UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Health and Human Development has announced the student marshals who will represent the college and each academic unit during the spring 2026 commencement ceremony.
Health and Human Development program marshals
Biobehavioral Health
Kiera Papa, daughter of Jocelyn Greger-Papa and Michael Papa of Cockeysville, Maryland, will earn a bachelor of science degree in biobehavioral health. Papa was the lead undergraduate research assistant in the Water, Health, and Nutrition Lab and served as vice president of the Schreyer Medical Team. She also worked at Camp Kesem Central Pennsylvania, serving in a variety of roles, including counselor and outreach coordinator, and was a College of Health and Human Development student ambassador.
Papa was a Schreyer Honors Scholar, completing a thesis titled, “Examining How Drought-Induced Malnutrition Affects Disease Risk in Kenyan Daasanach Pastoralist Children 1-10.” She was also a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national health preprofessional honor society. Papa was the recipient of the 2025-26 Dr. Frank Ahern Student Award and the Mullarkey Family Scholarship.
Following graduation, Papa will take a gap year in Washington, D.C. while applying to medical school for the fall 2027 semester. She plans to study to become a pediatrician.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Kristina Exton, daughter of Ralph and Debra Exton of Horsham, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in communication sciences and disorders. Exton was a member of Ayuda — a special interest organization benefitting Penn State THON — serving as vice president and family relations chair. She also served as a communications captain and family relations captain for Penn State THON.
A Schreyer Honors Scholar, Exton worked as an undergraduate researcher with the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication. She was also a member of the Penn State chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association.
Exton received the Jane B. Slep Honors Scholarship in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development. She also received the Evan Pugh Scholar Senior Award, the President Sparks Award, and the President Walker Award.
Exton received an Erickson Discovery Grant to support work on her honors thesis, “Evaluation of a Mobile App Training to Support Preservice Speech-Language Pathologists in Creation and Use of Effective Augmentative and Alternative Communication Visual Scene Displays.”
Following graduation, Exton will continue her studies at Penn State to pursue a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
Health Policy and Administration
Liam Mercader, son of Yanira Mercader of West View, Pennsylvania, and Diana Cantellops of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in health policy and administration. Mercader was a member of the Penn State chapter of Global Medical Brigades, serving as president. He was also a member of Remote Area Medical and Holistic Horizons, serving as vice president, and involved in the Penn State Health Policy and Administration peer mentoring program.
Mercader was a research assistant for both the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health and the Penn State College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine. He was a research intern for the Functional and Evolutionary Morphology Research Lab in the Penn State Department of Anthropology. Mercader was also a medical literature analyst for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence.
Mercader was a recipient of a Bunton-Waller Fellowship, as well as the John T. and Paige S. Smith Scholarship in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, the Fasola Family Honors Scholarship in the College of Health and Human Development, the 2024 Francis Hoffman Award for Excellence in Writing, the 2025 William Hadley Denton Mockingbird Award, the 2025 Jennifer S. Cwynar Community Achievement Award, and the 2026 Usharani C. and C. Channa Reddy Mission Award.
Mercader was a Schreyer Honors Scholar, completing a thesis titled, “FQHCs and the Birth Center Model: Expanding Access to Rural Maternal Healthcare in Pennsylvania through Community Health Centers.”
Following graduation, Mercader will continue his education at Penn State through the integrated undergraduate-graduate health policy and administration and Master of Public Health program. Upon completion of the program, Mercader plans to attend medical school.
Hospitality Management
Olivia Byrnes, daughter of Jamie and Andrew Byrnes, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in hospitality management. She earned the William F. and Constance B. Snyder Scholarship.
Byrnes was vice president of the Penn State student chapter of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, a student club that provides a platform for interpersonal and student leadership development. Additionally, she was a member of Eta Sigma Delta, the International Hospitality Honor Society at Penn State.
Following graduation, Byrnes seeks to return to the Walt Disney Company in Orlando, Florida, to participate in its resort management training program.
