Waynesburg University honors about 700 students
Greene County native Joshua Cogar greets his mother after Waynesburg University commencement exercises Sunday. (Photo by Angela Wadding)
Brandon Szuminsky receives the Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award at the commencement exercises at Waynesburg University on Sunday.
U.S. Rep. Timothy F. Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, receives an honorary degree of doctor of humane letters from President Timothy R. Thyreen at Sunday’s Waynesburg University commencement. (Photo by Angela Wadding)
U.S. Rep. Timothy F. Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, addresses the graduating class with advice and stories to help prepare them for their future at the 2012 Waynesburg University commencement, Sunday, May 13. See story on B3. (Photo by Angela Wadding)
Waynesburg University held its annual commencement exercises on Sunday for about 700 undergraduate and graduate students.
U.S. Rep. Timothy F. Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, delivered the commencement address, during which he gave the graduates four tasks: to grow their faith, to never stop learning and to develop wisdom, to always be respectful and to challenge themselves.
“I call upon you to have courage,” Murphy said. “Never be satisfied with where you are, and always dream of where you want to go. This is your challenge: push all of us to higher and better goals.”
The President’s Medallion of Waynesburg University honors individuals for their special or meritorious service to the university or humanity.
Cami Abernethy and Alissa Boyle received this special recognition for their heroic acts on Feb. 20. The women were seriously injured when they, along with several other students and a professor, stopped to render assistance at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 79 in Perry Township.
Leeann Danley, an elementary special education major from West Finley (McGuffey High School), and Kelsey Brownlee, an accounting major and business management minor from Jackson Center (Lakeview High School), were named the valedictorians. Danley delivered the valedictory to the university.
Prior to commencement exercises, the Rev. Dr. Stuart Broberg delivered the baccalaureate address “The World Needs Integrity” to graduates and their parents.
Broberg said people must integrate what they believe in their hearts with what they say and do to truly have integrity.
“Believe it, say it, do it,” Broberg said. “When these three things are in alignment, only then may you say, ‘I have integrity.'”