Lackawanna College awarded 91 bachelor’s degrees and more than 348 associate degrees and 30 certificates at the 131st commencement in the Student Union building in downtown Scranton.
Melanie Berrios of Scranton presented the valedictory address.
“One of the biggest things I have learned at Lackawanna is that there is no ‘perfect’ timeline for life. When I was younger, I felt like I had to get everything done by a certain age or follow a specific path, but my time here taught me that it is OK to move at your own pace, especially as a mother of three. I also learned how to manage my time more effectively and, most importantly, how to believe in myself. That is something I will carry with me wherever I go,” Berrios said.
Berrios completed her requirements for a bachelor’s degree in human services with a concentration in addictions from Lackawanna College in December. She became a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society in 2023, completed an internship at Marywood University in the Counseling and Student Development Center, focusing on outreach, and was part of the Prevention Education Consortium during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.
She recently began pursuing a Master of Social Work at Marywood University and was awarded a graduate assistantship for the upcoming school year. She will support the S.T.A.R.S. program (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success), which provides academic mentoring and post-secondary exploration to underserved and underrepresented third through 12th grade students.
Her journey reflects the mission of Lackawanna College, preparing students not only for the workforce, but also for lifelong learning and leadership.
Jill Murray, Ph.D., and Erica Barone Pricci, Ph.D. addressed graduates at the ceremony, conferred degrees to candidates and presented degrees with Adrienne Asbury, dean of curriculum and faculty affairs, and Kelly Musti, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of health sciences.
Left to right: Fanny Baez Peralta – Dominican Republic, Mayelin Baez Peralta – Dominican Republic, Coralynn McHenry – Clifford Township (COURTESY OF LACKAWANNA COLLEGE)
Left to right: Jill Lennon – Dickson City, Brittany Soffian – Milford, Grace Wilson – Honesdale, Adriana Sandy – Moscow, Amanda Creighton – Dunmore(COURTESY OF LACKAWANNA COLLEGE)
Front row, left to right: Alivia McCaffrey-Graber – Syracuse, NY, Louvena Ridore – Scranton, Gabriela Gomez – Dominican Republic, Angelique Fuentes- Miami, FL
Back row, left to right: Christian Shine – Collingswood, NJ, Sebastian Carmona – Scranton, Guillermo Ramirez – Bryn Mawr (COURTESY OF LACKAWANNA COLLEGE)
Local graduates are:
Bachelor of Arts
Professional studies
Victoria Bogdanski, Eynon; Bella Guasto, Avoca; Christopher Leary, Scranton; Kathryn Elizabeth Dougherty, Taylor; and Jason Connor Telese, Hawley.
Bachelor of Science
Accounting
Kristen Balliet, Shavertown; Maya Lynn Florovito, Old Forge; Emily Lynn Foss, Gouldsboro; Mark Alan Leggin, Scranton; Angela Lucke, Harveys Lake; Mark Nies, South Gibson; Timothy Palumbo, Mount Cobb; Matthew Schwartz, Dunmore; and Alexis Skutack, Pittston.
Business
Jonathan Basila, Spring Brook Twp.; Logan Paul Bednash, Scott Twp.; Kaitlin Cocker, Moscow; Logan Cote, Dallas; Julianna Lee Deeter, Scranton; Andrew P. Larson, Olyphant; Tiffany Louis, Pittston; Mia Markiewicz, Archbald; Christian Anderson Ogozaly, Forest City; Chase Robert Orloski, Moosic; Ashley Lynn Paciotti, Lake Ariel; Nainisha Patel, Scranton; Trinity Elaina Pilosi, Old Forge; Keira Priest, Throop; Megan A. Rude, Mayfield; Sarah Schuster, Lords Valley; Kira Stermer, Carbondale; Alec Charles Vitton, Lakeville; Stephanie Walker, Scranton; and Emily Walsh, Jessup.
