WILKES-BARRE — More than 90 students received their bachelor’s and master’s degrees this weekend before family, friends, and faculty during the King’s College Summer Commencement at the William S. Scandlon Physical Education Center.
Julie B. Walker, president of the Peyton Walker Foundation, delivered the keynote address to the graduates, most of whom received degrees in the health sciences.
The Peyton Walker Foundation was created and named in memory of Walker’s daughter, a King’s College physician assistant student who died unexpectedly in 2013 from sudden cardiac arrest.
“Our story is a testament that any one of us can take a tragedy and turn it into something wonderful, that you can find strength to go on when bad things happen,” said Walker. “When life knocks you down, it’s not about the fall — it’s about how you get back up and pick up the pieces to move forward.”
The Peyton Walker Foundation has screened more than 5,000 youths, donated 700 AEDs, and provided CPR and AED training for tens of thousands of people. It was also the leading force behind legislation known as “Peyton’s Law,” which requires EKG testing information on school athletics forms.
The foundation has to date contributed more than $147,000 in scholarships for students enrolled in the College’s physician assistant program.
“Don’t settle for the status quo, especially those of you working in health care,” Walker continued. “That’s why all of this matters. The world is waiting for you to make an impact. Embrace the power to do for others, to make an impact in your communities and in the lives of your patients and loved ones.”
The event concluded with remarks from Rev. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C., Ph.D., president of King’s College.
“When challenges come, what will we do to face them, to move forward with our lives, to live without bitterness or consuming anger?” asked Father Looney. “What will we do with the suffering that comes from living in an imperfect world? Julie shows by way of example that tragedy and suffering need not be the final word, but that something positive for others and for oneself can emerge from it.”
Lala Traore, of Wilkes-Barre, a graduate of the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program, gave the invocation. Additional remarks and prayers were offered by Thomas R. Smith ’77, chair of the board of King’s College, and Father Brogan Ryan, C.S.C., Director of Campus Ministry. Joseph Evan, Ph.D., ’95, provost and vice president for academic affairs, conferred the degrees.
Listed below are the degrees conferred and the individuals eligible to graduate at the time of this release. An official listing will also be available at kings.edu/commencement.
MASTER OF EDUCATION—CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Juan M. Martinez, Hughestown, PA; Susan Lianna Stella, West Wyoming, PA.
MASTER OF EDUCATION—SPECIAL EDUCATION, MULTISENSORY STRUCTURED LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Christin O. Breland, Vancleave, MS.
MASTER OF EDUCATION—READING
Kristin Tenney, Exton, PA.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
Sophia Christine Plate, Forest Hill, MD.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
Sarah Bottger, Wilkes-Barre, PA; Hazel G. Catron, San Diego, CA; Misti J McCallister, Barry, IL; Cassidy S. Muldoon, Dallas, PA; Afsana Nizar, Exton, PA.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—NUTRITION SCIENCE
Caroline Rose Keeler, Kingston, PA.
MASTER OF SCIENCE—PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES
Alexa Christina Andruzzi, Staten Island, NY; Addison Grace Atkins, Lebanon, PA; Liza Rose Beviglia, Old Forge, PA; Noelle E. Boucher, Easton, PA; Angelina Marie Broga, Nassau, NY; Joelle Olivette Burke, Hunlock Creek, PA; Hailey Lynn Butth, Barnegat, NJ; Grace Joy Dacey, Kingston, PA; Kristen Jennifer Dobkowski, Merrick, NY; Jillian Maria Doherty, Smithtown, NY; Danielle Elizabeth Dougherty, Reading, PA; Autumn Paige Dragovits, Coplay, PA; Angela S. Eckert, Ashland, PA; Grady Thomas Egan, Ogdensburg, NJ; Sarah Rose Fleisher, Delanco, NJ; Julia Rose Frassetti, Staten Island, NY; Mary Elizabeth Gery, Pottstown, PA; Sarah Rose Graham, Mountain Top, PA; Ashly Gutierrez Badia, Wilkes-Barre, PA; Hannah Joan Harvey, Benton, PA; Alex Heckman, Hainesport, NJ; Matthew Thomas Hysore, Boyertown, PA; Dianna Daria Jaroszak, Wharton, NJ; Brianna Kiretchjian, Milford, PA; Amanda Paige Koukos, Farmingdale, NY; Gillian Michelle Kramlick, Branchburg, NJ; Corinne Alyssa Laino, Reading, PA; Carli Rae Lavery, Howell, NJ; Rachael Holley Lenker, Lewes, DE; Sara Margaret Lucas, Cheswick, PA; Nicole Christine Mayers, Pittston, PA; Devin McCarthy, Rockville Centre, NY; Julia E. Medina, Old Greenwich, CT; Victoria Lynne Moerman, West Grove, PA; Casey Shannon Mulligan, Hanover Township, PA; Camryn Paige Nicholas, Germansville, PA; Alexandra Nicole Noeding, Washington Depot, CT; Amanda Marie Nolan, Howard Beach, NY; Meghan Rose Nuccio, Pleasantville, NY; Oluwatomisin Elizabeth Olasimbo, Sykesville, MD; Camryn Taylor Penn, Reading, PA; Lauren Elizabeth Polak, Hellertown, PA; Skyler Rae Princi, Shoreham, NY; Danielle Marie Prudente, Bear Creek Township, PA; Rachel Jane Richard, Fallston, MD; Mackenzie Rose Rockovich, West Hazleton, PA; Emilia Serafin, Nazareth, PA; Mackenzie Faith Sherman, Drums, PA; Sydney Elaina Souliere, Allentown, PA; Jared Matthew Stephan, Lancaster, PA; Sean P. Taylor, Staten Island, NY; Alphina Thopurathu, Bedford, MA; Sage Loveland Toth, Allentown, PA; Lala Traore, Wilkes-Barre, PA; Emilee Marie Tripp, Luzerne, PA; Katelynn Daniela Truman, Albrightsville, PA; Samantha Volpe, Sewell, NJ; Serena May Vrablik, Orefield, PA; Elizabeth Rose Wagner, Tamaqua, PA; Emily Barbara Wall, Carbondale, PA; Meghan Taylor Walsh, Great River, NY; Rachel Lynne Woomer, Douglasville, PA; Crystal Regina Yuventi, Fredericksburg, VA; Amina Fatima Zaidi, Clarksville, MD.
BACHELOR OF ARTS—CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Colin W. Hazelton, Throop, PA; Joseph Mcgovern, Bellmore, NY; Lyle William Rutty Jr. IV, Bryn Mawr, PA.
BACHELOR OF ARTS—EDUCATION PK-4
Jillian E. Crackett, Philadelphia, PA.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE—BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Hannah Liane Rowland, Pennsburg, PA.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE—CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
Adele Julia Hollander, Scott Township, PA, magna cum laude.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE—COMPUTER SCIENCE
Carmen Severn Bland Jr, Trenton, NJ.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE—GENERAL SCIENCE
Charlotte Olivia McClanahan, Pine Island, NY.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE—BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Yohanser Rosario, Mountain Top, PA.