UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State doctoral alumni celebrating the 10th, 25th, and 50th anniversary of receiving their doctorate returned to University Park on March 25 for the Graduate School’s annual Doctoral Alumni Recognition Luncheon in Kern Graduate Building. The 18 honorees included five doctoral alumni observing their 10-year anniversary, nine commemorating their 25-year anniversary, and four who merited special distinction by joining more than 3,000 doctoral alumni who have been recognized over the years as 50th anniversary celebrants.
Speakers at the ceremony included Krishna C. Nadella, president, Graduate School Alumni Society; Paul Clifford, chief executive officer, Penn State Alumni Association; Kevin Steele, president, Penn State Alumni Association; and Regina Vasilatos-Younken, vice provost for Graduate Education and dean of the Graduate School.
“The achievements of our alumni are sources of inspiration and pride for our current graduate scholars and the entire Penn State community. Their successes are an enduring testament to the powerful role graduate education plays in preparing individuals who have contributed many of the innovations and discoveries that have fueled the nation’s economic, cultural and civic success for decades,” said Vasilatos-Younken.
The doctoral alumni honored at the recognition luncheon were:
10th-year anniversary
• Sherrie Myers Bartell, public administration
• Aline Gomez Maqueo Chew, biochemistry, microbiology and molecular Biology
• Julia Maresca, biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology
• Brian M. Saltsman, biobehavioral health
• Marcus A. Whitehurst, educational theory and policy
25th-year anniversary
• Joseph H. Clapper, curriculum and instruction
• Patrick Cusatis, business administration
• Stephen C. Grado, forest resources
• Delmar R. Hart, educational administration
• Raul E. Macchiavelli, statistics
• Cathy A. Rusinko, business administration
• James M. Trout, physiology
• Jonathan M. Weiss, mechanical engineering
• Dah-Wei Yuan, metallurgy
50th-year anniversary
• James L. Knestrick, psychology
• Ruby L. Meis, home economics education
• Kenneth C. Oosterhout, chemical engineering
• David H. Spahr, educational administration