Commencement
FALL SEMESTER 2025
PENN STATE ERIE, THE BEHREND COLLEGE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025
Commencement
FALL
SEMESTER 2025
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 2025. 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.
PENN STATE ERIE, THE BEHREND COLLEGE
Program Notes
ACADEMIC PROCESSION
The mace, which symbolizes the University President’s authority, is carried 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. Tonight, 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 until the degree is conferred. Hoods, worn for master’s or doctoral degrees, are lined with colors of the college or university in which the degree was granted. Dr. Alicyn Rhoades, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, drapes the hoods over the shoulders of master’s degree candidates.
UNDERGRADUATE 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.
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 as well as a bronze medal bearing the inscription “Intellectual Curiosity—Integrity of Purpose—Scholarly Achievement.” The medals are presented tonight by Dr. Greg Filbeck, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
EVAN PUGH SCHOLARS
Evan Pugh Scholars are students who were in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective classes. All have been full-time students for at least four semesters prior to selection. The award is named for Evan Pugh, Penn State’s first president (1859–1864).
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.
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 student-centered 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.
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.
Behrend’s Council of Fellows are advisers to the college Chancellor; advocates for the mission, vision, and activities of the college; and 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.
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 photos, scan the QR code at left or text the code 448511Grad25 to 90738.
Commencement 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; Hail the Conquering Hero, G.F. Handel; Marching Tune, Percy Grainger; March of the Priests, W.A. Mozart
NATIONAL ANTHEM Please stand
GREETINGS | Dr. Ralph M. Ford, Chancellor
WELCOME | Sama Ashmawy ’25
FACULTY ADDRESS | Dr. Ihab Ragai, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
GREETINGS FROM THE COUNCIL OF FELLOWS | Thomas C. Hoffman II Esq. ’88, Vice Chair, Council of Fellows
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS | Dennis J. Prischak ’92g, President and CEO, The Plastek Group
PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES
Schreyer Honors College | Dr. Greg Filbeck ’13g, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs School of Science | Dr. Cora MacBeth ’96, 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 Fox Graduate School | Dr. Alicyn Rhoades ’01, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Reader: Andrea Konkol ’00, ’03g, Director of Enrollment Management
INTERLUDE | Behrend Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Amazing Grace, John Newton arr. John Beyrent
CONFERRAL OF DEGREES | Kenneth C. Kane ’82, Penn State Trustee
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INDUCTION | Jeffrey Lasky ’94, Penn State Behrend Alumni Society
ALMA MATER Please stand and join | Kayla Johnson ’27
FAREWELL | Lauren Cass ’25
RECESSIONAL | Behrend Ceremonial Brass and Percussion Ensemble Selections from La Danserye, Tielman Susato
Commencement Marshals
COLLEGE MARSHAL
FACULTY MARSHALS
Dr. Omar Ashour, Professor of Industrial Engineering
Dr. Michael Brown’02g, Professor of Management
Dr. Michael Campbell, Distinguished Professor of Biology
Dr. Ray Venkataraman, Professor of Management
Dr. Craig Warren, Professor of English
Dr. Chuck Yeung, Professor of Physics This publication is available in alternative media on request. The University
STUDENT MARSHALS
Joshua Claypoole, Fox Graduate School
Matthew Dorosch, Black School of Business
Nicholas Frederick, School of Engineering
Gemma Malone, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ethan Woodring, School of Science
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Student Speakers
SAMA ASHMAWY
Welcome Address
Sama Ashmawy, of Erie, is graduating with a degree in Biology, following the Health Professions pathway. Among her many activities at Behrend, she served as president of the Muslim Student Association and vice president of the Lion Entertainment Board. She plans to attend medical school, with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician, with a potential focus in dermatology.
Student Marshals
JOSHUA CLAYPOOLE
Fox Graduate School
Joshua Claypoole, of Clymer, New York, is graduating with an M.B.A. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Project and Supply Chain Management from Behrend in 2022. As a graduate student, he was named Outstanding MBA Student. He plans to continue gaining experience in the supply chain field before founding his own consulting firm.
NICHOLAS FREDERICK
School of Engineering
Nicholas Frederick, of Clarion, Pennsylvania, is graduating with a degree in Plastics Engineering Technology. A research assistant, he was also a NWPA Society of Plastics Engineering Scholar and Plastics Pioneers Association Scholar. He will return to Tesla, where he interned, to work in renewable energy as a materials engineer.
ETHAN WOODRING School of Science
Ethan Woodring, of Erie, is graduating with a degree in Mathematics. While at Behrend, he was active in the Cru Christian ministry organization. He also is a coach for the Eastside YMCA swim team. After graduation, he will work as a substitute teacher in the area while pursuing a master’s degree and a secondary education teaching certificate.
