UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Michael DiBerardinis, managing director for the city of Philadelphia, will deliver the address for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) baccalaureate degree commencement ceremony, to be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 6, in Pegula Ice Arena on Penn State’s University Park campus.
“We are honored to have Michael DiBerardinis as this year’s commencement speaker,” said William Easterling, dean of the College of EMS. “Mr. DiBerardinis’ success serves as an excellent example of what our students can achieve through hard work and perseverance.”
DiBerardinis has served as managing director for the city of Philadelphia since Jan. 4, reporting directly to the mayor on activities in the operating departments of the city government.
DiBerardinis previously served on Penn State’s Board of Trustees from April 2010 to June 2012 as a gubernatorial member appointed by Gov. Edward G. Rendell.
Prior to his appointment as managing director, he was deputy mayor for Philadelphia’s Environmental and Community Resources Department, where he provided leadership for departments that managed more than 10,000 acres of land, 150 recreation centers and playgrounds, 150 neighborhood and regional parks, 54 library branches and thousands of programs and events throughout Philadelphia.
DiBerardinis also served as commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation, where he raised more than $34 million in government grants, philanthropic funding and private partnerships. In addition, he facilitated partnerships between the Free Library of Philadelphia and the School District of Philadelphia.
As secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources under Rendell, DiBerardinis protected 150,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania and led the creation and development of Pennsylvania Wilds, a project that dramatically increased economic development and ecotourism in Pennsylvania’s northern counties.
DiBerardinis received his bachelor of arts in political science in 1971 from St. Joseph’s University. He was a Daniel Rose Fellow at the Urban Land Institute from 2009 to 2010.
More information about commencement can be found at http://commencement.psu.edu/.