Commencement SUMMER SESSION 2021 BACCALAUREATE AND ASSOCIATE DEGREES UNIVERSITY PARK August 14, 2021 10:30 a.m. National Anthem Alma Mater by Francis Scott Key by Fred Lewis Pattee O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, For the glory of old State, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming; For her founders, strong and great, Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight, For the future that we wait, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? Raise the song, raise the song, And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there. Sing our love and loyalty, O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave Sing our hopes that, bright and free, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Rest, O Mother dear, with thee. All with thee, all with thee. When we stood at childhood’s gate, Shapeless in the hands of fate, Thou didst mold us, dear old State, Dear old State, dear old State. May no act of ours bring shame To one heart that loves thy name, May our lives but swell thy fame, Dear old State, dear old State! Commencement SUMMER SESSION 2021 BACCALAUREATE AND ASSOCIATE DEGREES Saturday, August 14, 2021 10:30 a.m. Message from Eric J. Barron, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. President of The Pennsylvania State University To the Class of 2021: On behalf of the Penn State community, I offer my heartiest congratulations and best wishes for a lifetime of fulfillment and happiness. The Class of 2021 has faced unique challenges, but you have endured, moving forward with “We Are” spirit. We are proud of you! Penn State is engaged in a powerful mission, and you have all been a part of it. We are working to solve big problems, and that requires collaboration. It requires commitment. And it requires the kind of fresh thinking that all of you, as students, brought to our classrooms, lectures, and labs. Your curiosity, enthusiasm, and creativity have been tremendous sources of inspiration for all of us. You have strengthened our institution. We have seen the impact of your efforts across the university – from THON, which has raised $180 million to fight pediatric cancer—to elevating Penn State’s ranking to among the top one percent of universities in the world—to contributing to the fight against COVID-19 in countless ways. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know one thing: your resilience, creativity, intelligence, and adaptability will ensure your future success. You are going to lead us past the challenges we face. I hope you feel a sense of accomplishment—not only for your own personal successes, but for all you have contributed to the larger community. We are proud of you, and you will always be an important part of the Penn State family. Do great things. Believe in yourself. And find your success. Summer Session 2021 Commencement Marshals Commencement Mackenzie Homan WELCOME College of Agricultural Sciences Penn State Students Mackenzie Homan of Leesport, Pennsylvania, majored in Agribusiness PROCESSIONAL Management. A graduate of Schuylkill Centre Brass Valley High School, she is the daughter of Allen and Margaret Homan of Reading, NATIONAL ANTHEM Pennsylvania. Katrina Cole Mackenzie received the 2018 Hughes PRESIDING Scholarship in Arts and Architecture, the 2019 L’Institut Americain Universitaire Academic Scholarship, and the Eric J. Barron, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. 2020 Rosemarie C. and Howard R. Peiffer Scholarship in the President of The Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Sciences. REMARKS Mackenzie was a member of the Agribusiness Management Club President Barron and served as president of the Nittany Association of Dance Arts. In the summer of 2020, she was a food science intern at Cornell REMARKS AND INTRODUCTIONS University. Nicholas P. Jones, B.E., M.S., Ph.D. Executive Vice President and Provost of the University After graduation, Mackenzie will study viticulture, enology, and related wine disciplines in the Vinifera Euromaster master’s AUTHORIZATION TO CONFER DEGREES degree program at Montpellier SupAgro in France. Joseph “Jay” V. Paterno, Jr., B.A. Member, Board of Trustees RECOGNITION OF MERITORIOUS Sophia Krupsha ACHIEVEMENT College of Arts and Architecture Provost Jones Sophia Krupsha of Kingston, Pennsylvania, majored in Drawing and CONFERRAL OF DEGREES AND Painting with a minor in Art History. PRESENTATION OF COMMISSIONS Sophia received the Baynard D. Kunkle Presiding: Provost Jones Scholarship and the Karen D. Berggren Conferring: President Barron Best-in-Show award for her piece ‘West Nanticoke’ during the Spring 2020 INDUCTION INTO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Undergraduate Juried Exhibition. She was a member of the Kelley M. Lynch, B.S., M.B.A. Painting Club and Sculpture Club; the Arts and Architecture President, Penn State Alumni Association House, for which she served as secretary in 2018-2019; and the HumpDay Gallery, for which she served as president in Fall 2020. SPECIAL THANKS Penn State Students Sophia participated in three internships