Indiana University of Pennsylvania's graduate and undergraduate winter commencement ceremonies will take place Saturday, December 15.
The ceremony for graduate students (receiving master's and doctoral degrees) will be at 9:30 a.m. in the IUP Performing Arts Center's Fisher Auditorium. The undergraduate ceremony will be at 1:00 p.m. in the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
Students completing degrees in December and January—a total of 753 students—are invited to participate in the December commencement ceremonies. Of this number, 493 are bachelor's degree candidates, 218 are master's degree candidates, 38 are doctoral degree candidates, and four are associate degree candidates.
A total of 197 of the undergraduate degree recipients are graduating with Latin honors (3.25 cumulative grade point average or above).
Maria Newton, a Spanish and international business management major with a concentration in human resources, has been selected as the student speaker for the undergraduate commencement ceremony.
Newton, daughter of Keith and Sandy Newton, Ludlow, is a 2014 graduate of Kane Area High School.
She is a member of the Cook Honors College and the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology business honors program. She is a dean's list student and member of Phi Sigma Iota foreign language honor society, the IUP Ambassadors student-alumni association, Phi Gamma Nu professional business fraternity, and volunteered for the Alternative Spring Break service program in Vermont and Nicaragua. As a member of the IUP Eberly Strategic Planning Committee, she assisted with the creation of the IUP New York Advancement Council. She is a student worker in the Cook Honors College, a Spanish tutor for the Office of Developmental Studies and a residence hall office worker and manager for the Housing office.
Newton completed several study abroad experiences, including Discover India; the Costa Rica Study Abroad program; the Valladolid, Spain, program; and completed the Camino de Santiago in 2015 and then served as a student assistant for the program in 2017.
Colin Brown, of Keene, New Hampshire, who is completing his doctor of philosophy degree in safety sciences, will be the speaker for the graduate commencement ceremony.
Courtney Warren, a history and interior design dual major in the Cook Honors College from Elizabethtown, will present the senior class gift. Warren, daughter of Tim and Leah Warren, is a 2014 graduate of Elizabethtown Area High School. She is a dean's list student, an Achievement Fund Award recipient, and received a Board of Governors Scholarship. She is the president of the IUP Ambassadors student-alumni association, a member of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society and the IUP Women's Ultimate Frisbee team.
Twelve students will be recognized for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average at the ceremony. They include:
- Kristin Marie Bonzo, a chemistry major from Boyers. She is the daughter of Lauren Martin and a 2014 graduate of Moniteau Junior-Senior High School.
- Kevin Cawley, a child development and family relations major from Seward. He is the son of Jim Cawley and Diane Cawley and is a 2015 graduate of United High School. He is a Sutton Scholarship and Ready to Succeed Scholarship recipient. He is a member of the Catholic Student Association.
- Autumn Dietrich, a sociology major in the Cook Honors College from Shermans Dale. Daughter of Robert and Holly Dietrich, she is a 2015 graduate of West Perry Senior High School. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Freshman Women's Leadership Award as a freshman and junior and received the Sutton Scholarship and Newhill Sociology Scholarship. She was the College of Humanities and Social Sciences representative for the Homecoming Crimson Court. She is a member of the Residence Hall Association, Diversity Peer Educators, and National Residence Hall Honorary.
- Eric Doyle, a human resource management and general business management dual major from Blairsville. Son of Harvey and Nancy Doyle, he is a 1984 graduate of Derry Area High School.
- Elizabeth Heckman, a music education and music performance major from Brookville. She is the daughter of J. Mark Heckman and Michele Heckman and was the salutatorian of her 2014 graduating class at Brookville Area Junior Senior High School. She received the Legacy Brass Scholarship, Troxell Music Scholarship, the Dean's Merit Scholarship, the Academic Success Scholarship, and was president of the Crimson Horn Corps and vice president of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music fraternity. She is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the student chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association, and National Association for Music Education.
- (Catharyn) Meghan Pilch, a journalism and public relations major from Cincinnati. She and her husband, Brian, are the parents of four children. She is a member of French Club and International Education Conversation Corner.
- Austin Ortwein, a criminology major and homeland security and sociology minor from Nazareth. Son of Lisa Ortwein and Jeff Ortwin, he is a 2015 graduate of Nazareth Area High School. He is a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Pennsylvania Prison Society, and the Martial Arts Club.
- Kirsten Schlorff, a journalism and public relations major from Jersey Shore. She is the daughter of Rhonda Bird Schlorff and William Schlorff of Lock Haven. She is a 2015 graduate of Jersey Shore Area Senior High School. She is the recipient of the Sutton Scholarship, the Richard Hazley Scholarship, and the Larry A. Judge Journalism and Public Relations Scholarship. She won an award for best writing in her literature class. She was president of the IUP Public Relations Student Society of America and served as publicity chair and secretary of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.
The total number of graduates applying for graduation by college are: 125 from the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology; 45 from the College of Education and Communications; 23 from the College of Fine Arts; 180 from the College of Health and Human Services; 54 from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; 70 from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and 256 from the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
Jeffery Larkin, professor of biology and IUP's 2018–19 Distinguished University Professor, will serve as the keynote speaker for both the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies. The Distinguished University Professorship is an annual award presented to an IUP faculty member based on outstanding teaching, research and scholarly activity. Recipients retain the title for life.
Both ceremonies will include greetings from Alumni Association Secretary Mike Moyer.