COMMENCEMENT 2021

This year’s commencement ceremonies were back to their normal pomp and circumstance—steeped in tradition dating back to the Roaring Twenties. The College of Graduate Studies held their ceremony on a beautiful Friday evening under an enormous glistening white tent on back campus. Dr. Andrew McLaughlin, secretary for elementary education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was the speaker and received an honorary degree. The weather held for Sunday’s ceremonies for both the College of Undergraduate Studies, who participated in the morning event, and graduates from the College of Adult Professional Studies who concluded the two-day affair. Jerry Parsons, chairman of CTDI, received the Immaculata Medal and served as the keynote speaker for the early ceremony; Rosemary Wurster, chief nursing officer at Reading Hospital, addressed the adult students in the afternoon.

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT MEDALS & ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

  • ACBSP Student Leadership Award—Augustine J. Castaldi III
  • Jennifer Worley Onder ’94 Educational Annual Award—Keani E. Hindle, Elizabeth A. Koziel, Madison Grace McGrogan, Willa I. Thompson
  • The John Reilly Medal for Accounting—Theresa M. Kearney
  • The Adeline E. Donio Medal for Biology—Renee E. DeAngelis
  • The Maurice Czikann-Zichy Medal for Business Administration/Economics—Joseph R. Lounsberry
  • The Wendall P. Macintosh Medal for Chemistry—Samuel Ace Kipp
  • The Sister Christine Noel Henwood Medal for Communication—Madison G. Thibodeau
  • The Sister Eugene Kenney Medal for Education—Julia A. Giorgio
  • The Sister Marian William Hoben Medal for English—Patrick T. Barry
  • The Mary Elizabeth Larkin Downling Medal for Fashion-Family and Consumer Sciences—Alexis Nichole Lessley
  • The Reverend Robert T. Riddle Medal for History—Emma Mary Bischoff
  • The Reverend William E. Campbell Medal for Music—John P. Antosh
  • The Sister Maria Josita Feighan, IHM Medal for Nursing—Lynn M. Krieger
  • The Reverend John H. Walsh Medal for Psychology­—Julia Kathlyn Schumacher
  • The Anne E. Gorman Medal for Sociology—Androniki M. Novakis
  • The Major Frank G. Hartleroad Medal for Criminology/Criminal Justice—Sarah E. Reed
  • The Loyola Medal for Theology—Randie A. Kuhar

BLOCK PARTY

Every year before finals week, Immaculata holds its annual Block Party. The event is an opportunity for students to unwind and enjoy the beautiful spring weather with their friends and classmates before the end of the semester. This year, students rode the waves in an inflatable mechanical surfboard; tried their hands at Jenga, line danced and enjoyed great food.

FASHION SHOW

Students in Immaculata University’s Fashion Merchandising Program didn’t skip a beat as they proudly presented their first virtual fashion show to continue the tradition of the annual event disrupted by COVID-19 last year.

Through a video presentation to students from area high schools, Immaculata’s fashion students highlighted pieces that they created and explained the business side of the fashion industry including the importance of sustainability. Utilizing the beauty of the campus and its architecture, this year’s volunteer models had the opportunity to walk a modern runway, in a fresh style adopted by many top designers to showcase their designs.

PARSONS SCIENCE PAVILION GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

On a rainy afternoon in late April, Immaculata held an indoor ceremony to commemorate the groundbreaking for the new Parsons Science Pavilion. Jerry Parsons, chair of Communications Test Design, Inc. (CTDI), represented the Parsons family while addressing the Immaculata community.

Students Francesca Kalie ’22, a biology with secondary education major, and Maggy Barnes ’22, a nursing major, expressed their appreciation to the donors for the new science space.