Lebanon Valley College Celebrates 155th Commencement.
Natalia Antelava, former undercover BBC correspondent and member of LVC's Class of 2002, received an honorary doctorate during the undergraduate ceremony and was the keynote speaker for the graduate-level ceremony.
Annville, PA (05/11/2024) — Nearly 375 students in the Lebanon Valley College Class of 2024 celebrated their educational and personal accomplishments during a morning Commencement Ceremony today. Another 179 graduate -level students participated in a separate ceremony at 2 p.m. Both ceremonies were held in the Louis A. Sorrentino '54 Gymnasium.
Dr. Holly M. Wendt, Director of Creative Writing and Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, was the morning's featured Commencement speaker by virtue of being named the Vickroy Award winner (see below) during the 2023 Commencement Celebration. Natalia Antelava '02, a former BBC correspondent who co-founded the international news outlet Coda Story, received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the morning ceremony. She also was the keynote speaker for the afternoon ceremony.
Along with honoring graduates, LVC revealed the winners of the following major annual awards:
The H. Anthony Neidig and Gene Bowman Neidig Award (LVC's top student award)-Gillian Wenhold '24, English and Social Justice & Civic Engagement.
This year's prize was made possible thanks to the generosity of Kathy Neidig Calabrese and Tony Calabrese, both LVC Class of 1973, in honor of Kathy's father, Dr. Tony Neidig '43, H'04, and mother, Gene Bowman Neidig.
The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Distinguished Teacher Award (LVC's top honor for a full-time faculty member)-Dr. Daniel Pitonyak '08, Co-chair of Chemistry and Assistant Professor of Physics. Dr. Pitonyak was a double major in Physics and Mathematics as an LVC undergraduate.
The Nevelyn J. Knisley Award (LVC's top part-time or adjunct College faculty member)-Michael Corricelli, Adjunct Instructor of Criminal Justice.
Dr. Timothy Peelen, Associate Professor of Chemistry, received the Educator of the Year Award from Student Government members on Friday, May 3. This honor is bestowed annually on a member of the full-time faculty who embodies the transformative power of the LVC experience, in and out of the classroom.
Also on May 3, Chad Schell, Academic Success Coach and Assistant Baseball Coach, received the inaugural Administrator or Staff Member of the Year Award. This award is presented to a non-faculty member who has significantly impacted a student's time at LVC.
About Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College, founded in 1866, offers 50 majors in the health professions, sciences, business and digital media, arts and humanities, and education. Hands-on learning, internships, and research are emphasized. LVC offers five direct-entry (bachelor's to master's) programs in Accounting/MBA 3+1, Athletic Training 3+2, Clinical Mental Health Counseling 3+2, Engineering 3+2, and Speech-Language Pathology 3+2, and a nationally recognized six-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. There are over a dozen graduate degrees, including an MBA and master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Education, Exercise Science, and Intelligence and Security Studies.
Close faculty-student relationships and mentoring are hallmarks of the LVC experience on its beautiful 370-acre campus. The College encourages student participation in athletics-with 40% competing as NCAA Division III student-athletes in the Middle Atlantic Conference-and student leadership and involvement in over 90 clubs and organizations, many of which are community-service focused. LVC offers generous financial aid and guaranteed merit scholarships that exceeded $52 million in 2023-24. Career success is integrated into the curriculum through the Edward and Lynn Breen Center for Career and Professional Development starting during the first year on campus.
Located eight miles from Hershey, Pennsylvania, this college of 1,600 undergraduate and 400+ graduate students produces alumni who attend prestigious graduate and professional schools and are employed by top companies and school districts.