ABINGTON, Pa. — The Penn State Abington campus community celebrated the Class of 2024 during two ceremonies on May 3, praising the almost 350 new graduates for their fortitude despite the interference of the pandemic in their early college years.
Interim Chancellor Andrew August reminded the audience that each generation has experiences that shape and influence them just as 9/11 and the Vietnam War did for their parents and grandparents.
“For your cohort, the pandemic disrupted your education and your transformations to adulthood. Yet you rose to the occasion. You turned challenges into opportunities — and everyone here today is so proud of you for doing so,” August said.
For keynote speaker Jacklin Rhoads, this commencement was a homecoming. The 2008 Abington graduate serves as the director of public affairs and marketing for the Office of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. She, too, praised the students for rewriting the book on the college experience.
“You did the work — from your bedrooms, kitchen tables and basements. ... Don’t discount what that means as you head out into the world. That kind of adaptability takes a strong mind, commitment to the task, and perseverance,” she said.