SHARON, Pa. — Penn State Shenango celebrated the fall class of 2024 at a commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 21, in the Auditorium. Prior to the celebration, nursing faculty hosted a private pinning ceremony welcoming the program’s newest nursing graduates into the profession. These graduating students were presented with the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing's official pin.
The graduates and guests heard from alumna Rebecca Gansca, director at SMI, a government affairs consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., who gave the keynote address. Gansca, a Sharon native, graduated from Penn State University Park campus in 2006 with a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish and a bachelor of arts degree in international politics. She went on to serve in multiple roles within the military and U.S. government, including the United States Marine Corps, Judge Advocate, Department of Navy Office of General Counsel, and later the office of Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii as national security advisor.
“I was a girl from Sharon, the daughter of two steel workers who did not have college educations,” Gansca said during her remarks. “That was my foundation, hard work and grit. Something I am sure you all know a lot about, especially if you are from this valley or one like it.”
Gansca encouraged the graduates to lean on each other and fellow Penn State alumni, and to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself in the future.
Additional speakers included graduating student Shahed Kanan, and Penn State Shenango Alumni Society President Darren Steele.
See the photo gallery on Penn State Shenango’s Flickr.
Degrees conferred
Bachelor’s degrees
Business
- Jeremiah I. Green, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Criminal Justice
- Abby L. Kwiatkowski, Sharpsville
- Taylor N. Miller, Sharpsville
Health Policy and Administration
- Shahed A. Kanan, Sharon
Nursing, R.N. to B.S.N.
- Sheila R. Bell, Coraopolis
- Shawna L. Lubecki, West Middlesex
- Logan P. Temple, Monaca
Associate degrees
Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Megan R. Bourne, Hermitage
- Adyson M. Kratko, Sharpsville
- Ellie M. McCombs, Sharon
- Cassandra M. McNeely **, Beaver Falls
- Katie L. Richards, West Middlesex
- Sabrina E. Simonette, Pittsburgh
Physical Therapist Assistant
- Olivia R. Evans, Sharon
- Tillie A. Evans, Sharon
- Katelyn M. Frew, New Castle
- Sarah K. Hammond, Greenville
- Marissa A. Martyna, Transfer
- Anna N. Merkulova, Erie
- Karley N. Nelson, Dubois
- Emma N. Tidswell, Sharon
Honors distinctions
** Magna Cum Laude