They did it despite a pandemic! Penn State York students moved their tassels from left to right on their caps to signify that they have graduated during the Penn State York commencement ceremony at PeoplesBank Park in York, Pennsylvania. The ceremony, held on the infield of the ballpark, provided an exciting venue for the event.
Threatening weather did not stop the Penn State York outdoor spring commencement at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at PeoplesBank Park in York, Pennsylvania. Despite the forecast, the ceremony, the first in-person one since fall 2019, had 48 graduates who crossed the infield to be honored. A total of 56 students are a part of the Penn State York Class of 2021. More than 340 people attended the event.
For those who were unable to attend the in-person commencement, the ceremony was livestreamed. In addition, the University held a virtual University-wide commencement on at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 9, which featured special pages from campuses and colleges from across the Penn State system.
For PeoplesBank Park, this was the first commencement to be held in their facility and the first off-campus commencement for the campus. Other firsts for the campus included awarding the first degree in the bachelor of arts in corporate communication to Jackie Wayne Barlow III, and the first bachelor of science degrees in project and supply chain management to Rytzl D’Souza and Janelle Kress.
Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO of the York County Economic Alliance (YCEA), was the commencement speaker, and encouraged students to get involved in their community and make a difference,
Check out the 2021 Spring Commencement Candids and 2021 Spring Commencement Graduates albums on Flickr. All photos can be downloaded free.
CONTENT: York 2021 Spring Commencement (image)
Corina Rivera, right, donning her cap and gown, talks with Carlotta Young. left, outside PeoplesBank Park following the spring commencement ceremony for Penn State York on May 8. Rivera graduated with a bachelor of science in human development and family studies and already has accepted a position as a behavioral health technician at US Medical Staffing in Philadelphia. Rivera, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was among the 48 students who attended the campus' first in-person commencement since fall 2019.
Associate degrees
The following students received associate degrees: Alexis Harlacker, Dover, Pennsylvania, mechanical engineering; and Yiorgo Yani Protopapas, York, Pennsylvania, mechanical engineering.
Baccalaureate degrees
The following students received baccalaureate degrees: Khabirah Acosta, York, Pennsylvania, biology; Jackie Wayne Barlow III, Westminster, Maryland, corporate communication; River W. Martinez Barton, Hanover, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Samantha Allison Beck, York, Pennsylvania, biology; Kyrie Elise Boemio, Hallam, Pennsylvania, business; Lauren Denice Brenneman, York, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies with a minor in early development and education and a Graham Fellow; Carly Castillo, Abington, Maryland, business and a Graham Fellow; Juan Alexander Sanchez Caba, York, Pennsylvania, biology and campus honors; Ronald J. Cline Jr., Etters, Pennsylvania, business and a Graham Fellow; Jay Cummings, York, Pennsylvania, business; Randall Logan Davidson, York, Pennsylvania, biology; Brendon Matthew Delridge, York, Pennsylvania, business; Jonathan Thomas Devita, Airville, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology with a minor in business; Rytzl D’Souza, York, Pennsylvania, project and supply chain management, Cum Laude, and a Graham Fellow; Kara Duchek, Red Lion, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies; Mark J. Ellis, York, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology; Cameron Allen Flemmens, York, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology and a veteran; Victoria L. Figueroa, Marietta, Pennsylvania, psychology; Nathaniel Armando Gellman, York, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Austin R. Gingerich, Red Lion, Pennsylvania, psychology, and campus honors; Derrick James Gray, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology; Gaelan Hagler, Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, psychology; Kara McKenzie Holland, York, Pennsylvania, psychology; Evan Bradley Huber, York, Pennsylvania, business; Danielle Tyreese Jackson, York, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies;
Tangneka Miracle Nguyen waves to the crowd from the infield during the Penn State York commencement at PeoplesBank Park in York, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, May 8. A member of the Class of 2021, Nguyen earned a bachelor of science in biology degree with the Genetic and Developmental Biology option. During her time as a student at the York campus, Nguyen was part of the honors program, served as a teaching assistant in cell biology, worked as an EMT for West York Ambulance, and her goal is to attend physician assistant school. This is the first in-person commencement since fall 2019 and the first time for the ceremony to take place off campus. The ballpark is home to the York Revolution, a member of the Atlantic League of professional baseball.
Students also receiving degrees included: Tanishka G. Jaggi, York, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Austin Kyle Kelly, Red Lion, Pennsylvania, business; Garret Kemerer, Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, psychology; Janelle Kress, Littlestown, Pennsylvania, project and supply chain management and a Graham Fellow; Austin Tate Lehman, Millersburg, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology; Lilian M. LeVan, York, Pennsylvania, biology; Victoria Ruth-Ann Lomman, Dover, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies; Aashil Suni Mathews, York, Pennsylvania, business; Garrett S. Mellinger, Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology and a veteran; Joerick Mercado-Jusino, York, Pennsylvania, business; Logan Mohar, New Freedom, Pennsylvania, business; Minhthu Thi Nguyen, Dover, Pennsylvania, biology; Tangneka Miracle Nguyen, Littlestown, Pennsylvania, biology; Adannaya Onwukanjo, York, Pennsylvania, biology, Cum Laude, with a minor in psychology; Kartik Parikh, York, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Yash Rajesh Patil, York, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology, Cum Laude, with a minor in business; Joshua Patrilak, York, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology; Prenita Ramani, York, Pennsylvania, business, Cum Laude, with a minor in information sciences and technology; Corina Rivera, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies; William Christopher Roe, York, Pennsylvania, biology; Monica Rafaat Samaan, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, biology; Omar H. Shah, York, Pennsylvania, business; Corey Alexander Sharpe, York, Pennsylvania, communication arts and sciences; Victoria K. Smith, York, Pennsylvania, communication arts and sciences; Jack Connor Taylor, Felton, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Dishank P. Thakkar, York, Pennsylvania, information sciences and technology; Maxwell Dean Wahl, York, Pennsylvania, electro-mechanical engineering technology, Cum Laude; Huntur B. Woodard, Biglerville, Pennsylvania, biology and a Graham Fellow; and Jelena D. Tyia Young, York, Pennsylvania, human development and family studies with a minor in history.