Nearly 375 students in the Lebanon Valley College Class of 2024 completed their undergraduate journey during a morning commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11.
Another 179 graduate-level students participated in a separate ceremony at 2 p.m. Both ceremonies were held in the Louis A. Sorrentino ’54 Gymnasium.
Dr. Holly M. Wendt, director of creative writing and an associate professor of English and creative writing, was the morning’s featured commencement speaker by virtue of being named the Vickroy Award winner during the 2023 Commencement Celebration.
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Natalia Antelava ’02, a former BBC correspondent who co-founded the international news outlet Coda Story, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the morning ceremony and was keynote speaker for the afternoon ceremony.
Along with honoring graduates, LVC revealed the winners of the following major annual awards:
The H. Anthony Neidig and Gene Bowman Neidig Award (LVC’s top student award): Gillian Wenhold ’24, English and social justice & civic engagement. This year’s prize was made possible thanks to Kathy Neidig Calabrese and Tony Calabrese, both LVC Class of 1973, in honor of Kathy’s father, Dr. Tony Neidig ’43, H’04, and mother, Gene Bowman Neidig.
The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Distinguished Teacher Award (LVC’s top honor for a full-time faculty member): Dr. Daniel Pitonyak ’08, co-chair of chemistry and assistant professor of physics. Pitonyak was a double major in physics and mathematics as an LVC undergraduate.
The Nevelyn J. Knisley Award (LVC’s top part-time or adjunct college faculty member): Michael Corricelli, adjunct instructor of criminal justice.
Dr. Timothy Peelen, associate professor of chemistry, received the Educator of the Year Award from student government members on Friday, May 3. This award is bestowed annually on a member of the full-time faculty who embodies the transformative power of the LVC experience, in and out of the classroom.
Also on May 3, Chad Schell, academic success coach and assistant baseball coach, received the inaugural Administrator or Staff Member of the Year Award. This award is presented to a non-faculty member who has significantly impacted a student’s time at LVC.
Highlights from the commencement ceremonies can be viewed online.
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