DALLAS, Pa.—Penn State Wilkes-Barre conferred degrees to spring 2024 graduates during the annual commencement ceremony held May 4 in the campus’ Athletic and Recreation Building.
Lynda Goldstein, chancellor and chief academic officer, conferred associate and baccalaureate degrees to the graduates.
“On behalf of the entire Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus community, I offer our congratulations on the completion of your Penn State degree. It is an honor to be with you today as we collectively celebrate your achievements,” she said. “We are so very proud of you and look forward to seeing all that you continue to accomplish.”
Valedictorian John Stone gave the student marshal address and Cloe Mazzatosta introduced commencement speaker Ashley Hoeffner, senior director at Indeed. Hoeffner attended Penn State Wilkes-Barre for two years before completing her bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in international business from the Smeal College of Business at Penn State's University Park campus.
“You’ve achieved something tremendous by being here today. The choices you made led you here. I hope the joy, pride and excitement you feel today can be a reminder, a touchstone, for how you want to make the choices to come,” Hoeffner told the graduates. “These are three things that I ask you to take under consideration as you make the choices every day that stack up, one by one, into a life that’s decisively your own. First, have a clear vision of who you want to be. Second, make the choice to do your best no matter what it is, no matter who’s watching. Third, choose your relationships thoughtfully and tend to them closely.”
This year’s graduates, their degrees and hometowns are listed below. Honors graduates and students receiving academic achievement awards are denoted as follows: * cum laude (distinction), ** magna cum laude (high distinction) and *** summa cum laude (highest distinction).
- Malik Addison, Washington, D.C., Bachelor of Science in Information Sciences and Technology
- Faisal Altwaim, Khobar, Saudi Arabia, Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering
- Trevon Artis Randolph, Jamaica, New York, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Kyler Burke**, Lopez, Bachelor of Arts in English
- Matthew Carroll, Mayfield, Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Kaylee Chaban, Edwardsville, Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services
- George Chronowski, Falls, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Jacob Connolly, Plymouth, Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering
- J. Duncan Cordaro, Honesdale, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Mykenna Dekin, Larksville, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Evan DeMuzzio, Larksville, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Jason Eiden, Shavertown, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Andrew Fennell, Woodlyn, Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering
- Anna Ferraris, Fairfield, New Jersey, Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services
- Wilvens Fleurizard, Tamarac, Florida, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Donald Gardner, Forty Fort, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Patrick Gatusky, Hanover Township, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Simon Girman, Dupont, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Virginia Gugliotti, Mountain Top, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Tinatin Guruli, Kingston, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Ethan Halas, Hanover Township, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Nathaniel Huey**, Avoca, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Jaymes Jackson, Brooklyn, New York, Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication
- Brandon Jones*, Wilkes-Barre, Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services
- Nicholas Kline*, Dallas, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Verena Lake**, Roseau, Dominica, Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering
- Rian Long, Sinking Spring, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Hunter Malia, Hanover Township, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Cloe Mazzatosta**, Plains, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Connor McAndrew, Archbald, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Kiarra Moore, Rochester, New York, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Hanna Morgan, Dallas, Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services
- Collin Mosier, Wilkes Barre, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Robert Murawski**, Mountain Top, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Lesly Negrete*, Brooklyn, New York, Bachelor of Science in Project and Supply Chain Management and professional certificate in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with Systems, Applications and Products (SAP)
- Francesco Nocito, Pittston, Associate’s in Surveying Engineering Technology
- Elijah O’Connell, Noxen, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Anthony Picott, Newport News, Virginia, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Joseph Polanowski, Wilkes-Barre, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Dealla Rasmus, Larksville, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Lucas Resti, Hancock, New York, Associate’s in Surveying Engineering Technology
- Emma Sands**, West Wyoming, Bachelor of Science in Business
- Chase Santayana, Luzerne, Associate’s in Information Sciences and Technology
- Kirsten Shults, Towanda, Associate’s in Information Sciences and Technology
- Taylor Sitkowski, Dallas, Associate’s in Surveying Engineering Technology
- Brian Sokol, Old Forge, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- John Stone***, Pittston, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- John Volansky Jr., Benton, Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering
- Zachary Wallick, Plymouth, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
- Kasie Weidner**, Dallas, Bachelor of Science in Business
- James Weller, Woolrich, Associate’s in Surveying Engineering Technology
- Nicholas Winot, Stroudsburg, Associate’s in Surveying Engineering Technology
- Vlad Yaroshenko, Kingston, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Matthew Zasada, Swoyersville, Bachelor of Science in Project and Supply Chain Management
- Christopher Zim, Swoyersville, Bachelor of Science in Business
Following conferral of the degrees, Mary Conti, class of 2006, president of the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Alumni Society, inducted the graduates into the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Alumni Society.