The State System celebrates the achievements of thousands of students who graduated from our universities in 2023. Their hard work and dedication deserve to be recognized and applauded.

Success Highlights

 
Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg recognized its top honor graduates for each college for Spring 2023. Each student was acknowledged at the university's commencement ceremonies on May 13. The top honor graduate from the College of Health Professions is Emily Moyer, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology. 
 
Across PennWest’s campuses at California, Clarion and Edinboro, nearly 2,600 students earned their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the colleges of Arts & Humanities; Business, Communication & Information Science; Education; Health Sciences; Natural Science & Engineering Technology; and Social Science and Human Services.
 
In a low-income area of Swissvale, a single mother struggled to provide for her family. With limited income, no vehicle and a refrigerator that had stopped working, the family got by as well as they could. Despite the financial circumstances that affected her family, Jenna Joseph’s parents encouraged her and her siblings to go to college. After graduating this May from PennWest Clarion, Joseph is looking forward to the next step in achieving her dream of becoming a physician’s assistant.
 
Learning goes well beyond the classroom for Cheyney University students. Many find themselves and their passions through the co-curricular and career-building activities available right on campus. As for valedictorian Curtis Stockley IV and salutatorian Jazmin Walker, these opportunities transformed their learning experience and set them on a path to success. In addition to furthering his degree and building a career, Curtis plans to keep his sights on entering the world of politics some day with the hopes of changing communities for the better. Jazmin plans to pursue a master’s degree in communications, which she intends to pivot into a career in the media and productions career field.
 
Over 1,200 students received degrees from East Stroudsburg University during three commencement exercises on May 5 and May 6. Many will begin the next step in their life’s journey by attending graduate or professional school or starting a new career. Meet just a few students who are taking their Warrior Spirit with them as they embark on their next chapter.
 
As senior nursing major Kaley Berger completed her final clinical experiences and prepared to enter the professional workforce, her “why” had never been clearer. For the Edinboro native and recent PennWest Edinboro graduate, it’s all about helping patients in their most vulnerable moments.
 
Renallan Neckles, an environmental engineering major in the Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), has been selected for a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Neckles, who graduated May 6 with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average from IUP, will be continuing his studies through the Fellowship at Rice University in Texas, where he has been admitted into the master of science environmental engineering program.
 
Kutztown University presented the Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards to six accomplished students on April 21. The awards were established in 2004 through a donation provided by Dr. Carlson Chambliss, KU professor of astronomy from 1970-2003. The purpose of the awards is to recognize the exceptional individual achievements of a select group of KU graduating seniors.
 
Commonwealth University-Lock Haven recognized its top honor graduates for each college for Spring 2023 during the university’s commencement ceremony on May 12. The top honor graduate from the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities is Kerri Hoover, of Bellefonte, who graduated summa cum laude with a degree in communication.
 
Commonwealth University-Mansfield graduate Hailey Neal, a social work major, will present her research on early childhood and youth services at the National Association of Case Management Conference Oct. 3-5 in New Orleans. Neal, who graduated on May 12, will present with co-workers from Service Access Management, where she completed her Bachelor of Social Work internship and is also employed, in the Adventure Challenge Experience (ACE) program.
 
Commencement was recently held for Millersville University’s 2023 spring graduates. The university highlighted some of its outstanding graduates, including two sets of twins and a mother-son duo.
 
Social workers are committed to making a difference in the lives of others. They are dedicated to promoting social change and improving the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Shippensburg University graduate Rozlynne Dealy knew she had a passion for helping people when she was a teenager. In high school, she fell in love with her sociology class. While she knew she didn’t want to do loads of research and analysis, she knew she wanted to help people. 
 
Slippery Rock University recognized several students at its Celebration of Achievement ceremony April 11, highlighted by the announcement of SRU's nominee for the Syed Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence. Adriana Gonzalez Sanchez, a senior dual physics and mathematics major from Moralzarzal, Spain, represented SRU as a finalist for the Ali-Zaidi award, which is given to a graduating senior in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education who exemplifies academic excellence and involvement.
 
West Chester University senior Hannah Karaman has a passion for entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and sustainability. She received honors from two business idea competitions hosted this April by WCU's Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center. Karaman took the top prize in the Social Innovation Competition with her idea for Second Hand Celebrations and first place in the undergraduate track of the Business Idea Competition for her idea for Women in Business.