at Isabella Garrucho Fine Arts and the Sordoni Art Gallery, as well as one residency with CLOSING REMARKS Arts Letters and Numbers. President Barron The daughter of Kim and Christian Krupsha, Sophia maintains a PENN STATE ALMA MATER studio in her hometown and plans to pursue a master’s degree in fine arts. Katrina Cole RECESSIONAL The audience will please remain seated. Susanna Walter Kelly O’Donnell Smeal College of Business College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Susanna Walter of State College, Kelly O’Donnell of Rochester Hills, Pennsylvania, majored in Supply Chain Michigan, majored in Geobiology with Management. She held multiple positions minors in Astrobiology and Biology. at the Saxbys Experiential Learning Program café in the Smeal College, During her undergraduate career, Kelly including student CEO. received the President’s Freshman Award, the Matthew J. Wilson Honors Susanna was involved with Women in Scholarship, the John and Elizabeth Business as a THON member, director, and dancer, and was a Holmes Teas Scholarship, the Griffiths Scholarship in brand communications manager for Marketing 497. She interned Geosciences, the Edwin Drake Scholarship, the University for Penn State Strategic Communications and is a member of the Park Provost Award, and the Michigan Chapter of the Alumni Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society. Association Scholarship. Susanna received the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Kelly’s extracurricular activities included participation in the scholarship and served as a United States Student Ambassador in Critically Acclaimed Films Club and the Alpha Lambda Delta Aalen, Germany. Honor Society. Her undergraduate research focused on modeling the possible conditions of early Earth and understanding its The daughter of Jennifer and Christopher Walter, Susanna connections to the origin of life. will continue to work with Saxbys as a leadership trainer at its headquarters in Philadelphia. The daughter of Jane Saro and John O’Donnell, Kelly plans to pursue graduate studies in the fall of 2022. Carson Spence Donald P. Bellisario College of Shannon Magee Communications College of Education Carson Spence, a graduate of Bald Shannon Magee of Abington, Eagle Area High School in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, majored in Rehabilitation Pennsylvania, majored in Film Production. and Human Services with a minor in Psychology. A Schreyer Honors Scholar, Carson completed internships with Red Fort During her undergraduate career, Shannon Productions, the Bellisario College, and received the University Park Provost WPSU-TV. He worked on four student Award from 2017 through 2020, and the films in multiple roles, including sound designer, script adviser, Friends of Penn State, Gallagher, Riddell and Schwartz Trustee producer, and assistant director. He also was a member of the Scholarships, as well as the College of Education Open Doors THON executive board for two years. Scholarship. The son of Duncan and Jen Spence, Carson plans to move to Shannon’s extracurricular activities included membership in Pittsburgh to start his career, pursuing opportunities as a film the Occupational Therapy Club, the Panhellenic organization archivist, curator, or work in independent cinema. Sigma Kappa, and the Penn State dance company Volé. She volunteered for LifeLink PSU and THON and interned with KenCrest, working virtually with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The daughter of Jackie Miralles and Michael Magee, Shannon will pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy at Salus University. Xunyi Zhou Alayna Spriggle College of Engineering College of Information Sciences and Technology Xunyi Zhou, a graduate of Great Plans Lutheran High School in Watertown, Alayna Spriggle double majored in South Dakota, majored in Computer Information Sciences and Technology and Science with a minor in Mathematics. Digital Multimedia Design at the Penn State World Campus. Xunyi’s extracurricular activities included membership in the Web Development Alayna received the World Campus Club, for which she served as vice Institutional Scholarship and the World president. She also worked as a teaching assistant during the Fall Campus Scholarship for Student Success. 2020 semester. She interned with Penn State Athletics and is completing her second internship with ERIE Insurance Group. Of her experience at Penn State, Xunyi said she most appreciated the opportunities to meet different people, noting that, “I was able Alayna was the first World Campus student to rush a Panhellenic to find a group of friends that broadens my perspective, and gives sorority at the University Park campus, joining the Omega Phi me challenges, reflections, and inspirations constantly.” Alpha National Service Sorority. She also was a member of the Gamma Tau Phi IST Honors Society, the National Society The daughter of Feng Zhou and Pingting Hu of Wuxi, China, of Leadership and Success, and the Golden Key International Xunyi plans to attend graduate school. Honour Society.