LAUREN CASS
Farewell Address
Lauren Cass, of Erie, is graduating with a degree in Media and Communication. At Behrend, she served as an admissions tour guide for four years, worked as a research assistant in the VAR Lab, and received the 2025 Pride of the Lion Award. She plans to pursue a career as an admissions counselor in higher education and continue to grow the small business, Tour Erie, she co-owns with her mom.
MATTHEW DOROSCH
Black School of Business
Matthew Dorosch, of Harborcreek, is graduating with dual degrees in Business Economics and Finance. A dean’s list honoree for all eight semesters at Behrend, he has been active in Chi Alpha Campus Ministry and the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society. He plans to go into banking and credit analysis.
GEMMA MALONE
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Gemma Malone, of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, is graduating with an honors degree in Creative Writing. She received the 2025 Outstanding Creative Writing Student Award and the 2024 Clarence A. and Eugenie Baumann Smith Fiction Award. She also was poetry editor for Lake Effect. She plans to attend graduate school and go into teaching.
Faculty Speaker
DR. IHAB RAGAI | Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Ihab Ragai is a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State Behrend as well as a visiting professor at Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences in Germany. An internationally recognized authority in advanced manufacturing, he has conducted research encompassing manufacturing processes and systems, material constitutive modeling, and smart manufacturing. Before joining academia, he spent more than 20 years in leadership positions in the aerospace, automotive, and heavy equipment industries, where he was responsible for innovative designs of jet engine and structural systems and components.
He currently serves on the executive committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Engineering Division and the European Scientific Association for Material FORMing, and he served as the 2024-25 president of the North American Manufacturing Research Institution. He is also a guest editor of SME’s Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, and Manufacturing Letters.
The recipient of national and international awards, Ragai is a licensed professional engineer in the United States and Canada, a registered international professional engineer, and a certified manufacturing engineer, as well as a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a research fellow of DAAD in Germany.
Commencement Speaker
DENNIS J. PRISCHAK ’92G | President and CEO, The Plastek Group
Dennis J. Prischak ’92g is president and CEO of The Plastek Group, a position he has held since 2002. The Plastek Group, founded in Erie in 1956, is now a global supplier of injection molding tools and rigid plastic-molded packaging with manufacturing sites in North Carolina, Mexico, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.
Prischak joined The Plastek Group as a tool maker in 1983, shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University. He quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a global vice president and playing a key part in the company’s international expansion. In 2002, he became president and CEO upon the retirement of the company’s founder—his father, Joe Prischak. He and his brothers run the company as a second-generation family business.
Recognizing the transformative power of automation in the workplace, Prischak and his brothers brought the idea to create a new chapter in academic pursuits to Behrend. In 2022, The Plastek Group and the Prischak family named the Prischak Robotics and Automation Lab at Penn State Behrend.
He serves on the Behrend Council of Fellows and is a Laurel Circle member of the Mount Nittany Society. He also is involved in various community nonprofits, including the Africa 6000 Board of Directors, the Erie Downtown Development Corporation Board, the Erie Children’s Museum, and more. He earned his M.B.A. from Penn State Behrend in 1992.
Prischak and his wife, Tara, live in Erie and have three adult daughters, Sara, Leah, and Emma.
Class of 2025 Candidates for Degrees
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
BACHELOR’S DEGREES
Biology, B.S.
Sama Mohamed Gamal Ashmawy
Roy C. Buchanan
Theodore Scott Hoag
Maximus Amadeus Luther
Randall
Tyler Joseph Stickles
Sophia Marie TallonSU
Chemistry, B.S.
Thomas Joseph ChrzanowskiSU
Trevor Hamm
Derek Joseph HillhouseSU
Katrazyna Novak-Zawadzki
Wyatt Rothaus
Environmental Science, B.S.
Elizabeth Grace Charrette RomeroSU
Tyler Joseph Stickles
Interdisciplinary Science and Business, B.S.
Alaina Devlin
Mathematics, B.S.
Lucas Reed Kingen
Alexander Edward LillySU
Ethan Aaron Woodring
Nursing, B.S.N.
(Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing)
Desiree Agnello
Malaina Beatrice
Madison KappelerSU
Aliyah Solorio
Sadee Straight
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
BACHELOR’S DEGREES
Creative Writing, B.F.A.
Gabriel O. Ballard
Gemma R. Malone***††
Digital Media, Arts, and Technology, B.A.
Julian John Michael Giles
Emily Kalie
Caleb Alexander KingSU
Jessica Salemme*
Elementary and Early Childhood Education, B.S. (College of Education)
Jolyne Danielle Struble
History, B.A.
Kyle Francis Alonge
Media and Communication, B.A.
