University of Scranton Conferred Record Number Degrees at Two Ceremonies
The University of Scranton conferred 633 master's degrees and 37 doctoral degrees at its 2010 Graduate Commencement Ceremony on campus on Saturday, May 29.
The University of Scranton will confer approximately 1,620 degrees at two commencement ceremonies Memorial Day weekend representing the largest graduating class in the 122-year history of the Jesuit university.
On Saturday, May 29, The University of Scranton conferred more than 630 master's degrees and 37 doctoral degrees at its post-baccalaureate commencement ceremony in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus.
"When St. Ignatius and his Jesuit brothers opened their first schools in the 16th century, they understood the purpose of education not so much in terms of the pursuit of abstract of specific truths," said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, in his address to the graduates. "The primary point for them was character formation. As they explained in a letter to the king of Spain, ‘the proper education of people will mean improvement for the whole world.' Today, you become an extension of that centuries-old educational tradition, sent forth from here to ‘go and set the world on fire.'"
Scranton's graduate degree recipients represent 35 states including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Utah, Texas, Georgia, New Jersey and New York. Master's degree programs with the most graduates include curriculum and instruction, educational administration, occupational therapy and MBA.
Also at the ceremony, graduate students were honored for outstanding academic achievement in their academic area. Outstanding Academic Awards will be presented James Robert Alex, Jim Thorpe, Educational Administration; Carly Beth Batzel, Jacksonville, N.C., Curriculum and Instruction; Alison Theresa Bauer, Whitehall, Reading Education; Kevin Michael Behr, Clark, N.J., Software Engineering; Heather Lynne Brown-Huston, Port Jervis, N.Y., School Counseling; Julianne Brudnicki, Taylor, English as a Second Language; Amy Elizabeth Cheresnowsky, Sayre, Curriculum and Instruction; Teresa Marie Coppa, Newtown Square, Biochemistry; Kyle Justin Curtis, Bethany, Educational Administration; Stephen Michael Fitzpatrick, Scranton, Theology; Steven Richard Friedman, Colonia, N.J., History; Leanne Marie Fucci, Easton, Educational Administration; Jiaxi Gao, Wilmette,Ill., Clinical Chemistry; Melissa Nicole Garcia, Haworth, N.J., Accounting; Stacy Ann Gruver, Wilkes Barre, Rehabilitation Counseling; Lisa Lynn Hummel, Scranton, Marketing; Anuar Ibrahim, Scranton, Human Resources Administration; Rebecca Louise Johnson, Wassaic, N.Y., Healthcare Management; Miranda Eileecia Kendrick, Scranton, Adult Health Nursing; Adele Nichole Kryger, Kingsley, Special Education; Christina Lynn LaBounty, Cape May, N.J., Elementary Education; Margaret Mary Mahoney, Scranton, Community Counseling; Ryan Matthew Marsico, Dickson City, Chemistry; Stephen B. Pendrak, Browndale, International Business; Silke H. Reddington, Scranton, Physical Therapy; Kelly Ann Richards, Hudson, Nurse Anesthesia; Kristin Ann Riley, Scranton, Secondary Education; Melissa Yevitz Rosiecki, Clarks Green, General; Tracey Elise Ruzbarsky, Clarks Summit, Curriculum and Instruction; Maria Enrica Scopelliti, Wilkes Barre, Health Administration; Ravi H. Thakkar, Scranton, Finance; and Lauren Kathleen Tubridy, Westwood, Mass., Occupational Therapy.
The degrees were conferred by Father Pilarz to candidates presented by W. Jeffrey Welsh, Ph.D., dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Education.
The list of graduates and program of speakers can be seen by clicking here.
