TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE COMMENCEMENT SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2021 Progressive Field Cleveland, Ohio BOARD OF TRUSTEES DAVID H. GUNNING II, Chair TIMOTHY J. COSGROVE, Vice Chair STEPHEN F. KIRK, Treasurer THOMAS W. ADLER, Trustee Development Officer PATRICIA M. DEPOMPEI LISA K. KUNKLE DAVID M. REYNOLDS VANESSA L. WHITING ARLINDO AHMETAJ, Student Trustee ALLISON K. YOUNGER, Student Trustee ROBYN N. GORDON, Community Board Member THOMAS E. HOPKINS, Community Board Member HEATHER LENNOX, Community Board Member RACHEL K. CARNELL, PH.D., Faculty Representative ROBERT A. KREBS, PH.D., Faculty Representative SONALI B. WILSON, J.D., General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees 3 LEADERSHIP TEAM HARLAN M. SANDS, J.D., M.B.A. President JIANPING ZHU, PH.D. Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs RONNIE A. DUNN, PH.D. Interim Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Associate Professor, Urban Studies FORREST FAISON III, M.D., SC.D. (HON) Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation and Chief Healthcare Strategy Officer SCOTT GARRETT, M.S. Director of Athletics JEANELL N. HUGHES, M.P.A. Vice President of Administration & Chief of Staff JULIE M. REHM, PH.D. Vice President, University Advancement and Executive Director, Cleveland State University Foundation MARGIE SPENCER, M.B.A. Interim Chief Financial Officer JONATHAN D. WEHNER, M.B.A Vice President and Dean of Admissions, Enrollment Management and Student Success SONALI B. WILSON, J.D. General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees 5 UNIVERSITY DEANS ROLAND V. ANGLIN, PH.D. Dean, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs JOANNE BELOVICH, PH.D. Interim Dean, Washkewicz College of Engineering MEREDITH BOND, PH.D. Dean, College of Sciences and Health Professions LEE FISHER, J.D., M.N.O. Dean, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law TIMOTHY M. GASPAR, PH.D. Dean, School of Nursing JOHN HOLCOMB, PH.D. Interim Dean, College of Graduate Studies KENNETH B. KAHN, PH.D. Dean, Monte Ahuja College of Business ELIZABETH A. LEHFELDT, PH.D. Dean, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Honors College SHANNON GREYBAR MILLIKEN, PH.D. Vice Provost, Student Affairs and Dean of Students ALLYSON ROBICHAUD, PH.D. Interim Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences SAJIT ZACHARIAH, ED.D. Dean, College of Education and Human Services 6 7 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Secretary Marcia L. Fudge is the 18th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Throughout her career, Secretary Fudge has worked to help low-income families, seniors and communities across the country. Secretary Fudge served as U.S. Representative for the 11th Congressional District of Ohio from 2008 to March 9, 2021. She was a member of several Congressional Caucuses and past Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. As Marcia L. Fudge a Member of Congress, Secretary Fudge earned a reputation of tackling the unique challenges of her district by working with her Congressional delegation and across political ideologies. In 1999, Secretary Fudge was elected the first female and first African American mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, a position she held for two terms. As mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, she adopted one of the first vacant and abandoned property ordinances in the state. She worked with local officials to develop a taskforce to protect against predatory lending and she secured the inclusion of property maintenance grants in the Warrensville Revitalization Action Plan. Additionally, she brought new residential development to the city and addressed the city’s growing foreclosure crisis through the formation of a local partnership that helped residents maintain the financial security needed to buy or keep a home. As a former mayor, Secretary Fudge has seen firsthand the need for economic development and affordable housing. She prioritized improving the City’s tax base and expanded opportunities for affordable housing. Secretary Fudge believes our housing issues do not fit into a one-size-fits-all approach. We need policies and programs that can adapt to meet a community’s unique housing challenges. She is committed to making the dream of homeownership — and the security and wealth creation that comes with it — a reality for more Americans. Under Secretary Fudge’s leadership, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will work to eradicate the growing homelessness issue, put an end to discriminatory practices in the housing market and ensure that our fair housing rules are doing what they are supposed to do: opening the door for families who have been systematically locked out for generations to buy homes and have a fair shot at achieving the American dream. Secretary Fudge’s career in public service began in the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, rising to the rank of Director of Budget and Finance. