Commencement

FALL SEMESTER 2024
PENN STATE ERIE, THE BEHREND COLLEGE
Friday, December 20, 2024

Penn State Behrend Commencement Program — Fall 2024

View the Commencement Program by clicking the "Full Screen" button on the lower-right corner of the Issuu window above. You also can access the program below.

 

Use these links to jump to a specific part of the program below.

To Our Guests

Welcome to Penn State Behrend’s Fall Commencement Ceremony.

Commencement is a solemn but joyful recognition of students’ years of study. We ask that you respect its significance to those being honored. Please silence all mobile devices. When the Processional begins, rise to welcome the Class of 2024. Stay standing until all candidates have reached their seats and for the National Anthem. Please remain at your seat during the ceremony and throughout the Recessional until graduates exit. Thank you for your cooperation, and for joining us in this celebration.

How to Order Photos of Graduates

To commemorate this milestone, a professional photograph is taken of each graduate. This photo may be purchased online from Lifetouch. To opt in to view commencement photos, text the ordering code 448511GY24 to 90738.

[BACK TO TOP]

Program

  • Presentation of Colors | Pride of Pennsylvania Army ROTC Battalion Color Guard
  • Academic Processional | Behrend Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Ensemble, Tess Jones, Conductor
    • Excerpts from Pomp and Circumstance, Edward Elgar
    • March of the Priests, W.A. Mozart
    • Hail the Conquering Hero, G.F. Handel
  • National Anthem Please stand
  • Greetings | Dr. Ralph M. Ford, Chancellor and Dean
  • Welcome | Mallory Causer ’24
  • Faculty Address | Dr. Lena Surzhko Harned, Associate Teaching Professor of Political Science
  • Greetings from the Council of Fellows | Tesha Nesbit ’93, Chair, Council of Fellows
  • Commencement Address | Matthew W. Totzke ’96, President and CEO, Big Ideas Learning, a Larson Texts Company
  • Presentation of Candidates | Reader: Andrea Konkol ’00, ’03, Director of Enrollment Management
    • Schreyer Honors College | Dr. Greg Filbeck ’13, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
    • School of Science | Dr. Alicyn Rhoades ’01, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
      and Interim Director, School of Science
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences | Dr. Melanie Hetzel-Riggin, Director, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Engineering | Dr. Timothy Kurzweg ’94, James R. Meehl Director, School of Engineering
    • Black School of Business | Dr. Ozgun Demirag, Director, Black School of Business
    • Graduate School | Dr. Alicyn Rhoades ’01, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
      and Interim Director, School of Science
  • Interlude | Behrend Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Ensemble
    • In the Bleak Midwinter, Gustav Holst
  • Conferral of Degrees | Dr. Ralph M. Ford, Chancellor and Dean
  • Alumni Association Induction | Kimberly Kaercher ’99, Penn State Behrend Alumni Society
  • Alma Mater Please stand and join | Emma Burkett, Susan Copus, Kayla Johnson, Sean Solt, and Elliot Swanson
  • Farewell | Tyler Shearer ’24
  • Recessional | Behrend Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Ensemble
    • Selections from La Danserye, Tielman Susato

Commencement Marshals

  • College Marshal
  • Faculty Marshals
  • Student Marshals
    • Zachary Babb, Graduate School
    • Schneider Fils, Black School of Business
    • Katherine Kinney, School of Engineering
    • Nathan Murarik, School of Science
    • Abbygale Walter, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

[BACK TO TOP]

 

National Anthem

by Francis Scott Key

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Alma Mater

by Fred Lewis Pattee

For the glory of old State, For her founders, strong and great,
For the future that we wait, Raise the song, raise the song,

Sing our love and loyalty, Sing our hopes that, bright and free,
Rest, O Mother dear, with thee. All with thee, all with thee.

When we stood at childhood's gate, Shapeless in the hands of fate,
Thou didst mold us, dear old State, Dear old State, dear old State.

May no act of ours bring shame, To one heart that loves thy name,
May our lives but swell thy fame, Dear old State, dear old State!

[BACK TO TOP]

Program Notes

Academic Procession

The mace, which symbolizes the University President’s authority, is carried in academic procession by the College Marshal. It was carved from native fiddleback maple and is engraved with the University seal and Glenhill Farmhouse.

