Susquehanna University to send off 519 graduates Saturday

Christopher Benson, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·3 min read

May 27—SELINSGROVE — Susquehanna University will confer degrees to 519 graduating students during its 164th Commencement on Saturday.

"It is always in flux right up until commencement day," according to Public Relations Manager Amanda O'Rourke.

Keynote Speaker Taiisha Swinton-Buck, '08, is principal of Baltimore's Digital Harbor High School, and Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals' 2021 Principal of the Year.

Born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Swinton-Buck pursued a degree at Susquehanna, going on to earn both her master's degree in educational administration and doctorate in educational leadership from Drexel University.

She appeared on the Today Show with 100 of her students.

During the broadcast, host Al Roker surprised every student at Digital Harbor High School with a free laptop and a year of internet access.

Upon defending her dissertation titled "Teaching Inner-city Youth When Pedagogy Is Not Enough: A Phenomenological Study About Change Agent Teachers," Swinton-Buck dedicated it to her students.

Student speaker Larry Czeponis is a political science and international studies major from Mount Carmel. He serves as student representative on the Council of Trustees.

Czeponis says it feels surreal to be graduating.

"It felt like we lost a lot of college experience to COVID," he said. "But makes it feel like even more of an accomplishment to graduate through all this."

He said there is excitement, anxiety, relief, but fond memories.

The pandemic helped his personal growth, he said.

"I think growing through adversity always has positive transformative effects and I think these past years have been no different," said Czeponis.

Czeponis said the pandemic taught him to focus on the little things we take for granted.

"Our health, financial security, time with friends and family, and much more can be temporary," said Czeponis.

"Community" is what Czeponis said he will miss.

"There are few other times when all your friends live within 5-minute walks of each other and that communal nature is for sure going to be what I miss the most."

Unlike many students, Czeponis said he is going to miss school assignments.

"I'll probably miss having homework all the time the most," Czeponis said.

Katie Koch agreed with Czeponis that graduating is surreal.

"It was a long two years with COVID and being online, so it is very special to be graduating," said Koch.

Koch said the pandemic made her want to branch out even more after graduation.

"I felt that with the pandemic I missed out on a lot," Koch said.

She said that was one reason why she chose Wake Forest for graduate school.

Koch said she is going to miss a lot about Susquehanna University. She said her time playing field hockey and softball was "amazing," and the friendships within them.

"I am going to miss the comfort of college, but I am excited for my next journey," Koch added.

Susquehanna's 164th Commencement, celebrating the Class of 2022, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday in the Field House of the James W. Garrett Sports Complex.