Indiana University of Pennsylvania will hold commencement ceremonies May 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex for more than 1,889 graduates. The ceremonies will combine undergraduate and graduate students.
The 9:00 a.m. ceremony will be for students from the colleges of Fine Arts, Health and Human Services, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
The 1:30 p.m. ceremony will be for students from the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology and the colleges of Education and Educational Technology and Humanities and Social Sciences.
The breakdown of degrees to be offered is as follows: 1,580 bachelor's degrees, 256 master's degrees, 51 doctoral degrees and two associate degrees. Of the bachelor's degree applicants, a total of 795 qualify for Latin honors (3.25 grade point average or above), with 48 achieving a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
The total number of graduates by college are: 297 from the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology; 151 from the College of Education and Educational Technology; 92 from the College of Fine Arts; 585 from the College of Health and Human Services; 224 from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; 233 from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and 307 from the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
Both ceremonies will feature an IUP graduate with more than five decades of leadership in higher education administration as the keynote speaker.
Dr. Donald J. Mash, a 1964 graduate, will speak at the ceremonies and will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree at the ceremony. Mash is a 1995 recipient of the IUP Distinguished Alumni Award, honored for his outstanding contributions to the field of education. He is a native of Jeannette. He served as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, as president of Wayne State College, as vice president for student affairs and as executive vice president for administration at George Mason University and as dean of student services at Ohio Dominican College. He began his career in higher education as an instructor of geography at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford.
In addition to his IUP degree, he received a master's degree in geography from the University of Pittsburgh and his Ph.D. in higher education-student development from The Ohio State University.
The ceremonies also will continue the tradition of honoring the 50-year reunion class (the class of 1964). These alumni will lead the procession into Ed Fry Arena during the morning ceremony.
The student speakers will be Franklinn M. Alexander, of Ernest, who will receive a master's degree in sports studies with an emphasis in exercise science, in the morning, and Ashley Niccolai, of Fairmount City, who will receive a bachelor's degree in sociology, in the afternoon.
Alexander, son of Constance and Gerald Alexander of Home, is a 2002 graduate of Marion Center High School. While at IUP, he was a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Phi Epsilon Kappa honor society, Golden Key International Honour Society, won best research poster for the College of Health and Human Services at the 2013 undergraduate scholars forum and attended Undergraduate Research at the Capitol in 2014. He is married to Karina Alexander.
Niccolai, daughter of Ralph Niccolai, Fairmount City, and Diane Niccolai, of New Bethlehem, is a 2011 graduate of Redbank Valley High School. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Delta honor society and won the honor society's outstanding graduating senior award. She was president of the Sociology Club and was member of the University Chorus. She is a dean's list student and provost scholar.
IUP President Michael Driscoll will preside over the commencement ceremonies.
Recipients of the 2015 Distinguished Faculty Awards will also be recognized. They are Dr. W. Zachary Collins, associate professor, Department of Music, Distinguished Faculty Award for Creative Arts; Dr. Benjamin Ford, associate professor, Department of Anthropology, Distinguished Faculty Award for Research; Dr. DeAnna Laverick, associate professor, Department of Professional Studies in Education, Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching; and Dr. Michele Papakie, associate professor, Department of Journalism and Public Relations, Distinguished Faculty Award for Service.
Again this year, all students participating in May commencement ceremony will be recognized by name and congratulated on stage.
Parking on campus will be open to all visitors, except in the following areas: the Clark Hall parking lot, closed for construction; portions of the Miller Stadium parking lot, reserved for handicapped parking; and the Kovalchick Complex VIP parking area, located in front of the building, and loading dock area. Police officers will be at each intersection from Grant Street south to the Kovalchick Complex to assist visitors.
Many departments are holding individual commencement ceremonies. A complete list is available on the IUP commencement website. Details about live webcasts of the commencement ceremonies are also available on the website.