Criminal justice
Tiana Bradley, Fleetville; Joceline Ali Castelonia, Greentown; Joshua Charles, Scranton; Cameron Colger, Scranton; Caden D. Danks, Olyphant; Kailee Dube, Milford; Brian Fabricatore, Dunmore; Stephanie Ann Favale, White Mills; Peter Gutowski, Roaring Brook Twp.; John Howells, Dunmore; Erin Christine Kuhlmeier, Dalton; Colby Marie Lavelle, Carbondale; Dylan Alexandra Lutner, Lake Airel; Tyler Joseph Michel, Scranton; Megan Tyler Monsees, Hawley; Brandon Joseph Muta, Scranton; Jacqueline Oporto, Scranton; Emely Ortiz, Kingston; Mailyn Perdomo, Hazleton; Rowan Sutton, Scranton; Rebecca Thacher, Lake Ariel; Makayla Stefaney Toy, Honesdale; Gisseline Villa Guzman, Hazleton; and Adam Tyler Young, Hawley.
Health care management
Megan L. Griffin, Waymart.
Hospitality management
Allison Mayer, Scranton; and Michael Merola, Mount Pocono.
Human services
Arrilla Adler, Honesdale; Chelsea Ayres, Susquehanna; Melanie Justine Berrios, Scranton; Zachary Maximilian Blau, Tafton; Lindsey Marie Bookwalter, Plymouth; Tianna Brennan, Moosic; Jessica L. Bullis, Matamoras; Jennifer Carey, Dupont; Toniann Marie Church, Hawley; Phillip Steven Cohen, Honesdale; Calista R. DiPrima, Carbondale; Kimberly Mae Donat, Honesdale; Jennifer Ann Emilio, Hawley; Suzanne Fiorani, Spring Brook Twp.; Adeyaneira Gonzalez, Scranton; Cristal Gustaff, Scranton; Chelsea Annabella Hacker, Beach Lake; Kodie Walter Huston, Carbondale; Christina Marie Kopa, Clifford Twp.; Jade Krause, Jessup; Kathleen Mclain, Scranton; Kamden Miller, Scranton; Nicolette Morgan, Meshoppen; Ernest Muller, Honesdale; Niesha Louise Nies, South Gibson; Stephanie Olinger, Scranton; Brianna Ruby, Spring Brook Twp.; Robin Lee Selemba, Scranton; Jasmine Sepulveda, Scranton; Carleen Nicole Shook, Hawley; Eric Ryan Walker, Damascus; and Morgan Williams, Mayfield.
Nursing
Megan Ashley Chestnut, Scranton; Melissa Marie King, Plains Twp.; and Kelly-Jo E. Walker, Lakeville.
Associate in Applied Science
Accounting
Therese M. Blau, Tafton; Julia Bogart, Hawley; Stevani Borjas Tjan, Hazleton; Lisa Cuff, Hawley; Anisia Dos Santos, Scranton; Natalee Fawcett, Prompton; Bridgette Harlow, Wyoming; Erika Hollis, Simpson; Katherine Johnson, Carbondale; Nicholas Lancaster, Hawley; Samantha Leeuwen, Spring Brook Twp.; Chester Lenceski, Old Forge; Samuel Loukopoulos, Scranton; Jason Mercado, Gouldsboro; Shane C. McGinley, South Abington Twp.; Liselotte Perez, Hazleton; Austin Shramko, Taylor; Anisha Smith-Thornton, Scranton; Surgical Technology; Aneesa Anglon, Scranton; Audrey Cobb, Carbondale; Alex Gockley, Factoryville; Ashley S. Gordon, Lakeville; Ellie Pingel, Beach Lake; Emily Van Fossen, Wapwallopen; Victor Velastegui, Jefferson Twp.; and Haris Zia, Scranton.
