeminent cardiovascular scientists, Berk is a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, a member of the Association of American Physicians and past president of the North American Vascular Biology Organization. He is on the editorial boards of Circulation, Circulation Research, ATVB and the Journal of Clinical Investigation. He serves on the Empire State Stem Cell Board Funding Committee. Berk has published more than 250 articles, chapters and books.http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/educationalaffairs/home/upcoming/graduation

Penn State Lehigh Valley11 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, Pa.Speaker: Blair Underwood, actor, director and producerUnderwood has found acting success — in television, on stage and on the big screen — driven by the underlying belief that, to achieve longevity in the acting business, you must diversify yourself and become as flexible as possible. Underwood burst into the national spotlight in the NBC hit series “L.A. Law” in a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He has appeared as a recurring guest star in several notable TV series, including the final season of “Sex and the City,” a role for which he garnered two NAACP Image Award nominations; the ABC drama “Dirty Sexy Money”; the CBS award-winning comedy “The New Adventures of Old Christine”; as Jackie Robinson in HBO’s “Soul of the Game,” for which he received another NAACP Image Award nomination; in TNT’s award-winning “Heat Wave”; and as the president of the United States in the NBC suspense-drama “The Event.” He is set to star as “Robert T. Ironside,” a police detective relegated to a wheelchair after a shooting, in NBC’s reboot of the 1967 series “Ironside.” Involved in numerous charitable organizations, Underwood’s dedicated support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association won him the 1993 Humanitarian Award. He also is co-founder of Artists for a New South Africa, which supports a democratic South Africa with equal rights and opportunities for all citizens.http://news.psu.edu/story/342445/2015/01/27/arts-and-entertainment/blair-underwood-2015-lehigh-valley-commencement

Penn State Mont Alto10 a.m., Saturday, May 9, Multipurpose Activities Center (MAC)Speaker: Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary, Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesDunn was appointed the sixth secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in January 2015 by Gov. Tom Wolfe. Previously, she served as president and chief executive officer of PennFuture, a statewide environmental advocacy organization. Prior to PennFuture, she was DCNR’s deputy secretary of conservation and technical services from 2007 to 2013, where she led DCNR’s conservation landscape program and oversaw the community conservation and recreation throughout the commonwealth. Other leadership posts include director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation as well as director of the Office of Education, Communications and Partnerships. She joined DCNR in the mid-ʼ90s, as DCNR’s first director of community relations and environmental education.Penn State New Kensington10 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Athletics Center
Speaker: Dennis Yablonsky, CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Yablonsky, named to the position is 2009, also heads the Conference’s affiliates — Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh Regional Alliance. A native of the Pittsburgh region, Yablonsky is an experienced veteran of managing and leading entrepreneurial organizations as a private business leader, a nonprofit economic development professional and a high-ranking appointed government official. While serving as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) from 2003 to 2008, he developed a $3 billion economic stimulus program to support critical infrastructure, core communities and job-producing businesses. He also helped create the governor’s $650 million energy fund aimed at reducing dependence on foreign oil and growing Pennsylvania’s energy economy. 
http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/graduation.htm#COMMENCEMENT_SPEAKER

Penn State Schuylkill10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 9, 2015, Campus GreenSpeaker: Robert S. Carl Jr., executive director, Schuylkill Chamber of CommerceTo say that Carl is an active member of his community would be an understatement. As executive director of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, he serves and has served on a wide range of public service boards, including the Boy Scouts of America – Hawk Mountain Council, Executive Advisory Board; County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, District VI Representative, Board of Directors; Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors; and the Philadelphia Flyers Advisory Board. He believes that for communities to advance and prosper, individuals must be the positive force that drives development and progress.http://www.sl.psu.edu/Academics/graduation.htm

Penn State Shenango7:30 p.m. Friday, May 8, AuditoriumSpeaker: Lora Adams-King, superintendent, Farrell School DistrictAdams-King recently joined the Penn State Shenango Advisory Board as a member.