Academic Dress

Academic dress had its beginnings in the Middle Ages, when scholars were also clerics and adopted robes similar to those of their monastic orders. The use of academic costume in the United States was defined in the late 19th century.

The gown worn by those in the procession represents the degree held. The standard academic cap is the mortarboard. Undergraduates wear the tassel on the right side of the cap until the degree is conferred. Hoods, worn for master’s or doctoral degree, are lined with the colors of the college or university in which the degree was granted. In tonight’s ceremony, Dr. Alicyn Rhoades, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, drapes the hoods over the shoulders of master’s degree candidates.

Schreyer Honors College

The Schreyer Scholars program is Penn State’s University-wide Honors program. Students who have completed the requirements of the program, including an Honors thesis or comprehensive examination, receive an Honors degree. Scholars graduating with an Honors degree receive a bronze medal, which is presented tonight by Dr. Greg Filbeck, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Degrees

Bachelor’s degrees are conferred by the University after the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 120 credits in a four-year major. The associate degree is conferred after the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 60 credits in one of the two-year majors.

Scholastic Distinction

Undergraduate candidates with academic distinction are in the top 12 percent of their graduating class in their college. The 12 percent is divided into 2 percent Summa Cum Laude, 4 percent Magna Cum Laude, 6 percent Cum Laude. Distinction is subject to the candidates’ satisfaction of minimum criteria.

 

[BACK TO TOP]

About Penn State Behrend

Penn State Behrend, a four-year and graduate college of Penn State, offers students the resources of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered learning environment.

As part of Pennsylvania’s land-grant university, the college also works to advance the economic, social, and intellectual welfare of our region through research and outreach.

Penn State Behrend was established in 1948 with Mary Behrend’s gift of her 400-acre Glenhill Farm. She made the gift in memory of her husband, Ernst, co-founder with his father and brother of the Hammermill Paper Company, which later became part of International Paper.

The college now offers nearly 50 degree programs at the associate, bachelor's, and master's degree levels. From the first class of 146 students, enrollment has grown to nearly 4,400 students learning on campus and online in Behrend programs offered through World Campus. Behrend alumni now number 40,000.

Penn State Behrend’s Council of Fellows serve as advisers to the college Chancellor; as advocates for the mission, vision, and activities of the college; and as ambassadors for the college in the Erie region, across the country, and around the world. The business of the Council is managed by a Board of Directors.

For more information about Penn State Behrend, visit behrend.psu.edu.

[BACK TO TOP]

Vision of a Behrend Graduate

Penn State Behrend has a history and future of developing thinkers, creators, and innovators who build opportunities out of challenges, competence out of curiosity, and proficiency out of potential.

We produce graduates who are prepared for success in their professions, passionate about their work, and committed to lifelong learning; who are open to new experiences and diverse perspectives; and who possess interdisciplinary knowledge and a global and ethical outlook—all critical to thriving in an ever-changing world.

We empower our students through highly engaged instruction, research, and out-of-class opportunities, combined with a distinctive Open Laboratory model of learning and discovery that connects students to business, industry, alumni, and community partners—giving them real-world experiences while benefitting these partners.

With purpose, we develop graduates who are widely recognized for the contributions they make to their professions, their communities, and the world around them.

[BACK TO TOP]

Student Speakers

Mallory Causer, Welcome Address

Mallory Causer, of Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, is graduating with an honors degree in Biology. At Behrend, she participated in Lion Ambassadors, Biology Club, Tri-Beta, and Alternative Spring Break. She also was president of the Behrend Honors Student Association and a Welcome Week leader. She plans to attend medical school to become a family medicine physician.

Gabrielle Watson, Farewell Address

Tyler Shearer, of Guys Mills, Pennsylvania, is graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has served as a Resident Assistant, participated in undergraduate research, and spoke on a student panel at the 2024 Manufacturing PA Innovation Program Expo in Harrisburg. After graduation, he will join Parker Lord as a tooling engineer, beginning his career as a tool designer.

