Nearly 2,000 students will graduate from Slippery Rock University this weekend.
The school will hold three different commencement ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday at Morrow Field House on campus.
More than 1,300 baccalaureate candidates and more than 300 master’s candidates are expected to participate. Fifty-seven doctoral candidates will be hooded.
SRU’s graduate student commencement will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 10. Doors will open at 6 p.m. No tickets are required for the graduate student commencement.
Undergraduates in the College of Health, Environment and Science and the College of Liberal Arts will graduate at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. Doors open at 9 a.m. Undergraduates in the College of Business and the College of Education will graduate at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Doors open at 1 p.m. Tickets for all guests, including children, are required for both undergraduate ceremonies. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All graduates have received their allotted tickets for distribution to friends and family.
Overflow seating, no ticket required, will be available in the Alumni House, Advanced Technology and Science Hall Auditorium and the Smith Student Center Theatre. The ceremony will also be streamed live on www.sru.edu.
Armand Policicchio, associate professor of Asian studies and the chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Programs, will serve as grand marshal and will open and close the ceremonies.
SRU President William Behre will provide remarks and introductions. Jeff Smith, chair of the University’s council of trustees, will bring greetings from the council at all three ceremonies.
Philip Way, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs; Jerry Chmielewski, dean, College of Health, Environment and Science; Dan Bauer, dean, College of Liberal Arts; Lawrence Shao, dean, College of Business; and Keith Dills, dean, College of Education, will present the graduates for their degrees, which will be officially conferred by Behre.
SRU’s Army ROTC unit will present the colors to open Saturday’s ceremonies.
Lt. Col. Joseph Richey, professor of military science and head of SRU’s Army ROTC program will confer the oath of office to 13 graduating ROTC cadets, inducting them into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants.
Receiving commissions will be:
• Nicholas Appleby, a homeland security major from Eldred.
• Jacob Berger, a communication major from Georgetown.
• Rosanna Chirumbolo, a criminology and criminal justice major from Pittsburgh.
• Stephen Cooper, an interdisciplinary studies major from Johnstown.
• Emily Dooley, a homeland security major from Walden, New York.
• Tyson Miller, a safety management major from Tyrone.
• Jairus Moore, a safety management major from Rochester.
• Austin Mora, a criminology and criminal justice major from Douglassville.
• Austin Shakespeare, a homeland security major from Slippery Rock.
• Kathleen Seasock, a public health and social work major from Burgettstown.
• Rorry Sheets, an interdisciplinary programs major from Beaver.
• Dakota Stebler, a criminology and criminal justice major from Allison Park.
• Zane Wolf, a safety management major from Slippery Rock.
Since its inception, the SRU Army ROTC program has commissioned 388 officers.
Behre will serve as the speaker at each ceremony.
Don Huddart, a 1987 SRU graduate and president of the SRU Alumni Association, will bring greeting on behalf of the association.
The SRU Brass will provide music for the ceremony.
The SRU Men’s Quartet will sing the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and the “SRU Alma Mater.”
A reception for graduate students and their guests will immediately follow the May 10 ceremony in the GrassTex area of the field house.
A reception for all undergraduate students and their guests will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May 11 in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.
Additional information about guest and special needs seating, transportation, parking and lodging is available by clicking here or by calling 724.738.2849.
