Commencement speaker Larry Maggi '79: “I am certain that the education you received here has prepared you for life, and now you are ready to achieve success as you define it.”
Fittingly, the Commencement speaker’s address focused on a journey.
As more than 1,200 students celebrated their graduation and prepared to set out on a new path, alumnus Larry Maggi ’79, a Washington County commissioner, shared his story about a 5,578-mile motorcycle ride he took across the United States. Read more about his trip in the Cal U Review.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former Washington County sheriff, Maggi described scenes from his 2016 journey, which included meeting a homeless Marine veteran in Missouri and being invited to lead a Buffalo Soldiers parade in Tombstone, Ariz.
Maggi enjoyed a 24-year career as a state police trooper and criminal investigator before entering the political arena in 1997. He urged the graduates to occasionally “push the envelope.”
“Once in a while, disconnect the filter, remove the glass and look upon life without a transparent barrier,” he said.
“It does not have to be from the back of a motorcycle, but it does have to be with your own eyes and your own senses. You will find the world as it was meant to be seen, and you will discover your place in it.”
Maggi told the graduates that they are positioned to prosper.
“You will choose your own path to success, your own love for family, and you will create a life after Cal U,” he said.
“I am certain that the education you received here has prepared you for life, and now you are ready to achieve success as you define it.”
From Stage to Work
Joshua Luko earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental science and got right to work.
His internship in 2017 with Partners for Fish and Wildlife, based at Cal U, turned into a job as a habitat specialist. Two days after receiving his diploma, Luko headed to Garrett County, Md., under the guidance of program coordinator Jose Taracido.
He credited Cal U biology professor Dr. Robert Whyte for arranging the internship.
“Dr. Whyte’s classes also gave me an understanding of why we were completing the work in certain manner and how it benefited wildlife,” Luko said. “Overall, I have loved my experience in the major and the internship. This work is great hands-on experience.”
Mariah Howze, chair of the Senior Gift Drive Committee, presented University President Geraldine M. Jones with a check for more than $10,000 contributed by graduating seniors and their families.
Howze earned her degree in psychology with a minor in business. She wants to work in human resources.
“I definitely have a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, and I am ready to improve a work environment so businesses can be more effective,” she said.
Political science graduate Ellen “Mari” Boyle recently completed her term as the student member of Cal U’s Council of Trustees. This fall she will attend Penn State Dickinson Law on a full scholarship.
“This opportunity definitely would not be possible without all the support and help I was given at Cal U,” she said. “We are certainly Cal U proud and resilient.”
Commencement ceremonies began May 11, when master’s degree candidates received their diplomas and were vested in their academic hoods. Undergraduates received their bachelor’s and associate degrees May 12.
Rose Nelson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Cal U, added a master’s degree in nursing administration and leadership.
“I learned so much in this program,” said Nelson, who works for a workers’ compensation insurance company.
“I can tell an employer, ‘I may not have done this yet, but I know it, and if you give me a chance, I can do it!’”
Carlos Medina is employed by the Capital Area Intermediate Unit, based in Enola, Pa. His new master’s degree in exercise science, with a sport psychology concentration, complements his passion for helping athletes succeed.
“I want to use my personal experiences and my education to help them with their mindset and training,” Medina said. “I’d like to get my certification as a performance coach and then be a consultant.”
Lunch on the Quad
Before the Commencement ceremonies, graduates gathered for the first President’s Lunch on the Quad.
The new event made online sport management graduate Amanda Hershey’s first visit to Cal U all the more memorable. The Coudersport, Pa., resident and aspiring personal trainer met Dr. Bruce Barnhart, who began his Cal U career as an athletic trainer and is now the University’s provost.
“The campus is amazing, and to have this (lunch) out in the open where people can … mingle with others is really nice,” she said. “The five-hour drive here was so worth it. I cannot wait to go up on stage and get my degree.”
President Jones greeted each of the new graduates personally and offered them heartfelt advice.
“Although you’ll receive your degree today, please recognize that your education is not done,” she said. “Every day brings new opportunities for learning, and I have always believed in the power of lifelong learning to enrich our lives.
“Trust in your own abilities and talents. And no matter what happens, you must follow your own moral compass. Be courageous and know that you can — and will — make a difference for those you meet along the way.
“May you find happiness and satisfaction in the days and years ahead.”