Associate in Arts
Professional studies
Noah Birdsall, Tunkhannock; Brianna Cobourn, Honesdale; Caeli G. Creamer, Hawley; Mackenzie Dana, Wilkes-Barre; Maddison Deal, Old Forge; Sandra Diaz-Torres, Scranton; Isabel Ewing, Clarks Summit; Megan Fitzgerald, Simpson; Carmelo Flores, Scranton; Emma Marie Glosenger, Hawley; Terrance Insalaca, Moosic; Benjamin Jones, Stroudsburg; Edward Lauritsen, Saylorsburg; Joshua Michael Lodini, Hawley; Sophia Mandarano, Dunmore; Peyton John McGrath, Hawley; Coralynn McHenry, Clifford Twp.; Pamela Paulino, Scranton; Tyler Pepsin, Old Forge; Jared Thomas Rodriguez, Lake Ariel; Abigail Sadowski, Lake Ariel; Jenifer Sanchez, New Milford; Elizabeth Schneider, Clarks Green; Jayla South, East Stroudsburg; Savannah Staples, Clarks Summit; Alison Stevens, Scranton; Denny Temple, Scranton; Gracie Lynn Teykaerts, Hawley; Evania Torres, Clarks Summit; Lindsay Marina Tussel, Greeley; Jaila Mykal Watts, Dunmore; and Hailey Wychoskie, Moosic.
Associate in Science
Baking and pastry
Camila Noemi Pena Velazquez, Cresco; Ty Snyder, Roaring Brook Twp.; and Cayden Watts, Carbondale.
Business administration
Joscelyn Aldana, Drums; Maximo Almanzar, Hazleton; Amanda D. Bales, Greenfield Twp.; Yeremi Bautista, Pittston; Ava Boellmann, Mountain Top; Carol Antionette Corey, Dingmans Ferry; Tara Cuello, Weston; Coel Dailey, Stroudsburg; Nicholas Benjamin DeChellis, Hawley; Jamie L. Gabrell, Milford; Adrianna Gambo, Dunmore; William Hanson, New Milford; Katelyn Emily Haytko, Newfoundland; Ciara Hundley, Harford; Lenora Janelle Lopez, Pittston; Kasandra M. Lotterman, Greeley; Michael Noreika, Scranton; Najirre Parker, Scranton; Fenil Manishkumar Patel, Moosic; Tyler Pawlikowski, Moosic; Alex Pazmino, Scranton; Sebastian Quirindongo, Moosic; Paul Randall, Drums; Shay Smith, Honesdale; Jordan Spencer, Clarks Summit; Jonathan Strelecki, Olyphant; and Steve Woloson, South Abington Twp.
Business studies
Devin Ayala, Olyphant; Sarah G. Cadwalder, Scranton; Gabiela Calderon, Hazleton; Jeremy Coolbaugh, Scranton; David Milbut, Dunmore; Cali Petts, Nicholson; Naseem Tajak, Scranton; and Olivianna Vanesko, Pittston.
Cardiac sonography
Jessica Almanzar, Scranton; Skylar Borthwick, Pittston; Janellie Arelyz Calderon, Scranton; Marilin Castro Rivera, Tobyhanna; Evan Peter Fritz, Honesdale; Lauren Gajkowski, Scranton; Ethan Hoefert, Tunkhannock; Brianna Jenkins, Factoryville; Dylan Joseph Langman, Honesdale; Gia LiscoGia Lisco, East Stroudsburg; Laynee Grace Lundberg, Greeley; Kajal Patel, Scranton; Prisha Patel, Scranton; and Victoria M. Reilly, Scranton.
