The University of Scranton conferred the most Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees in its history at its post-baccalaureate commencement Saturday in the Byron Recreation Complex. Sixty-five doctoral degrees in physical therapy and 748 master's degrees were awarded.
Graduates represented 38 states, from as far north as Alaska, as far west as Hawaii and as far south as Florida. Programs with the most graduates were educational administration, curriculum and instruction, Master of Business Administration, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Austin Burke, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, served as the principal speaker. A leader in community development for four decades, Mr. Burke has served as the chamber's president since 1981. He served in Gov. Ed Rendell's Cabinet as secretary for community and economic development.
University President the Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., addressed the graduates and their guests and conferred the degrees. W. Jeffrey Welsh, Ph.D., dean of the college of graduate and continuing education, presented the candidates.
The following were honored for outstanding academic achievement:
Alycia Ann Crilly of Wanaque, N.J., physical therapy; Jessica Sylvia Hubiak of Taylor, chemistry; Ann Elizabeth Zeleniak of Taylor, biochemistry; Ali Abdullah Aljaraish of Speedway, Ind., general business; Ali Salem F. Alsagoor of Scranton, management information systems; Ali Helal Askar of Lake Ariel, international business; Samer Bandak of Walnutport, operations management; Jennifer Lea Heiker of Wheaton, Ill., general business; Pamela L. Hughes of Gouldsboro, accounting; Leonard Michael Negvesky of Tunkhannock, operations management; Jessica Jean Palmeri of Kingston, marketing; Dustin F. Partridge of Stafford, Va., finance; Jude Roblo Rosario of Oceanside, Calif., health care management; Abby Marie Ruud of Carlisle, enterprise resource planning; Michael Joseph Tornetta of Blue Bell, finance; Jeffrey Aaron Sitko of Scranton, health administration; Christine Elizabeth Buck of Voorhees, N.J., educational administration; Kerry Ann Charpinsky of Simsbury, Conn., educational administration; Stamatia Maria Dimou of Center Valley, reading education; Patricia Lamsey Dungan of Chattanooga, Tenn., human resources; Elise L. Gower of Atglen, elementary education; Daniel Michael Jackowitz of Avoca, software engineering; Susan Elizabeth Lapacinski of Philadelphia, curriculum and instruction; Jessica Marie Linck of Moosic, clinical chemistry; Rena Rosenblum Loughlin of Plymouth, community counseling; Janette Lynn MacKay of Seattle, curriculum and instruction; Tracie A. Maille of Scranton, rehabilitation counseling; Nina Teresa Muto of Clarks Summit, school counseling; Katherine Florence Regimbal of Randolph, N.J., occupational therapy; Michele Eileen Suchecki of Sugarloaf, secondary education; Lisa Dorothy Zacheiss of Scotrun, family nurse practitioner; and Lisa Zmiejko of Alburtis, nurse anesthesia.
Local degree recipients include:
DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
Lackawanna County
Sarah Marie Cummings, Scranton; Sara Marie Curmaci, Scranton; Erika Dryden Eisenbach, Elmhurst Twp.; Scott Christopher Griggs, Olyphant; Elicia Marie Hickey, Scranton; Christine Ann Krempasky, South Abington Twp.; Jesse Alan Krempasky, South Abington Twp.; Brad Michael Mashurak, Olyphant; and Robert J. Mercatili, Archbald.
Luzerne County
Mary Kate Gildea, Swoyersville; and Jenny Long, Pittston.
