Kent State University at Geauga and the Regional Academic Center will hold its annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2019, to conclude the 2018-19 academic year. Over 180 students earned their associate or bachelor degrees and will be honored during the ceremony, held at Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls.
Dean and Chief Administrative Officer, Angela Spalsbury will welcome an audience, certify and confer the graduate's degrees and will also present two awards in special recognition of an alumnus and community connection.
Greg Schuster will be honored as a recent graduate with an Early Career Achievement Award. Greg is a 2014 graduate of Kent State Geauga with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, majoring in middle childhood education with concentrations in Science and Social Studies. Greg also graduated Summa Cum Laude. He currently teaches 7th-grade students about science at LaBrae Middle School. According to Dr. Robin Dever, the middle childhood education program coordinator, Greg is passionate about working with middle school students. He is dedicated to helping his students to become strong and successful human beings. He acknowledges that each student has unique learning needs and goes out of his way to make sure all of these unique needs are being met. On top of being an outstanding educator, Greg recognizes the need to give back to his community, including Kent State Geauga. Recently, Greg has begun welcoming current KSU students into his classroom to serve as a mentor for student teachers. Giving back in this role ensures that generations of future teachers will have opportunities to learn from the best teachers in the field! Kent State Geauga is very proud of Greg and the teacher he has become.
The City of Twinsburg will receive the 2019 Friend of the Campus award which recognizes the City of Twinsburg’s exemplary service and support to our university's mission, its faculty, students, prospective students, and programs. In the past year, we have developed a mutually beneficial partnership which helps to promote our Kent State of Wellness priority. All of our students, faculty, and staff now have free 24-hour access to the beautiful Twinsburg Fitness Center. Thanks to Mayor Yates’ dynamic leadership, this public-public partnership between Kent State and the City of Twinsburg has flourished. In addition, Mayor Yates is a member of the Kent State Regional Academic Center’s Advisory Board and continues to support the Regional Academic Center by advocating for our mission in and throughout the Twinsburg area. We are truly appreciative of your support!
Graduating nursing student, Veronica Ray, will address the graduating students and applauding all of their hard work to get to this point – graduation.
Candace Goforth Desantis, a proud 1994 Kent State Graduate who also serves on the Board of Directors for Hershey Montessori School as well as marketing committees for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Northeast Ohio and the Geauga County Historical Society, will deliver an inspiring keynote address titled “Butterflies and Baby Sea Turtles: A Message of Gratitude for the Struggle.”
Kent State University's Geauga Campus and Regional Academic Center sends its graduates out to change their world. Congratulations to the class of 2019.
Watch the Pinning and Commencement Ceremonies live on our website.