DALLAS, Pa. — Pacelyn King and Brayden Rogowski have been named student marshals for the spring 2026 commencement ceremony at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Student marshals are chosen based on their academic performance and lead the procession of graduates during the ceremony. King will deliver the student marshal address; Rogowski will introduce this year’s commencement speaker, Donovin Lindsay.
Commencement will be held Saturday, May 9, at 9 a.m. in the Athletic and Recreation Building on campus. It will also be livestreamed.
Pacelyn King
King will earn her bachelor’s degree in corporate communication. A transfer student, King came to Penn State Wilkes-Barre in 2024 after attending Luzerne County Community College.
“Penn State Wilkes-Barre gave me an affordable way to continue pursuing my bachelor’s degree while still being able to live at home and keep working at my job,” King said.
During her time on campus, King said everyone was welcoming, which provided a foundation for the strong relationships she built with professors. She also liked a smaller campus environment, which she says felt like a better fit for her than a large one.
“My favorite class was definitely CAS 204: Communication Research Methods,” King said. “I got to create a research paper from scratch. I put a lot of effort into it, and it led to some amazing opportunities.”
Titled “Behind the Comments: Analyzing Audience Sentiment on TikTok Beauty Content,” King’s research study examined audience responses to beauty influencers on TikTok, focusing on how comment sentiment varies by creator and content type. Her findings showed that engagement is shaped by both influencer identity and video format, offering insights into digital marketing strategies in the beauty industry.
King’s research won first place in the campus’s Celebration of Scholarship research fair and received the Student Choice Award at COMM Day, an annual event held at Penn State Schuylkill. She also presented her work at the Eastern Communication Association conference in Pittsburgh this spring.
“I’m especially proud of being recognized with several academic awards during my time here,” said King.
Beyond academics, King says some of her favorite moments at Penn State Wilkes-Barre were spending time in the Student Commons, planning events and helping students get more engaged on campus through her work with Student Activities and Engagement.
After graduating, she hopes to find a full-time position in social media management and says her goals are to build a career in the entertainment or digital media industry, work on content creation and social media campaigns, and eventually grow into a role where she can manage larger marketing strategies.
Brayden Rogowski
Rogowski will earn his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Growing up locally, Rogowski said he always knew he would attend Penn State Wilkes-Barre. While his original plan was to study criminology, an academic plan that would require him to transition to University Park to complete his degree, Rogowski switched his major to criminal justice to stay at the Wilkes-Barre campus — a decision he said he made due to his professors and the class sizes.
“All of my professors have been incredible,” Rogowski said. “They are truly knowledgeable but also very personable. Learning material is important, but it is also incredible to be able to build relationships with professors. The criminal justice professors were also incredible with helping me navigate college, the program and my future plans.”
Rogowski was heavily involved on campus as a New Student Orientation leader during the summers and took part in clubs and organizations such as Students for Justice, Lion Ambassadors, Nittany Gives and Four Seasons. He was also a member of the Music Society and served as treasurer this past academic year.
Rogowski said, “My involvement on campus greatly enhanced my experience. I was not very involved for the first year and a half or so, but increasing my involvement was the best decision I ever made. I have genuinely made incredible friends and made great memories while also growing as a person. The Music Society has been especially impactful on my life, as that is what pushed me to become more social. I don’t think I would be anywhere near the person I am without them and the other incredible people I have met.”
Some of Rogowski’s favorite memories on campus were events with the Music Society, such as movie nights, concerts and pool tournaments, he said.
“If I had to pick out one [campus] event above all others,” he said, “I would pick our trip to Camelback this year. Here, my friends and I had a great time at the indoor waterpark before having an incredible hibachi dinner.”
This summer, Rogowski will continue to intern with the Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office. In the fall, he will attend Temple Law School on a full tuition scholarship. Rogowski said he hopes to focus on criminal defense or personal injury law, then practice it once he graduates.