Central Penn College Commencement Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020
Central Penn College’s 2020 commencement will be held virtually on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m. The ceremony will be streamed at the college’s website: www.CentralPenn.edu/presents.
“We are extremely proud of our 394 graduates who persevered and prevailed––in face of unprecedented challenges posed by a global pandemic––to earn their degree,” said Dr. Linda Fedrizzi-Williams, president of the Central Penn College.
This year’s virtual commencement will feature all the core elements that make a Central Penn graduation so special… remarks by President Fedrizzi-Williams, a guest commencement speaker, acknowledgment of every graduate, student awards, and, of course, the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” music. Many students have opted to submit photos and/or short videos, which will be included in the ceremony.
Honored Guest Speaker
Central Penn College will present an honorary degree to Una Martone, President and CEO of Leadership Harrisburg, for her commitment to community service, her advocacy of servant leadership and her focus on improving quality of life in the capital region.
She also will address the 2020 graduates as this year’s commencement speaker. “It is an honor to join Central Penn College’s Class of 2020 and to stand among the hard-working students who prevailed over obstacles that NO ONE has ever faced before. We can never stop learning, because life never stops teaching!” said Martone, who holds a bachelor’s in English from the University of Central Florida.
She graduated from Leadership Harrisburg Area’s Community Leadership Series Class of 2007 and is certified in organizational development from the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
“We are delighted that Una will be addressing our graduates. Her insights on how to be a successful leader will benefit our graduates as they go forward on their journey into the workplace and beyond,” said Dr. Krista Wolfe, vice president of academic affairs at the college.
The commencement was originally scheduled for May 1 at the Forum in Harrisburg. As a result of the pandemic, the date was moved to Sept. 12 at the Forum as an in-person event, but later changed to a virtual format, due to current safety regulations regarding large gatherings.
“We were hoping that we all would be able to gather in-person as a Central Penn family one last time to celebrate our students’ inspiring and hard-won achievement,” said Fedrizzi-Williams. “But the coronavirus had other plans, unfortunately.”
Reflecting on the challenging situation faced by these 394 students during the past five months, President Fedrizzi-Williams had this to say:
“Graduating college––under normal circumstances––is a huge accomplishment, but doing so in the midst of a global pandemic demonstrates true character. I am in awe of our graduates’ determination… their focus… and their resiliency. These qualities will continue to serve them well. Go, Knights!”
Details
Commencement Speaker: Una Martone, President and CEO of Leadership Harrisburg
Opening Remarks: Dr. Linda Fedrizzi-Williams, President of Central Penn College
Conferring of Degrees: Dr. Krista Wolfe, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Total Graduates: 394 Streaming Site: www.centralpenn.edu/presents
Awards to be Presented
Honorary Degree to Commencement Speaker Una Martone. Winners for the following awards will be announced at commencement:
Student Awards
- Valedictorian
- Salutatorian
- Leadership
- Service
- Athlete & Activities
- Veterans Leadership
- Legacy Award for Perseverance
Faculty Recognition
- The Todd A. Milano Faculty Excellence Award
