Former Penn State New Kensington student Elizabeth K. Dietrich, director and actuary for product development and pricing at Prudential Annuities, will be the principal speaker at the campus' fall commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Forum Theatre. More than 30 graduates will receive baccalaureate and associate degrees.
Dietrich attended the New Kensington campus for two years before completing her bachelor's degree in actuarial science at Penn State University Park in 2006. She graduated first in her class and was selected as the student marshal for the Department of Actuarial Science and Insurance in the Smeal College of Business. Dietrich, a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, is a two-time recipient of the Evan Pugh Scholar Award which is given to the top half percent of Penn State juniors and seniors.
An actuarial professional at Prudential, Dietrich is certified as a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA), Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA) and Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst (CERA). As a part of the company's Actuarial Leadership Development program, Dietrich supports the recruiting of talented graduates and the mentoring of new associates. She is also involved with Women Unlimited, a national organization that cultivates leadership excellence for women.
A native of Lower Burrell, Dietrich and her husband, Daniel, a Penn State graduate, reside in New Haven, Connecticut where they enjoy hiking, running and downhill and backcountry skiing. Her father, Charles "Bud" Gibbons, is a professor of visual arts at Penn State New Kensington.