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Jonathan fritz giving commencement address

State Representative and Penn State alumnus Jonathan Fritz delivers the commencement address at Penn State Scranton's commencement ceremony on Saturday.

Credit: Amy Gruzesky
Jo Ann Durdan

Jo Ann Durdan, the 2019 Chancellor's Scholar, delivers her speech during Penn State Scranton's commencement ceremony. Durdan, a non-traditional student and corporate communication major recounted her college journey from the first class she took with her daughter to now receiving her bachelor's degree.

Credit: Amy Gruzesky
Penn state scranton's rocktet musical group

The Penn State Scranton Roc[k]tet performs at the start of the campus' 51st commencement ceremony on Saturday.

Credit: Penn State
three graduates in cap and gowns pose with faculty member

Annette Blasi-Strubeck, instructor in Nursing (second from left) poses with graduates from the Penn State Scranton Class of 2019.

Credit: Penn State

Penn State Scranton holds 51st Commencement

Penn State Scranton held its 51st commencement on Saturday, May 4, welcoming 161 new Penn State alumni into the fold. This year marked the first graduating class under the campus’ new name – Penn State Scranton.
By: Amy Gruzesky

Penn State Scranton held its 51st commencement on Saturday, May 4, during a ceremony at the Scranton Cultural Center, welcoming 161 new Penn State alumni into the fold.

This year marked the first graduating class under the campus’ new name – Penn State Scranton. The campus officially changed its name from Penn State Worthington Scranton on May 1, 2018.

Penn State Scranton Chancellor Marwan A. Wafa, Ph.D. presided over the ceremony, and State Rep. Jonathan Fritz, 111th district, delivered the commencement address. Penn State Scranton Advisory Board Chair Lou Ingargiola introduced Fritz.

Fritz serves on the House Appropriations, Aging and Older Adult Services, Commerce, Environmental Resources, and Energy committees for the 2019-2020 legislative session. He also will serve his second term as a majority Deputy Whip.

Prior to serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Jonathan served two terms as mayor of Honesdale and two terms as a Wayne County commissioner, serving as vice chair.

A proud Penn State University graduate, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Penn State Scranton.

Dave Lucas, a member of the Penn State Scranton Alumni Society’s board, offered the alumni charge to the new Penn State alumni.

Graduate Jo Ann Durdan, Clarks Summit, was named this year’s Chancellor’s Scholar.

Dr. Majid Chatsaz, assistant professor, engineering, served as faculty marshal for the ceremony.

Penn State Scranton granted baccalaureate degrees in Biology; Business; Corporate Communication; English; Finance; Human Development and Family Studies; Information Sciences and Technology; Labor and Employment Relations; Letters, Arts and Sciences; Nursing; Psychology; Risk Management; and Science.

Associate degrees were awarded in: Business Administration; Human Development and Family Studies; and Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Several students graduated with honors of distinction. 

Graduating Summa Cum Laude:  Jo Ann Durdan, Clarks Summit; Stephanie Earle, South Abington Township; Emily Kempa, Archbald; Nicholaos Panagakos, Dunmore; and Jeffrey Panetti, Throop.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude:  Dorian Anderson, Hughestown; Alexandra
Caramelli, Pocono Lake; Deanne Edwards, Parkville, MD; Matthew Giombetti,
Eynon; Kimberly Hanf, Hawley; Matthew Muracco, Dunmore; and Heather Rice,
Paupack.

Graduating Cum Laude:  Andrew Adams, Clifford Township; Tatiana Augustin,
Tobyhanna; Danielle Bistran, Dunmore; Jillian Bosley, Spring Brook Township;
Brandon Collins, Scranton; Jeremy Crayton, New Milford; Christopher Davis,
Lake Ariel; Jessica Duff, Apalachin, NY; Orin Elliot, Pocono Summit; Kyle
Franceski, Dalton; Madison Simpson, Hawley; and Danielle Weinschenk, Spring
Brook Township.

Recognition of Graduates with Military Service:  William Breault, Jr., Dunmore; Shawn Kane, Mayfield; Shamus McGuigan, Clarks Summit; and Nicholas Wowk, Carbondale.

The following Penn State Worthington Scranton 2019 graduates, by Penn State
college and degree earned are:

Bachelor of Science, Biology:  Kyle Franceski, Dalton; Nicholas Kremp, Scranton;
Bryan Parks, Moosic; Samantha Rutkosky, Dickson City; and Cheyenne Tussel, Hawley.

Associate Degree in Business Administration:  Russell Ridd, Hawley; and Wesley Tuffy, Scott Township.

Bachelor of Science, Business:  Sara Aslam, Throop; Himran Aziz, Scranton; Jillian Bosley, Spring Brook Township; Veronica Bowen, Bushkill; William Breault, Jr., Dunmore; Jeremy Brown, Dunmore; Aidan Burke, Scranton; Elizabeth Chupka, Wilkes-Barre; Alyssa Cicco, Peckville; Brandon Collins, Scranton; Christopher DePrimo, Dupont; Mario DePrimo, Archbald; Karankumar Desai, Scranton; Joseph Dietz, South Abington Township; Tiffany Dukauskas, Old Forge; Orin Elliot, Pocono Summit; Renata Fernandes, Scranton; Philip Firjone, Dunmore; Paul Forbes III, Mayfield; Nicole Ford , Shavertown; Ashley Gnall, Scranton; Lauren Hackett, Dunmore; Erika Hartshorn, Throop; Nicole Hines, Thompson; Rachel Johnson, Factoryville; Shawn Kane, Mayfield; Randall Kasorek Jr., Scranton; Keith Kearney, Dunmore; Emily Kempa, Archbald; Timothy Lebiak, Taylor; Shamus McGuigan, Clarks Summit; Robert Owens, Olyphant; Nicole Paolicelli, Lords Valley; Feruza Pashayeva, Scranton; Sheel Patel, Scranton; Rachel Pollack, Clarks Summit; Monique Robinson, Montgomery, NY; Kyle Rosen, Spring Brook Township; Brett Seidita, Covington Township; Madison Simpson, Hawley; Matthew Stornable, Dickson City; Anthony Vanchieri, Taylor; Cassara Wagner, Waymart; Anastasia Wardach, Clarks Summit; and Nicholas Wowk, Carbondale.

