More than 50 graduates received their bachelor’s degree at the Penn State graduation Dec. 17 at the Media campus gymnasium.

Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells spoke at the Penn State graduation, outlining the defining moments of the graduates, which included “completing your world-class education, undergraduate research, community service, sustainability projects and internships at leading corporations and community organizations” during a pandemic.  

“You exemplify our vision — ‘Penn State Brandywine will be a leader in student success, known for educating students to become valued professionals, leaders, creators, alumni, and citizens.’”

Commencement speaker Patton Vo, Brandywine’s director of campus development, encouraged graduates at the Penn State graduation to have a strategy to accompany their passion.

“The journey you take now will be led by you alone — don’t let that scare you,” Vo said.

He pointed out that each graduate won’t achieve success the same way, that their path to graduation was “uniquely and undeniably yours.”

Director of Academic Affairs Wiebke Strehl recognized graduates who earned academic distinction for graduating in the top 12 percent of their class within their respective colleges.

They are:

• Summa cum laude: Madeline Geunes, Eleanora Margulis and Brendan Pelletier
• Magma cum laude: Gemini Ediriweera and Daniel Hamilton
• Cum laude: Meghan Famigletti, William Malawi Odiyo, Shane Piecara ad Colin Andrew Tyson

Margulis was also recognized as a graduating member of the Scheyer Honors College and Brandywine’s Cooper Honors Program. Her Schreyer honors thesis was “Design and Synthesis of Novel Flavonoids” under the guidance of Anna Sigmon, assistant professor of chemistry.

Penn State Brandywine, with more than 1,200 students, is a residential campus offering 14 baccalaureate programs and the first two years of nearly all of Penn State’s more than 275 majors.

Read more about Penn State Brandywine’s Dec. 17 Commencement at brandywine.psu.edu.