MASTER'S
Lackawanna County
Asad Imran Akram, Scranton; Muna Ali Alsalman, Blakely; Hadi Saeed Al Showaikhat, Scranton; Waleed Khaled Alanazi, Scranton; Abdullah Saleh Alaswad, Scranton; Mohammed Ahmed Albohmood, Scranton; Fatima Mahdi Aldarweesh, Scranton; Kristin Alfieri, Dunmore; Arwa Abdulghani Alfitni, Scranton; Ameen Hashem Alhaddad, Scranton; Baqer A. Alhashim, Scranton; Murtada Yousif Alismail, Scranton; Alaa Abdulrahman Almehmadi, Scranton; Morog Madan Almirza, Scranton; Fatima Nasser Almitwazi, Scranton; Ibrahim Abdulaziz Almukhem, Scranton; Nashi Mohammed Alotaibi, Scranton; Ali Salem F. Alsagoor, Scranton; Omar Ahmed Alshikhi, Scranton; Amro Saud Alsuhimi, Scranton; Mohammad Abdullah M. Alzahrani, Scranton; Kaitlin Rose Arduino, Madison Twp.; Amy E. Badalamente, Clarks Summit; Alaa Ahmed Bahammam, Scranton; Michael P. Barrett, Blakely; Erin Marie Barry, Clarks Summit; Nicole Ann Barry, Olyphant; Steven Ryan Bartnicki, Scranton; Michael C. Baumhardt, Dunmore; Michelle Marie Beckhorn, Jefferson Twp.; John Michael Bindo, Scranton; Scott Lee Blakiewicz, S. Abington Twp.; Marmikkumar Jyotishbhai Brahmbhatt, Scranton; Sara Elizabeth Brzycki, Scranton; Amy Theresa Shigo-Capman, Olyphant; Vikram Chopra, Scranton; DeAnna Marie Clinebell, Scott Twp.; Brian Patrick Cooney, Scranton; Mia-Teresa E. Crotti, Jessup; Robert William Davis, Jr., Dunmore; Kelly Marie Davitt, Jessup; Alyssa McBride Digwood, Scranton; Joyce Tully Dougherty, Dunmore; Alyssa Marie Esposito, Jessup; Michael Henry Faris, Scranton; Gelena Finberg, Clarks Summit; Megan Amanda Fortuner, Scranton; Terrence V. Gallagher, Scranton; Eric Garnett, S. Abington Twp.; Jennifer A. Garvey, Scranton; Caitlin O'Hara Gaughan, Scranton; William Francis Gaughan, Scranton; Amanda Leigh Gilroy, Scranton; Nicole Alisabeth Giorgio, Dunmore; Allison Theresa Gorczyk, Dickson City; Amanda Maria Grippo, Old Forge; Jean Marie Gruber, Scranton; Melanie L. Heard, Dunmore; Jason Wayne Heimrich, Scranton; Jessica Sylvia Hubiak, Taylor; Danyah Jamil Ismail, Scranton; Michele Ann Jenkins, Jessup; John Stephen Jurosky, Old Forge; Danielle Marie Kalasinski, Scranton; Catherine Keating, Dunmore; Caitlyn Elizabeth Keeler, Scranton; Melissa Catherine Keller, Taylor; Kevin P. Kelly, Scranton; Lauren Elizabeth Kelly, Scranton; David Kessler, Scranton; Jessica Maria Linck, Moosic; Mindy H. Lipcavage, Sprng Brook Twp.; Jerrica Danae Lyle, Scranton; Patrick Maguire, S. Abington Twp.; Tracie A. Maille, Scranton; Lauren Anne Majeski, Dalton; Michael John Masci, Jessup; Emily Ann McDonald, Scranton; Katherine Lynette McElhenny, Scranton; Timothy Patrick McGurrin, Jr., Clarks Summit; Kyle Joseph Mecca, Dickson City; Jillian Denise Cecelia Mishko, Dickson City; Jessica M. Moore, Olyphant; Angela Delonti Munley, Blakely; Mark Andrew Murphy, Dunmore; Nina Teresa Muto, Clarks Summit; Cassandra N. Nazario, Dunmore; Cecilia Njeri Ndura, Scranton; Megan Ann