Bachelor of Arts, Corporate Communication:  Molly Chambers, Clarks Summit; Christopher Davis, Lake Ariel; Jo Ann Durdan, Clarks Summit; Matthew Giombetti, Eynon; Sabrina Gray, Scranton; Alexis Graziano, Greenfield Township; Kathleen Mitchell, Roaring Brook Township; Julia Sklareski, Archbald; and Danielle Weinschenk, Spring Brook Township.

Bachelor of Arts, English:  Shane Conway, Pittston; Jeremy Crayton, New Milford; Caroline Hayduk, Plains; Samuel Hirt, Dunmore; Sean Patten, Hanover; Taryn Pronko, Jermyn; Heather Rice, Paupack; Joelle Sweeney, Scranton; and Jenifer Walters, Olyphant.

Associate Degree of Science, Human Development and Family Studies: Anthony Brzenski, Taylor; and Kevin Lerch, Springville.

Bachelor of Science, Human Development & Family Studies:  Shirley Andersen, Scranton; Michael Anthony, Scranton; Danielle Bistran, Dunmore; Elizabeth Brandt, Scranton; Deanne Edwards, Parkville, MD; Kimberly Hanf, Hawley; Miriam Hernandez, Wilkes-Barre; Brittany Hons, Stevensville; Angelia Migliaccio, Madison Township; Brittnee Mikulski, Scranton; Kelcie Murray, Scranton; Nicholaos Panagakos, Dunmore; Charles Peters, Scranton; Katlyn Reynolds, Greentown; and Arrielle Torres, Dunmore.

Bachelor of Science, Information Sciences & Technology:  Dorian Anderson, Hughestown; Ariana Argust, Old Forge; Robert Bowman, Olyphant; Jack Duff, Hawley; Briana Dunn, Dunmore; Ryan Graham, Archbald; Thomas Kubelus, Jr., Spring Brook Township; Lauren Manley, South Abington Township; John Martin, Archbald; Jeffrey Panetti, Throop; Divyang Patel, Scranton; Jinalkumar Patel, Olyphant; Parth Patel, Scranton; Trevor Robeson, Lake Ariel; Dylan Webb, Scranton; and Jordan Zerella, Tobyhanna.

Associate in Arts, Letters, Arts & Sciences:  Dominique Bonavoglia , Olyphant; Kyle Frisbie, Mountain Top; and Lauren Monahan, Scranton.

Bachelor of Arts, Letters, Arts and Sciences:  Andrew Adams, Clifford Township; Jessica Duff, Apalachin, NY; and Annette Stevanoski, Scranton.

Bachelor of Science, Nursing:  Tatiana Augustin, Tobyhanna; Farzana Azizi, Scranton; Alexandra Bell, Dickson City; Winnie Crawford, Laceyville; Taylir Evans, Throop; Sureya Gafurova, Scranton; Matthew Hayner, Clarks Summit; Victoria Hegedty, South Abington Township; Angeline Jones, Wilkes-Barre; Alexis  Marmo, Old Forge; Ahema Mensah, Tobyhanna; Sean Mulcahy, Slatington; Donald Oakley, Carbondale; Samantha Onda, Dallas; Emma Pizzolanti, Tunkhannock; Katlyn Reynolds, Greentown; Annika Robles, Woodland, CA; Jonathan Symonies, Carbondale; Jacqueline Uber, Milford; Matthew Valvano, Dunmore; Jillian Viercinski, Shavertown; Abbey Walsh, Scranton; Emily Weems, Scranton; Ann Howanitz, Forty Fort; Jennifer Huber, Clifton Township; Gina Kelly, Dunmore; Rita Kuchta, Duryea; Brianna Romiski, Exeter; Mary Clare Rotell, Archbald; Leona Smith, Throop; and Samantha Snead, Dickson City.

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology:  Alexandra Caramelli, Pocono Lake; Alexandra Hindelly, Lake Ariel; Julia Lieback, Pittston; Joseph Lombardo, Wilkes-Barre; Jovanska Marin, Scranton; Mckenzie Moore, Scranton; Sharleen Santana, East Stroudsburg; Asya Saylor, Madison Township; and Megan Smith, Madison Township.

Bachelor of Science, Psychology:  Stephanie Earle, South Abington Township; Clare Gallagher, South Abington Township; James McKenna IV, Clarks Green; Matthew Muracco, Dunmore; and Jennifer Smith, Scranton.

Bachelor of Science, Science:  Joel Yacabitis, Clifton Township.

Bachelor of Science, Business, University College:  Luis Perez, Scranton.

Bachelor of Science, Finance, Behrend College:  Christopher Pennings, Flanders, NJ.

Bachelor of Science, Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development:  Fiorella Salas, Scranton.

Bachelor of Science, Labor and Employment Relations, College of the Liberal Arts:  Marshayla Blizzard, Milford.

Bachelor of Science, Psychology, College of the Liberal Arts:  Kelsey Occhipinti, Dickson City.

Bachelor of Science, Risk Management, Smeal College of Business:  Margi Shah, Scranton.