Human Development and Family Studies
Anna Raquel Duiker, daughter of Sjoerd Willem Duiker and Maria Duiker Alvarez of State College, Pennsylvania, will earn bachelor’s degrees in human development and family studies and Spanish. Duiker served as a Bible study leader for the Navigators at Penn State, director and cofounder of New Wine Worship, and was a leader for AWAKE Student Ministry through the State College Alliance Church. She participated in research in Puerto Rico with the Department of Linguistics at Penn State, and also is a member of the State College Community Volleyball League.
Duiker received the Penn State Federal Credit Union Scholarship, the Judy Frankel Silver and Gold Award in Spanish and Portuguese, and the NSF OISE scholarship.
She has worked at the State College Alliance Church part-time for three years, leading missions trips and assisting with the church’s sports camp. After graduation, she will take a full-time job at the church as the children’s ministry director, with the goal of becoming a missionary with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in the future.
Kinesiology
Abigail Walwro, daughter of Michael and Lynn Walwro, of Colver, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology. Walwro has served as a first-year peer assistant, a new student orientation presenter and student panelist for the College of Health and Human Development. She was a member of the Kinesiology, Pre-Physical Therapy, and Sign Language clubs in addition to volunteering at the Center for Fitness and Wellness at Penn State and the Mid-State Literacy Council. Walwro also dedicated her time to the NovaCare Rehabilitation center in State College and served as an undergraduate learning assistant in the functional human anatomy lab at Penn State.
Walwro received the President Walker Award and the Marie Haidt Scholarship.
Following graduation, she plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Pittsburgh while exploring specialties in the profession.
Nutritional Sciences
Nicole Grebe, daughter of John and Mary Grebe, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in nutritional sciences. Grebe was a member of the Penn State Blue Band since 2022, squad leader in 2023, Blue Band Bible study co-founder and leader, and family relations chair for Band Together Benefiting THON since fall 2023. She served as a student leader for Disciplemakers Christian Fellowship (DCF) and was active in research as an undergraduate research assistant for the Diet and Cardiometabolic Health Lab, working under the guidance of faculty member Kristina Petersen.
Grebe received the Paul B. Holder Award of Musical Activities, the President Sparks Award and the President Walker Award.
She is currently enrolled in the department’s integrated undergraduate-graduate program, where she will complete a dietetic internship with Aramark and graduate with a master of professional studies in nutritional studies in spring 2027. Following graduation, she plans to become a registered dietitian and pursue a career as a clinical dietitian or a nutrition counselor.
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
Emily Raneri, daughter of Heather and Michael Raneri, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, will receive a bachelor of science degree in recreation, park, and tourism management. She will also graduate with minors in theater and sports studies, as well as earning the meeting and event management certificate.
Involved in THON during her time at Penn State, Raneri held the positions of family relations captain (two years) and dancer relations captain. She was a member of the Penn State Lyrical Line Dance Co. since her second year and served as the dance team's co-THON chair for THON 2025. She also earned the Mills Family Scholarship.
She interned at Marriott Vacation Club's Ocean Pointe property in Palm Beach Shores, Florida, where she won the company’s nationwide Innovation Idea Competition, and also at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania. Following graduation, Raneri plans to pursue a career in event management with an interest in the collegiate, athletic or entertainment event fields.
Reserve Officer’s Training Corp (ROTC)
Taylor Turley, daughter of Krista Francis of Huntingtown, Maryland, will earn a bachelor of science degree in biobehavioral health. Turley was the Penn State Naval ROTC Midshipman Battalion commanding officer during the fall 2025 semester and served as the president for Operation Blue and Gold. She also worked with Feed the Valley Penn State, which works to fight food insecurity in the community.
She was the recipient of the Naval ROTC Scholarship, the Folds of Honor in 2022, the LTJG Brandan McCombie Memorial Award, and the 2026 Senior Vice Provost Award.
After graduation, Turley will be commissioned into the United States Navy as an ensign and begin flight school in June 2026 to become a naval aviator.