Penn State University Park

College of Agricultural Sciences3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Daniel J. Eichenlaub, president and co-founder, Eichenlaub Inc.Eichenlaub oversees an award-winning design-build landscape firm serving western Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in architectural engineering from Penn State and holds a certificate in entrepreneurial leadership from Carnegie Mellon University. A serial entrepreneur, he was a founding principal of AgRecycle Inc., an organic-materials composter that received the 1995 Governor's Waste Minimization Award. In 2004, he also was a founding principal of LandOpt, which brings managed business processes to independent landscape contractors nationwide. Eichenlaub is involved with numerous local organizations, including the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.http://agsci.psu.edu/students/events/spring-commencement

College of Arts and ArchitectureNoon Saturday, May 9, Eisenhower AuditoriumSpeaker: O. Richard “Dick” Bundy '70, '87g, professor of music education, Penn StateBundy, who is retiring from Penn State on July 1, joined the music faculty at University Park in 1983. Since 1996, Bundy has served as director of the nationally renowned Penn State Marching Blue Band. In addition, he teaches courses in conducting, marching band techniques, instrumental music education and band literature. Bundy received his undergraduate degree in music education from Penn State, a master's degree from The University of Michigan, and returned to Penn State for his doctoral degree. He has received numerous recognitions including a Penn State President's Award for Engagement with Students and the Alumni Fellow Award, the highest award given by the Penn State Alumni Association.

Smeal College of Business9 a.m. Sunday, May 10, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Jerome Griffith ’79, chief executive officer and president, TUMITUMI, the leading international business, accessory and travel lifestyle brand, is sold in more than 260 individual retail stores worldwide as well as top specialty stores and travel retail in more than 75 countries, with more than 1,900 total points of global distribution. Griffith has managed companies on five continents, and currently serves on the boards of TUMI, Parsons the New School for Design and Vince Holding Corp. He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Penn State.

College of CommunicationsNoon Saturday, May 9, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Jayne Jamison ’78, senior vice president and publisher, O, The Oprah MagazineJamison, who earned her Penn State bachelor’s degree in advertising, oversees advertising and marketing initiatives and develops strategies to drive revenue through print, online and partnerships at O, the top women’s lifestyle magazine, with a total circulation of more than 2 million. An accomplished and respected magazine industry leader, she joined O in September 2014. She previously was vice president and publishing director of both Redbook and Seventeen. At both, Jamison was instrumental in the conception and creation of an in-house marketing agency, responsible for providing clients with research, creative, events and multiplatform programs. Jamison has led several other magazines during her career, including Victoria (publisher), Parents (publisher), Child (publisher and advertising director), American Health (publisher and advertising director), McCall’s (New York manager) and Family Circle (beauty/fashion manager). Before entering the magazine business, she worked at advertising agencies such as N.W. Ayer and Grey Advertising. In 2005, Jamison received the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award for a Penn State alumnus. A consistent and strong supporter of College of Communications programs and students, she has served as president of the College’s Alumni Society Board of Visitors and regularly serves as mentor for young alumni and students.College of Earth and Mineral Sciences8 p.m. Friday, May 8, Pegula Ice ArenaSpeaker: Joel Darmstadter, economist and senior fellow, Resources for the FutureDarmstadter joined Resources for the Future (RFF) — a Washington-based nonprofit, non-advocacy research and educational institution — in 1966, following an earlier stint in the corporate sector and several research organizations. Specializing in economic and policy aspects of energy and the environment, he has written, co-authored and contributed chapters to numerous books and journal articles; appeared as an expert witness before congressional committees; been a consultant to several government agencies; and served on a number of National Research Council panels. During the 1983-93 decade, concurrent with his directorship of RFF’s Energy and Materials Division, Darmstadter was a professorial lecturer at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He was the 2014 Winner of the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE) Adelman-Frankel Award for “Unique and Innovating Contributions to the Field of Energy Economics.”

College of Education12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: V. Darleen Opfer, director and Distinguished Chair in Education Policy, RAND EducationOpfer has served as director of RAND Education since 2011; from 2005 to 2011, she was director of research and senior lecturer in research methods and school improvement at the University of Cambridge’s (England) Faculty of Education. She has conducted policy research studies for a number of local, state and national governments worldwide on issues that affect teachers and schools, including recruitment and retention, professional development and impact of policies on teacher practice. In 2014, Opfer was selected as a Thomas J. Alexander Fellow by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where she is using TALIS 2013 data to explore conditions that support teacher professional development. She serves as a research study adviser to the Institute for Social Science in Zagreb, Croatia, and has advised the National Council for Education Research and Training, India, and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Increased Access to Quality Education and Training Initiative in South Africa.