O'Neill, Scranton; Heather R. Olechna, Scranton; Sylvia Simms Parker, Scranton; Gene T. Patackas, Olyphant; Dharati B. Patel, Scranton; Carmino Anthony Perri, Carbondale; Jessica Rae Piland, Dickson City; Melissa A. Price, Archbald; Holly Marie Rafalko, Throop; Kelly Ann Rafferty, Old Forge; Ahmed Jamil Rajjb, Scranton; Adam Mark Reese, Blakely; Frank Stuart Renda, Scranton; Katrina Kruzik Rosato, Old Forge; Michael Christopher Ruane, Dunmore; Jillian Marie Rupe, Olyphant; Sonali Sabhachandani, Scranton; Abdulrahman Abdullah Saeedan, Scranton; Sara Jean Samuels, Moscow; Bridget Marie Sandrowicz, Dickson City; Denise Morgan Sashko, Scott Twp.; William Scott Sawka, Dunmore; Vandana Sethi, Scranton; Sylvia Magdalena Szerszen, Scranton; Jerica Anne Tallo, Old Forge; Tristram August Taylor, Dunmore; Ebtihal Salahuddin Wafa, Scranton; Craig Michael Wahy, Clarks Summit; Meghan A. Walsh, Eynon; Rachel Olivia Ward, Scranton; Kristen Warholic, Blakely; Jason Charles Washo, Scranton; Neil John Wells, Greenfield Twp.; Emmanuel Aja Wentum, Scranton; Jennifer Williams, Scranton; Kristen A. Yarmey, Scranton; and Ann Elizabeth Zeleniak, Taylor.
Luzerne County
Julianna Lucia Borzell, West Pittston; Robin M. Brown, West Wyoming; Elizabeth Mary Burke, West Pittston; Melissa Fasciana, Pittston Twp.; Daniel Michael Jackowitz, Avoca; Ryan Paul McDonnell, West Pittston; Krista Michelle McGlynn, Pittston; Clarabelle Therese Mercado, Plains; Nicole Victoria Roberts, Pittston; Lauren Shuleski, Duryea; Robert James Thomas, Swoyersville; and Jason Robert Walsh, Pittston.
Monroe County
Peter Mina Ebeid, Tobyhanna; Ashley Ann Meinking, Cresco; Brian Scott Newton, Pocono Summit; Sezin Kersi Patel, Bartonsville; Gabrielle Alyse Poster, Cresco; Rachael M. Seese, Long Pond; Mark Alexander Wehrenberg, Saylorsburg; and Lisa Dorothy Zacheiss, Scotrun.
Pike County
Shannon Marie Haberzettl, Dingmans Ferry; Angela D. Kokas, Greeley; Samantha G. Morgan, Milford; Ernest R. Sandonato, Milford; Shahana Shamim, Milford; and Francesca Marie Waldron, Greentown.
Susquehanna County
Sarina Elizabeth Cranage, New Milford; Tiffanie Marie Driscole, Forest City; Dennis A. Feece, Montrose; Richard David Grushinski, Jr., Susquehanna; Krista Armillie Hollis, Union Dale; Melissa Ann Sussman, Springville; and Lawrence Robert Tompkins, Susquehanna.
Wayne County
Ali Helal Askar, Lake Ariel; Samantha L. Cummings, Waymart; Jessica Giannetti, Pleasant Mount; Nathan Robert Heinly, Bethany; Pamela L. Hughes, Gouldsboro; Eric Kawka, Honesdale; Sean Brett Kelly, Beach Lake; Amanda Ann Medrano, Jefferson Twp.; Kristina Nicole Peary, Honesdale; Amber Purvis, Waymart; Kevin Jerome Sasala, Hawley; and Rheanna Raye Skelton, Lake Ariel.
Wyoming County
Kara Joan Foley, Factoryville; Kimberly Marie Klee-Rodrigues, Dalton; Kristyn Brynne Lartz, Nicholson; Leonard Michael Negvesky, Tunkhannock; Shane Evan Rielly, Factoryville; Michael Paul Stoko, Factoryville.