Criminal justice
Elanny Bautista Rosario, Hazleton; Petrell Brown, Throop; Joseph Colavitti, Tunkhannock; Aime Colon, Hazleton; Madison Cornell, Olyphant; Bryan Thomas Daly, Lakeville; Thomas DiGirolamo, Dunmore; Leonela A. Espinosa Ciprian, Scranton; Yerowsy Estrella, Hazleton; Yariana Feliciano, Peckville; Jolie Fisher, Milford; Darlene Marie Gonzalez, Carbondale; Amanda Gravine, Waymart; Christopher Hayes, Olyphant; Maria Henriquez, Hazleton; Peter John Hilburn, Scranton; Collin Huggler, Clarks Summit; Robert Jenkins, Falls Twp.; Mackenzie Kuehner, Olyphant; Kelly McDonald, Scranton; Kevin Mellow, Archbald; Keshana Allison Pillot, Scranton; Thomas Pinto, Dunmore; Molly Porter, Kingsley; Isavel Rodriquez, Clifton; Ana Rojas, Scranton; Brianna Romain, Scranton; Aldo Sanchez, Scranton; Drianna Santiago, Scranton; Stivaly Serrata, Hazle Twp.; Edward Skies, Beach Lake; Shelly Smith, Lords Valley; Shai Elijah Jahdari Solo, East Stroudsburg; Beverly Tate, Scranton; Nadia Toth, Dalton; and Jeymi Uceta, Hazleton.
Culinary arts
Monique Bianchi, Olyphant; QuaNajae Cook, Carbondale; Alice Davis, Waymart; Angel Williams, Scranton; and Jack Zeunen, Tunkhannock.
Cybersecurity
Daniel Ayers, Harveys Lake; Osman Bakradze, Scranton; Cory R. Casino, Taylor; Dylan Cavanaugh, Tunkhannock; Anthony DeFranco, Archbald; Domingo DeJesus, Scranton; Joshua S. Frazier, Archbald; Tonisha Jeffers, Scranton; Douglas Morrissey, Roaring Brook Twp.; Peter Alexander Mose, Lords Valley; Jackson Palkovic, Lake Ariel; Amit Patel, Scranton; Iverson Pena, Freeland; Victoria Ann Reynolds, Scranton; Dagmar Milena Rodriguez, Moosic; Alexander Rosikiewicz, Lackawaxen; Gavin Scott, Scranton; Noah T. Shaw, Mayfield; Gregory Adam Swartz, Scranton; Donald Walsh, Scranton; Dru Watson, Honesdale; and Trevor Wright, Plains Twp.
Diagnostic medical sonography
Aimee D. Bacus, Dingmans Ferry; Angela Castillo, Scranton; Kelsey M. Cwalinski, Scranton; Lillian S. Gray, Spring Brook Twp.; Angel S. Jefferson, Clarks Summit; Samantha Manganelli, Sugarloaf Twp.; and Amanda Wright, Dallas.
Hospitality management
Danny Verdejo, Scranton.
Human services
E’ternity Aiken, Wilkes-Barre; Kaitlyn H. Aschoff, Matamoras; Rebecca Bassett, Mehoopany; Rebecca Bazewicz, Honesdale; Zanobia Burns, Scranton; Paige E. Cadwalder, Scranton; Ian Cimaszewski, Forest City; Remiah Cleveland, Scranton; Jared Coletta, Olyphant; Victoria Leigh Collman, Shohola; Katarina Paige Croan, Scranton; Rachel Johanna Davis, Honesdale; Dawn Heather Durden, Hawley; Bryanna Falvo, Scranton; Amanda Gutierrez, Hazleton; Danielle Elise Healey, Scranton; Leyren Dinandry Herrera Facenda, Hazleton; Celene Verena Johns-Thomas, Scranton; Heidi Ann LaVolpe, Carbondale; Sierra Lauryl Maloney, Clarks Summit; Minerva Elizabeth Montijo, Waymart; Lizbeth Nunez, West Hazleton; John O’Connell, Scranton; Melvin Padilla, Moosic; Javier Perdomo, Plains Twp.; Caroline Ann Plonka, Susquehanna; Liseri Rivera, Hazleton; Andrew Ruppel, Hawley; Madyson Szydlowski, Olyphant; and Ayanna Warren, Wilkes-Barre.
