Penn State held its spring 2020 commencement ceremony via livestream on May 9, 2020 to recognize all undergraduate students at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, and all graduate students in the Graduate School, who are receiving their degrees from the University. The full recording of the spring 2020 University-wide commencement ceremony is available for viewing at https://spring2020.commencement.psu.edu.
Congratulations to all our MatSE graduates! Everyone from your MatSE family wishes you the best the future has to offer and challenges you to change the world. We look forward to hearing from the newest class of Penn State MatSE alumni in the future.
You did it! You’ve earned a degree from one of the most challenging programs at Penn State. Along the way you experienced the joy of discovery, the stress of deadlines and examinations, and the satisfaction of a job well done. You learned how to think critically and write clearly, how to gather, present and analyze data, and how to effectively communicate your conclusions and their impact to a diverse audience. We, the faculty and staff of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, along with the students you’ve gotten to know, both undergraduate and graduate, couldn’t be more proud of you and your accomplishment. I know we share that pride with your family and friends who have provided you support through your time at Penn State.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic, and from this perspective it’s a bit challenging to see through to the bright future we know awaits you. The faculty have worked to provide you the sort of education that gives you both the broadly applicable skills and the depth of understanding of your chosen discipline that you’ll need to navigate both smooth and choppy waters ahead. Use your skills and knowledge to find a rewarding career and to do good for society. And continue to lean on us for support. You are joining one of the most supportive alumni networks in the world: you are now a GEMS, a Graduate of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and the GEMS alumni organization will be there when you need them. So enjoy your graduation day, stay safe and healthy, and stay in touch.
Lee Kump
John Leone Dean in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Scholastic Distinction: Subject to completion of all degree requirements and satisfaction of minimum criteria, distinction may be conferred as indicated upon the individuals listed herein and upon such others as may meet the requirements. Distinction is conferred on graduates who have completed the required number of credits at the University and who are in the top 12 percent of their graduating class in their colleges. The 12 percent is divided into: 2 percent, Summa Cum Laude (minimum 3.96 GPA, Blue and White Honor Cord); 4 percent, Magna Cum Laude (minimum 3.88 GPA, Blue Honor Cord); 6 percent, Cum Laude (minimum 3.76 GPA, White Honor Cord). Distinction is based on cumulative GPA at the end of the fall 2019 semester and is noted with the following symbols: +++ = Summa Cum Laude, ++ = Magna Cum Laude, + = Cum Laude.
Schreyer Scholars: The Schreyer Honors College selects students who exhibit the promise of fulfilling academic excellence with integrity, building a global perspective, and pursuing civic engagement and leadership. To graduate with honors, Schreyer Scholars must maintain a record of good academic standing, complete 35 credits of honors courses, and submit a thesis. Students graduating with honors are noted with the following symbol: §.
EMSAGE Laureates: The Earth and Mineral Sciences Academy for Global Experience (EMSAGE) Laureates are graduates recognized for outstanding achievements through a well-rounded undergraduate experience including scholarship, experiential learning and global literacy, personal and professional integrity, service to the college and the community, and leadership. Students graduating as an EMSAGE Laureate are noted with the following symbol: ‡.
Military Commission: Students who have satisfactorily completed the advanced course in military, naval, or air science may be granted commissions upon graduation. Military and air science graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants; naval science graduates may be commissioned as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Students graduating with a military commission are noted with the following symbol: ◊.
Congratulations on your achievements!
Vatsal Agarwal
Ahmed Mohammed S. Alqahtani
Faris Hassan A. Almohamed
Rajeh Salah R. Alsaadi ++§
Bryce R. Berger
Jeslymar Berrios
Arshiya Bhadu
Thomas F. Bina §
Cameron F. Blanchard +§
Chelsea Nikole Bush
Alexander Nickolas Caputo ++§
Timothy E. Charatan ‡
Noah Christie
Brianna Lin Cimino
Luke Kiernan Stone Clemente
Matthew Joseph Cole
Jayce Coleman ‡
Kylie Donahue Creamer ◊
Ana Isabel De La Fuente Duran +++
Jerrid Demeck
Weihang Du
Jack T. Eckstein
Tianyi Fu
Emily Ann Fucinato
William Ridgely Fullerton
Nicholas Theodore Gigliotti ++§
Nathan Jarrett Goldner
Devin Kirk Goodling
Christian Albright Graff
Gavin Travis Hennessey
Muhammad Jarrar
Andrew Henry Johnson ++§
Dalton A. Keba ++‡
Micah Keller
Katie A. Kertis
Katelyn Alyssa Kirchner ++§‡
Abbey Marie Knoepfel
Caleb Hric
Dongjoo Koh
Yuran Kong ‡
Jin Wook Lee
Edward Weide Li
Ying Li
Zhichang Liu
Zhiyang Lu
Simon G. Munyan +++§
Michael Muthoka
Prapassorn Numkiatsakul
Keith Ostrowski
Dashiell P. Papula
Jihoon Park
Alexander J. Paterson
Jonathan Anthony Perini
Sara Parisa Pourhashemi
Chenhao Qian +
Brett N. Rosoff-Verbit ‡
Nina G. Rosporski
Tyler D. Snyder
Julia Soalheiro
Lu Song
Sergei Pavlovich Stepanoff +
Kesvin Wen Chimm Tan
Anbang Teng
Jacob Daniel Waldman §
Jeffrey Wang
Ravisara Wattana +§
Ian J. Wietecha-Reiman §
Jiawei Wu
Zheyu Xu
Cristina M. Youwakim
Chen Ta Yu
Minjung Yun
Xinye Zhao +++§
Students who requested to be listed by April 1, 2020, and who have 8 or fewer credits to complete their degree programs are listed below.
Promi Islam
Ian Douglas Macdowall
Aniket Jay Patel
Matthew Christopher Reczynski
Brett Diehl
Timothy Mirabito
Christopher Eadie
Carly Mathewson
Mengxue Yuan
Mert Sengul
Yanfu Lu
Ethan Kahn
Shipin Qin
Dixiong Wang
Atif Alzahrani
Learn more about the MatSE Class of 2020's via their resumes https://sites.psu.edu/matseresumes