College of Engineering8 p.m. Friday, May 8, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Todd Erdley ’86, ’92g, president and CEO, Videon CentralErdley has focused on using his engineering education to create jobs, support startups and improve the overall economic health of central Pennsylvania. He founded Videon Central in 1997. Through partnerships with major silicon vendors like Qualcomm and Intel, Videon was able to develop high-quality digital video products and became the industry leader for DVD and Blu-ray disc software. Videon’s technology is now in over 30 million devices. In 2012, Erdley led Videon through a major pivot in which the company leveraged its media expertise to enter the streaming media market, developing products for pro-AV applications as well as a highly successful Android media player app. Under his leadership Videon continues to expand into new markets and has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Erdley also has served on the board of several organizations, including the Penn State Research Foundation, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County (CBICC) Entrepreneurship Committee, the New Leaf Initiative, Centre Volunteers in Medicine, the Red Cross and the regional children’s science museum, Discovery Space. To foster networking and enable discussion of best practices, he formed the Centre Region Entrepreneur Network in 2009, now a foundational part of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. He also initiated a movement called 3B33 that sets the goal of achieving $3 billion in annual private economic output by the year 2033, now a widely adopted economic development initiative supported by Penn State, CBICC and other regional organizations. Erdley’s entrepreneurial endeavors have earned him recognition through Ernst & Young’s Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, two CBICC Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards and the Governor’s ImPAct Award. In July 2014, he was invited to be a plenary panelist at the Council of State Governments’ annual meeting, on the theme of “Strengthening States through Innovation and Entrepreneurship.”

College of Health and Human Development3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Jane Isaacs Lowe, senior adviser for program development, Robert Wood Johnson FoundationLowe is a senior adviser for program development at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health. She works on strategies for building healthy communities that take into account the social determinants of health. She views her role as catalyzing new ways to address long-standing health issues, build partnerships, and drive social change to improve the health of children, families and communities. Lowe has a doctorate degree in social welfare policy and planning from Rutgers University. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Cedar Crest College and is a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.http://hhd.psu.edu/commencement

College of Information Sciences and Technology3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, Eisenhower AuditoriumDavid Rusenko ’07, co-founder and CEO, Weebly.comRusenko, an IST graduate, was twice named to Forbes’ “30 under 30” list and is the youngest recipient of the Penn State Alumni Achievement Award (2010). His start-up company, Weebly.com, which garners more than 100 million visits per month, enables anyone to create a high-quality website with no HTML experience. In addition to owning a successful start-up, Rusenko also is the youngest member of IST’s advisory board and has established the largest scholarship fund in the college’s 12-year history, the David Rusenko Emerging Entrepreneur and Entrepreneur-in-Residence Scholarships. Rusenko also plays a major role in the concept and growth of IST’s signature annual event, Startup Week, held April 13-17 this year.http://news.psu.edu/story/342556/2015/01/28/academics/weebly-ceo-and-co-founder-deliver-ist-commencement-address

College of the Liberal Arts6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Katherine Rhodes, '15, student marshal, College of the Liberal ArtsRhodes is graduating with bachelor of science degrees in biological anthropology and biology (genetics and development option), with a minor in Spanish. Named to the dean's list each semester, she is a Paterno Fellow and a Schreyer Honors College scholar. At Penn State, Rhodes is an undergraduate research assistant in the laboratory led by Distinguished Professor of Anthropology Joan Richtsmeier, where she studies human evolution and development and is particularly interested in normal and pathological development of the skull and evolutionary genetics. She has received an Undergraduate Discovery Grant for her research, and has participated in an array of international academic experiences including study abroad at Oxford University and paleoanthropology fields schools in Spain and the Republic of Georgia. She also was a counselor at El Lago del Bosque, a Spanish immersion camp, in Minnesota. After graduation, Katherine will pursue a doctorate in human genetics at the University of Chicago. 

