Fall 2025 Commencement

Ceremony Information

Penn State York fall commencement will be held on December 20, 2025, at 1:00 P.M. in the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center (The Pullo Center) on campus. Commencement will also be live-streamed via the Penn State York YouTube channel.

We ask that all graduates arrive at the Lee R. Glatfelter Library of The Pullo Center. Graduates will be checked in at the welcome desk and lined up in the processional.

No tickets are required for your attending guests. Please invite your family and friends!

Caps and gowns can be ordered at the Penn State York bookstore, which is located in the M.S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center on the lower part of the campus or by calling 717-771-8418.

The ceremony will also be livestreamed so additional family and friends will be able to view it remotely.

Guest Speaker

Peter Bottros
Founder and President - Shine Music Foundation

Peter Bottros was born and raised in Egypt, where he spent the first ten years of his life. At age ten, he and his family moved to the United States, a transition that brought both challenges and new opportunities. Through this transition, Peter discovered that music was more than an art form – it was a means of belonging, a way to build connections, and a pathway to becoming part of a new community.
Peter earned his degree in business management and marketing from Penn State York and set out to turn his entrepreneurial spirit into a force for good, thereby creating opportunity and giving back to others. In 2016, he founded the Shine Music Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to ensuring that all children, regardless of financial means, have the opportunity to study and perform music. The inspiration for the foundation came from his own experience. Growing up, Peter lacked access to formal music lessons, yet he experienced firsthand how music could guide, uplift, and inspire him through life’s challenges. With Shine, he seeks to provide children in similar positions with the same hope, encouragement, and opportunity that music gave him.
A career in music has opened remarkable opportunities, giving him the privilege of performing nationally and internationally, and connecting with audiences from all walks of life. Along the way, he has collaborated with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Damien Escobar and Wyclef Jean, members of The Roots, and other acclaimed DJs and performers. Such experiences have not only enriched his artistry but also deepened his commitment to using music as a way to create positive change.
Many of Peter’s most noteworthy accomplishments have taken place on the stage of the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center, embodying his journey of growth and gratitude. It was on this stage that he graduated from Penn State, performed his first headline concert, and announced the establishment of Shine Music Foundation. Years later, he returned to the same stage to receive an honorary doctorate in music, a milestone that signified not only personal achievement, but also the fulfillment of a lifelong dream shaped through perseverance, passion, and purpose.
Today, through his work as a musician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Peter continues to inspire others to pursue their dreams and believe in the transformative power of music. His journey – from Egypt to the United States, from a dreamer to a visionary change maker – embodies his belief that music can unite, heal, and shine light into every heart it touches.Photos from last commencement
 

Questions

If you have questions about fall 2025 graduation or the commencement ceremony, please reach out to Academic Affairs at 717-771-4051 or [email protected].