{"id":2442100,"date":"2026-06-02T19:36:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T19:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2442100"},"modified":"2026-06-02T19:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T19:36:53","slug":"campus-catch-up-celebrating-the-class-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/campus-catch-up-celebrating-the-class-of-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Campus Catch-Up: Celebrating the Class of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

From Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24, The University of Scranton welcomed thousands of guests who arrived with the shared motive of celebrating Scranton’s newest graduates.<\/p>\n

Karen L. Pennington, Ph.D. ’76, G’83, H’15,<\/strong> was among commencement’s most active participants. Dr. Pennington, a longtime higher education administrator, was in town to celebrate her 50-year class reunion and to also serve\u00a0as the principal speaker who imparted wisdom upon the 900-plus undergraduate and 450-plus graduate members of the Class of 2026.<\/p>\n

“Some of us old-timers are back here today because there’s something about this University that not only lives in your memory, but that gets in your bones and never goes away,” Dr. Pennington said at the undergraduate commencement ceremony. “It’s not just the cura personalis that was part of your Ignatian experience; it’s the community of which you have been and will always be a part. There are faculty members whose words will come to you at the strangest times. There are lessons you learned that you won’t even realize you learned until you need them. And those people sitting beside you, those classmates who were there \u2014 they’re so much a part of your Scranton days and will continue to be so important to you at your best and your worst times.”<\/p>\n

In case you missed it, here are a few stories covering one of the best times of year at The University of Scranton:<\/p>\n\n


Scranton Holds 2026 Undergraduate Commencement (Full Story + Photos)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Curious about this year’s most common majors? The most populous states? The distinguished individuals who received honorary degrees?<\/p>\n

We’ve got you covered. Click here to read more<\/a> about the undergraduate commencement ceremony. Follow this link<\/a> to watch it.<\/p>\n\n

Graduate Commencement Held at Mohegan Arena (Full Story + Photos)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

For master’s and doctoral graduates at The University of Scranton, commencement offered an opportunity for class speaker Harshil Nariya G’26<\/strong>, of Enola, to reflect on the empathy, resilience and sense of responsibility he and his classmates developed at Scranton.<\/p>\n

Click here to read the full story<\/a> from graduate commencement. An archived video recording is available at this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Class of 2026 Selects Teachers of the Year<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"TwoThe University\u2019s graduating senior Class of 2026\u00a0awarded this year\u2019s Teacher of the Year\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>Sinchul\u00a0Back<\/span><\/strong>, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the cybercrime and homeland security program; and\u00a0<\/span>Andrew Venezia<\/span><\/strong>, Ph.D., associate professor of health and human performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to read more<\/a> about the faculty members and their meaningful award.<\/span><\/p>\n\n


Outstanding Graduates Recognized at Class Night<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Collage<\/p>\n

The University of Scranton honored\u00a065\u00a0members of its undergraduate Class of 2026\u00a0for academic excellence,\u00a0leadership\u00a0and service at a\u00a0<\/span>Class Night ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here for a list <\/a>of all the award winners and their awards.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Top Master’s, Doctoral Graduates Awarded<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

\n
\n

The University of Scranton recognized\u00a034\u00a0outstanding master\u2019s and doctoral degree graduates\u00a0at its graduate commencement events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to read more<\/a> about the graduate honorees.<\/span><\/p>\n\n


Scranton Graduates Commissioned at Second Lieutenants<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Five<\/p>\n

Five members of The University of Scranton’s Class of 2026, along with three additional members from other regional colleges, were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n

Click here to read more<\/a> about the Royal Warrior Battalion.<\/p>\n\n

Additionally, the University was featured in a handful of news articles and videos about topics unrelated to graduation:<\/p>\n