College of Nursing6 p.m. Saturday, May 9, Eisenhower AuditoriumSpeaker: Ann Kolanowski '80g, Elouise Ross Eberly Professor, Penn State College of Nursing; director, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Penn StateKolanowski also is a professor of psychiatry in the Penn State College of Medicine and an adjunct professor in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Her research focuses on complex care issues and dementia in the elderly. She received her master of science degree in adult health and aging from Penn State and a doctorate in nursing research and theory development from New York University. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan. Kolanowski is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing and the Gerontological Society of America.http://www.nursing.psu.edu/news/commencement

Eberly College of Science9 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Bryce Jordan CenterDr. Theodore I. Steinman '60Dr. Steinman is a clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior physician at both Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is a Philadelphia native who received his undergraduate degree in pre-medicine from Penn State and his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Steinman completed his internship and junior residency in Internal Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and his Senior Internal Medicine residency at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, in 1969, following a two-year tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, serving one year in Vietnam as the battalion surgeon with a Marine infantry battalion. Following advanced nephrology fellowship training at Tufts New England Medical Center, he returned to Beth Israel Hospital in 1971 to found the dialysis and kidney transplantation programs, and was the director of the programs for the next 31 years.http://science.psu.edu/current-students/current-students-home/Graduation.html

Schreyer Honors College Medals Ceremony5 p.m. Friday, May 8, Eisenhower AuditoriumSpeakers: Eric J. Barron, president, Penn State, and Christian Brady, dean, Schreyer Honors Collegehttps://www.shc.psu.edu/events/item.cfm?id=2232

The Graduate School6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10, Bryce Jordan CenterSpeaker: Richard T. Roush, dean, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn StateRoush began his tenure as the dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences on Oct. 1. His career in sustainable agriculture spans research, teaching, regulatory and administrative appointments in both the U.S. and Australia. Trained as an entomologist in the University of California, Roush earned his undergraduate degree at UC Davis and his doctoral degree at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining the College, he served as dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment at the University of Melbourne (2006-2014), Director of the University of California Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable Agriculture Programs (2003-2006) and director of the Cooperative Research Centre on Australian Weed Management based at the University of Adelaide (1998-2003), after serving as an Associate Professor at Mississippi State and Cornell universities.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre10 a.m. Saturday, May 9, Athletics & Recreation BuildingSpeaker: Kristopher Jones ’98, founder, KBJ CapitalJones is founder of KBJ Capital, an early stage technology investment fund and incubator. He also is a serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, angel investor and public speaker. As founder, and former president and CEO, of Pepperjam, a full-service Internet marketing agency, Jones has been quoted in more than 50 publications. He was recognized in 2008 as a finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and was a 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year by Bank of America. Jones also has been recognized among “Top 20” Business Leaders in Northeastern Pennsylvania under the age of 40 by the Times Leader and Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Journal.

Penn State Worthington Scranton6 p.m. Friday, May 8, Multi-Purpose BuildingSpeaker: Kim Kingsley, COO of POLITICO, Washington, D.C.Kingsley, one of the first senior managers hired by the nonpartisan, Washington-based political media company in 2006, oversees all of POLITICO’s strategic and business operations. Under her leadership, POLITICO has been recognized by Fast Company Magazine and many others as being among the most innovative and creative companies in the industry. In April 2014, ELLE Magazine named Kingsley to its annual list of Washington's Ten Most Powerful Women. She was also featured on the "Power 100 List" in the May issue of Washington Life Magazine.http://ws.psu.edu/Academics/graduation.htm

Penn State York6 p.m. Friday, May 8, Pullo Family Performing Arts CenterSpeaker: Keith D. Noll ’87, senior vice president, WellSpan Health, and president, York HospitalNoll leads all of the activities of the York Hospital for WellSpan Health, and is responsible for the 570-bed tertiary care hospital with Magnet designation containing a level 1 trauma center, a level 3 NICU and a 130-physician medical residency program. The hospital generates $1 billion in revenue annually. Noll has served in this position since 2011 and during that time proposed and developed a $48 million project to reconstruct the emergency department for the York Hospital and county. He holds a bachelor’s degree in health planning and administration from Penn State and graduated with honors. He began his Penn State education at Penn State York and serves on the campus advisory board. He also is a 1989 honors graduate of the University of Minnesota with a master’s degree in hospital and healthcare administration.http://www.yk.psu.edu/Academics/31141.htm

Pennsylvania College of TechnologyCommunity Arts Center, WilliamsportSpeakers: Selected from among graduating students– 3 p.m. Friday, May 15: School of Business & Hospitality and the School of Construction & Design Technologies– 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16: School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies and the School of Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies– 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16: School of Health Sciences and the School of Sciences, Humanities & Visual Communicationshttp://www.pct.edu/commencement

Last Updated May 1, 2015