[BACK TO TOP]

Student Marshals

Zachary Babb | Graduate School

Zachary Babb, of Indianapolis, Indiana, is receiving a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. His research activities included work at the Susan Hirt Hagen CORE, and he currently serves as a psychological technician at the Achievement Center of LECOM Health, where he conducts psychological testing and assessment with children. He is pursuing doctoral programs.

Schneider Fils | Black School of Business

Schneider Fils, of Terrytown, Louisiana, is graduating with dual degrees in Business Economics and International Business. He has been active in Cru and Delta Sigma Pi, and he studied abroad at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. He plans to return to Louisiana and pursue work overseas to begin building his career network.

Katherine Kinney | School of Engineering

Katherine Kinney, of Clarks Mills, Pennsylvania, is graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering. She was active in the Society of Women Engineers, Tau Beta Pi, and the Materials and Manufacturing Group. She also worked as a peer tutor and participated in the Behrend Concert Band. She is pursuing opportunities in the region.

Nathan Murarik | School of Science

Nathan Murarik, of Karthaus, Pennsylvania, is graduating with an honors degree in Mathematics. He was active in Behrend Mathematics Club, GASE, and Alternative Spring Break, and received awards from the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments. He plans to pursue a doctorate in applied mathematics.

Abbygale Walter | School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Abbygale Walter, of Franklin, Pennsylvania, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. While at Behrend, she received Dean’s List honors. After graduation, she plans to pursue graduate school to continue her creative writing education.


 

[BACK TO TOP]

Faculty Speaker

Dr. Lena Surzhko Harned

Associate Teaching Professor of Political Science 

Dr. Lena Surzhko Harned is an associate teaching professor of political science and associate director of the Public Policy Initiative at Penn State Behrend. 

Her research focuses on Ukraine and Russia, including the dynamics of decolonization in Ukraine; politics and religion in Ukraine and Russia; and nationalism and identity in Ukrainian society, particularly among self-described Russian speakers. Her commentaries on Russia and Ukraine have been featured in national media, including The Atlantic and NPR, as well as internationally.

She has published on topics of nationalism, identity politics, politics and religion, trade policy, European integration, and mass political behavior in Eastern Europe. Her work has appeared in such journals as International Research Quarterly, Journal of Common Market Studies, and European Political Science Review. Her co-authored book Post-Soviet Legacies and Conflicting Values in Europe: Generation WhY? was published in 2017 and examines the inter-generational conflict and its consequences for modern Ukraine and Russia.

[BACK TO TOP]

Commencement Speaker

Matthew W. Totzke ’96

President and CEO of Big Ideas Learning, a Larson Texts Company

Matthew W. Totzke is president and chief executive of Big Ideas Learning, a Larson Texts Company. He joined Larson Texts in 1993 while a student at Penn State Behrend and has held positions in software development, information technology, process improvement, project management, and product development for the company, which develops and publishes market-leading mathematics curriculum and educational materials.

Totzke managed the successful launch of Big Ideas Learning’s first product line, Big Ideas Math Middle School, prior to his appointment as CEO. During Totzke’s tenure, the company evolved from solely creating educational materials for third parties to becoming one of the nation’s most successful mathematics education publishers from kindergarten through college. Under Totzke’s management, Big Ideas Learning established tuition reimbursement programs and scholarships that benefit Behrend students. The company also supports Behrend’s state-wide Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Mathematics Conference.

Totzke graduated from Behrend in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a concentration in Computer Science. He serves on Penn State Behrend’s Council of Fellows Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Development and Alumni Relations Committee. He also serves on the Center for Family Business Advisory Board and its Sponsorship Committee. He received Penn State’s Alumni Fellow award in 2021 and is a life member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

In 2021, Totzke and his wife, Rebecca, established the Matthew W. and Rebecca L. Totzke Scholarship for Nursing Excellence to support students majoring in Nursing at Behrend. They reside in Erie.

[BACK TO TOP]

Go to Part 2, Commencement Candidates

This program contains the list of candidates for graduation as of December 10, 2024, and distinction notations as of October 4, 2024.
Subject to completion of all degree requirements, degrees will be conferred as indicated upon the individuals listed herein and upon such others as may meet the requirements.

This publication is available in alternative media on request. The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: [email protected], Tel (814) 863-0471. UBR EBO 24-567

[BACK TO TOP]