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from The Ohio State University and law degree from the Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She is a Past National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a member of its Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. 9 UNIVERSITY VALEDICTORIANS College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences HEATHER AURORA REARDANZ Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Nonprofit Administration Washkewicz College of Engineering JACOB C. VITALE Bachelor of Chemical Engineering COLLEGE VALEDICTORIANS Cleveland-Marshall College of Law CAITLIN IRENE STEINER Juris Doctor Monte Ahuja College of Business JOSIAH R. FLESHMAN Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting College of Education and Human Services ANNA RAE BRANDT Bachelor of Science in Education in Exercise Science College of Sciences and Health Professions THERESA M. LINCHECK Bachelor of Science in Physics and Bachelor of Music in Music Performance The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs MARYMAR ALHOUSH Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership Management and Arabic School of Nursing MICHELLE C. KAHLE Bachelor of Science in Nursing EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF GRADUATE NAMES AND DEGREES IN THIS PROGRAM BOOK FOR GRADUATES WHO SUBMITTED THEIR INFORMATION 10 BY MARCH 17, 2021. WE SINCERELY REGRET ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. 11 UNIVERSITY DEGREE CEREMONY I UNIVERSITY DEGREE CEREMONY II COLLEGE CANDIDATES OF: COLLEGE CANDIDATES OF: COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS WASHKEWICZ COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING SCHOOL OF NURSING COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES MONTE AHUJA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS President Harlan M. Sands, J.D., M.B.A., Presiding Officer MAXINE GOODMAN LEVIN COLLEGE OF URBAN AFFAIRS CLEVELAND-MARSHALL COLLEGE OF LAW (PLEASE REMAIN SEATED DURING THE PROCESSIONAL AND RECESSIONAL) Processional: “Pomp and Circumstance I” ............................................................................ Sir Edward Elgar President Harlan M. Sands, J.D., M.B.A., Presiding Officer National Anthem: “The Star Spangled Banner” ....................................................................Francis Scott Key (The audience is invited to stand and join in the singing of our National Anthem) (PLEASE REMAIN SEATED DURING THE PROCESSIONAL AND RECESSIONAL) Cleveland State University Alma Mater ........................................................ Gregory Nailing and William Lovell Processional: “Pomp and Circumstance I” ............................................................................ Sir Edward Elgar National Anthem: “The Star Spangled Banner” ....................................................................Francis Scott Key (The audience is invited to stand and join in the singing of our National Anthem) GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTION OF THE PLATFORM PARTY AND PRESIDENT Cleveland State University Alma Mater ........................................................ Gregory Nailing and William Lovell Jianping Zhu, Ph.D. Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTION OF THE PLATFORM PARTY AND PRESIDENT GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT Jianping Zhu, Ph.D. Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs Harlan M. Sands, J.D., M.B.A. GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT GREETINGS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Harlan M. Sands, J.D., M.B.A. David H. Gunning II, Chair GREETINGS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER David H. Gunning II, Chair COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Secretary Marcia L. Fudge COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENT OF VALEDICTORIANS Secretary Marcia L. Fudge CONFERRING OF DOCTORAL DEGREES ANNOUNCEMENT OF VALEDICTORIANS CONFERRING OF BACHELOR AND MASTER DEGREES CONFERRING OF DOCTORAL DEGREES Recessional CONFERRING OF LAW DEGREES CONFERRING OF BACHELOR AND MASTER DEGREES Recessional EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF DEGREE CEREMONIES IN THIS PROGRAM BOOK AS OF APRIL 30, 2021. WE SINCERELY REGRET ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF DEGREE CEREMONIES IN THIS PROGRAM BOOK AS OF APRIL 30, 2021. WE SINCERELY REGRET ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. 12 13 CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND-MARSHALL COLLEGE OF LAW Dean and Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law Lee Fisher, J.D., M.N.O. Degrees Completed by May 2021 THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF LAWS Mazen Alsamawi Gure Abdiwahid Gure Ekaterina Marceta LL.B., The University of Jordan LL.B., Swansea University LL.M., University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Law Yaa Baapa Bediako B.A., Brock University LL.B., University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Law LL.B., University of Ghana THE DEGREE OF JURIS DOCTOR Neelraj Arjune