Published: May 02, 2008 11:23 pm      

Graduations commence today at area colleges

It’s time for college graduates to sport their caps and gowns and receive a diploma they’ve worked long and hard to achieve.

But before they enter into the working world, graduates will gather one last time at commencement ceremonies to hear speakers offer words of wisdom and advice.

Here’s who is speaking at ceremonies in the region:

Pitt-Johnstown

At today’s graduation ceremony, Marty Radovanic, managing editor and news anchor for WJAC-TV, and Steven Kotecki, a member of the Class of 2008, will deliver the main address.

The 36th annual commencement begins at 1 p.m. in the university’s Sports Center.

Nearly 370 students will graduate.

Kotecki, a Portage resident, will share his experiences of serving tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and growing up in a missionary family living in Africa. He will discuss the importance of family and the influence of faith on his life.

Graduating senior and student senate President Angela Mazur also will give remarks.

St. Francis University

Gerald Zahorchak, state secretary of education and a 1980 St. Francis graduate, will speak at 10 a.m. Sunday in Stokes Athletic Center.

Jean Twenge, best-selling author, will speak at an undergraduate ceremony at 2 p.m. in the athletic center.

Prior to serving as education secretary, Zahorchak was deputy secretary for elementary and secondary education, a position that made him responsible for the education of 1.8 million students.

He also served as superintendent of the Greater Johnstown School District.

Twenge is the author of “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled – and More Miserable than Ever Before.”

The book addresses the disconnect between expectation and reality for those born in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

She is an associate professor in the psychology department at San Diego State University.

Nearly 578 students will earn degrees at the 157th annual commencement.

Mount Aloysius College

The 68th annual graduation activities will begin with a graduation liturgy at 10 a.m. May 10, followed by the commencement convocation at 1:30 p.m. in the Health and Physical Fitness Center.

The commencement address will be given by James Gallagher, a member of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission and former president of Mount Aloysius and Philadelphia University. Gallagher was the first lay leader in Mount Aloysius history.

This year about 385 students will receive diplomas.

IUP

Dr. John Kopchick, an internationally recognized leader in the growth hormone field, will serve as commencement speaker at 11 a.m. May 10 at Miller Stadium.

About 1,650 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony.

Kopchick, who will receive an honorary doctorate of science degree, earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from IUP in 1972 and a master’s in biology and chemistry in 1975.

He is a professor in the biomedical sciences department in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Commencement will take place at 7 p.m. May 22 in the Performing Arts Center at the Richland Senior High School.

Keynote speaker state Sen. John Wozniak, D–Westmont, will address 148 graduates.

Katyln Durica, a member of the graduating class and the Pennsylvania Academic Team, will deliver the greeting.

Allegany College of Maryland

The college’s Somerset campus will have two graduating students, Tony Coccioletti and Tonya Shuck, deliver the main address on their college experiences at commencement on May 20.

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Shanksville-Stonycreek High School.

Roughly two dozen graduates will receive associate degrees or certificates.

At the college’s Bedford campus in Everett, the commencement ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 17 at Everett Area High School.

Former students Brian Bowser, Logan Cunningham and Jennifer Usher will deliver the main address and speak on their educational experiences.

Twenty-five graduates will receive associate degrees.