Lauren Eileen Cass
Jacob George KerkelesSU
Davis Scott Luedtke
Michael Brennan ManningSU
Samuel L. Ruot
Krystyna Aleksandra SzymczakSU
Multidisciplinary Arts, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Humanities, B.A.
Rachel D’AngeloSU
Arina Kathleen DillingerSU
Alexander Wallace DrahuszSU
Kaylin Michele Karle
Political Science, B.A.
Eric Lee Oelhaf
Carson Rounds
Psychology, B.A.
Adieb K. Al-Jayashi
Miesha Parker
Jade Reynolds
Psychology, B.S.
Makayla Elaine Grace
Jordan Lee SvenssonSU
Secondary Education in Mathematics, B.S.
Lucas Reed Kingen
Labor and Human Resources, B.A. (College of Liberal Arts)
Jessica Deau
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
ASSOCIATE DEGREES
Mechanical Engineering Technology, A.ENGT
Jacob Thomas Campanini
Dominic Sebastian DedolaSU
Amar Yaser Katoush
Madalynn Leona Perry
BACHELOR’S DEGREES
Computer Engineering, B.S.
Jason R. BollingerSU
Computer Science, B.S.
Roland James GrandeSU
Samantha S. Groner
Alexander HarrisSU
Tanner Lichty
Cassidy Marquis
John Pham
Cory Adain RossSU
Nhat Quang Tran
Class of 2025 Candidates for Degrees
Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology, B.S.
Fatimah Mohammed G. Aldossary
Rahaf Abed H. AlsaediSU
Sarah Abdulrazaq M. Alsuanyyin
Rothana Mohammed S. Martaa
Electrical Engineering, B.S.
Joseph William MancinoSU
Industrial Engineering, B.S.
John B. SharpSU
Seth James Yanosko
Mechanical Engineering, B.S.
Caleb Andrew Beard
Braden Daniel Fabritius
Nicholas William Fisher
Elijah Lennell Hunt
Jonathon William LaierSU
Lucas Francis Makai
Ian Colin McGill
Jonathan Robert Phillips
Tyler Evan PughSU
Anthony Ares Reto
Sean Renwick SchneiderSU
Michael SchumacherSU
Gurinderpal SinghSU
Mechanical Engineering Technology, B.S.
Abigail Bulick
Hunter Michael Kamensky
Brandon Joseph Kreider
Prem Panday
Zackary Rudolf
Tyler Stephenson
Elliott Cole Weigand
Tyler A. Wenzel
Dillan WilliamsSU
John Michael Wittman Jr.
Plastics Engineering Technology, B.S.
Trent Patrick Bruton
Kerry Linette Dougherty
Brianna Marie Downing
Connor John Doyle
Nicholas Lee Frederick*
Payton James McKee
Michael Patrick Quinn Jr.
Drew Aydn Tracy*
Keegan Thomas Watkins
Walker Wheeling
Polymer Engineering and Science, B.S.
Riley Camryn BakSU
Software Engineering, B.S.
Rebekah Leigh AndrewsSU
Corey AnkneySU
Marisha Dziewolska CautilliSU
Aaron Christopher ErhartSU
Kevin L. Fox Jr.
Brenda GarciaSU
Christopher George GreenblattSU
Kayden Lee GrubbsSU*
Matthew Hardenburg
Yan Ting Emily KanSU
Aisen Dwight Lopez-RamosSU
Reid McMullin
Samuel Asher Meredith***2
Devon Joseph Ott
Haris H. SiddiquiSU***
Sean SpencerSU
Ryan Lane Truax
Andre Johannes Van Der Linde
Brian Karimi WachiraSU
BLACK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
ASSOCIATE DEGREES
General Business, A.S.
Alexxis Marie Biel
Ryan PattersonSU
Joseph Sean Powers Jr.SU
Alaina Faith Steele
BACHELOR’S DEGREES
Accounting, B.S.
Xander DowlinSU
Brooke Lynn Jackowski
Grace Marie JonesSU
Charles Andrew Molloy
Business Economics, B.S.
Max Robert Dailey
Matthew Scott Dorosch*
John Liam Holl Jr.
Minh Hoa Nguyen
Ethan Robert Rodemoyer
Economics, B.A.
Alvaro David De Santana Albornoz
Finance, B.S.
Meadow Dawn Adams**
Thomas Albanese
Zain Nadhem AlMubarak
Shane Michael BachikSU**
Joshua Bradford
Dale Udo Buhl
Katelyn Marie Demers
Matthew Scott Dorosch*
Richard James Downey
Holly DuPont
Connor Michael Emerick
Brayden Robert Ervin
Kristopher EustaceSU
Andrey Evdokimov
Caleb Neil Flynn
Matthew Fravel
Ethan Friedhofer
Santina Alexis Haddad**
Chenyi Han*
Kelly Marie Hansen
Christopher Martin HerreraSU
Dane Elliot Hilsher*
Evan John Hoover
William C. T. Hormann
Kayra Rose Hyatt
Ali I. Ibrahim
Omar Ihab Ibrahim
Hien Thi Thanh Le
Sang Yoon Lee
Owen Matthew MagersSU
Durus Mansaray
Michael R. McEvilly
Theresa Milioti
Joseph Eugene Miller
Madeline Marie MillsapSU
Fakhr Almluk Munaf Mohammed
Michael Alan Moreau**
Class of 2025 Candidates for Degrees
Alexis Jasmin Morgan
Ryan Naughton
Minh Hoa Nguyen
Gienie Mae Camacho
OquendoSU
Christopher James Pena
Vladimir Christopherson Perez
Spencer John Perry
Nathan Louis Pulido
George Andrew Righter
Ethan Robert Rodemoyer
Zachary P. RosswogSU
Nathan Russell Ruediger
Laiken Setzekorn
Farina Shaw
William Snyder
Christopher Stoudt***2
Connor Patrick Sweetser
Anastasios TangalidisSU
Athenna A. Telpha
Noah Thomas Urbanek**
Sable Robert Vidas
Andrew Michael Vrabel
Michael Josef Weik
Brandon Allen Wilcher
Kyle Gregory Wilson
Nisoon Wolf
Grace Helen Zeigler
Interdisciplinary Business with Engineering Studies, B.S.
James John LobdellSU
Sable Robert Vidas
Jason Aiden Waite
International Business, B.S.
Grace Marie JonesSU
Nicholas Post
Management Information Systems, B.S.
Nicholas Paul Bond
Yana V. SnitkoSU*
Logan Joseph Yuhas
Marketing, B.S.
Easton Michael Hedman
Aidan T. Keenan
Joseph Knochel
Nolan Lynch
Marco Thomas Mamone
Elsie M. Morda
Project and Supply Chain
Management, B.S.
Tyler Scott Csanadi
Lillian Jade FanaziniSU
Kevin Robert McKenna
Emily Moran
Yana V. SnitkoSU*
Leyton Lewis VronoSU
Garrett Ryan Welsh*
Jiaqiang Wu
Frank Alexander ZuckerSU
Economics, B.S. (College of Liberal Arts)
Grant Blazek
FOX GRADUATE SCHOOL
MASTER’S DEGREES
Business Administration, M.B.A.
Christopher Mathew Abraham
Breanne Jane Bachovchin
Andrew Jack BondSU
Ryan J. Boyer
Evan Michael BromleySU
Joshua Glenn Claypoole
Thomas Ty DiRienzoSU
Olivia FuhrmanSU
Jamie Lynne Hession-Rotzler
Ryan Thomas Kruszewski
Joshua Richard McGeeSU
Elizabeth Myers
Joseph Lamar ThomasSU
Mia Francesca VentoSU
John Armando ZiobroSU
Clinical Psychology, M.A.
Briona N. Bargerstock
Riley BoydSU
Julia HolodySU
Jonathan Gale KinnearSU
Pucong Liao
Abigail Mae ManelickSU
Tyra Amara Perles
Arianna SmithSU
Roomana Bibi Izdihar Shabbanaaz
SokeechandSU
Alyssa Marie ZampognaSU
Higher Education, M.Ed.
Virginia Lee Schwartz
Project Management, M.P.M.
Kenneth Jay AbbeySU
Ana Maria Brenson
Nelly Cristal Brolin
Elizabeth Caldwell
Leah Michelle Cochenet Noel
Emma Gorham
Lafna Joseph
Myat Min Khant
Jeffrey Ryan Krystek
Dongeun LeeSU
Aaron Raymond Longo
Somya MahajanSU
Carolyn Suzanne Mahoney
Bria Camille Pender
Melissa Maria Reinard
Darin RippSU
Bimal RizalSU
Joseph Henry RogersSU
Alene Louise RohdeSU
Laura Sydney RosendaleSU
Sophie Catherine Rossnock
Andrew R. SchrantzSU
Abel Silva GarciaSU
Matthew Robert SowersSU
Sonakshi SrivastavaSU
Emily Gayle Stack
Samuel E. SujanskySU
Gabrielle Sutherland
Katie J. Turcio-Canales
Rebecca P. YoungquistSU
Quality And Manufacturing Management, M.M.M.
Dylan BawuahSU
Daniel Christian BoehmeSU
Camille Marie ThomasSU
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, to their communities, and to the world around them.
PENN STATE 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!