Nursing
Karina Aquino, Scranton; Gwen Catherine Balavage, Avoca; Maxin Beltran, Kingston; Ashley Bloom, Scranton; Taylor Lynn Cawley, Scranton; Amanda Leanne Creighton, Dunmore; Deneva Ariadne Dutton, Tyler Hill; LeahBeth Evans, Peckville; Victoria Lynn Froese, Gouldsboro; Kaitlyn Garvey, Dunmore; Ana Gomez, Scranton; Chloe Kelly, Newfoundland; Emily King, Wilkes-Barre; Elizabeth Mary Laxton, Greentown; Kathleen Lynott, Dunmore; Emily Matis, Scranton; Corinne Diane McKillop, Dickson; Anne Morgan, Clarks Green; Hallie Julia Moritzkat, Scranton; Gabriela Reese, South Abington Twp.; Louvena Frederica Ridore, Scranton; Samantha Rosselli, Moosic; Brittany Soffian, Milford; Grace Wilson, Honesdale; and Sinea Yetkowskas, Clarks Summit.
Occupational therapy assistant
Megan Gurnari, Plains Twp; Mark Palmares, Dunmore; Laura Pert, Hallstead; and Makayla Wall, Duryea.
Petroleum and natural gas business administration
Robert Pettinato, Waverly Twp.
Petroleum and natural gas technology
Thomas Ryan Andzulis, Nicholson; Alexis Cherney, Dunmore; Paul S. Debish, Forest City; Brayan Dominguez, Scranton; Landon Hodge, Susquehanna; LeRoy Jennings, Dallas; John Jennings, Dallas; Frank Klemas, Dunmore; Joshua McAuliffe, Thompson; Jacob Perez, Tunkhannock; Dilan Rafferty, Montrose; Aidan Ryan, Ransom Twp.; Jacob G. Shinal, Wilkes-Barre Twp.; Logan W. Sickler, Springville; Jennifer C. Steele, Dunmore; and Frederick Strein, Scranton.
Physical therapist assistant
Jackie Pinto, Throop; and Matthew E. Waz-Fullum, Hawley.
Pre-Allied Health
Laura Bukowski, Throop; Jeovanilda Cabral, Scranton; Angelica Maria Campbell, Scranton; Eric Colborn, Dunmore; Michelle Colon, East Stroudsburg; Nilka Diaz-Ortiz, Scranton; Carly Edwards, Greenfield Twp.; Kassidy Ferreira, Scranton; Gabriela Gomez, Scranton; Jennifer Gonzalez, South Abington Twp.; Katherine Huanira, Scranton; Keegan Hughes, Scranton; Abbie R. Larson, Olyphant; Danayah Lopez, Wilkes-Barre; Haley M. McCue, Lackawaxen; Nadia M. Monteiro, Taylor; Alexandra Morgan, Carbondale; Abigail Promovitz, Dickson City; Lisa Sparaney, Carbondale; Victoria R. Squeglia, Honesdale; Destiny Udoye, Scranton; and Rachel Wertman, Waymart.
Sports management
Sebastian Carmona, Scranton; Ermir Hoti, Scranton; Jake Kelleher, Harding; Derek Rexach Rivera, Scranton; Sameth So So, Jessup; and Jacob Sukel, Waverly Twp.
Vascular technology
Ryleigh Maney, Milford; Racquel Novona Nicholson, Scranton; Nicole Polanski, Stroudsburg; and Adriana E. Sandy, Madison Twp.
Certificate program
Cannabis professional certificate
Devon Anusiewicz, Shickshinny; Mallory DeQuevedo, Olyphant; Terry Groner, Harveys Lake; Zachary Handelong, Stroudsburg; Vance Hiller, Beach Lake; Steven Johns, Dalton; Justyn Pacheco, Taylor; Jazmin Perez, Scranton; Jeremy Rivera, Freeland; and Kelia Shelton, Scranton.
Conservation and natural resource certificate
Destiny Elizabeth Crowell, Dickson City; Peter Fox, West Pittston; Madigan Gow, Little Meadows; Anah Roman, Jessup; and Casey Torres, Scranton.
Construction pre-apprenticeship
Nicholas Caraballo, Hazleton; Julio Cintron Perez, Hazleton; Anthony Dineata, Drums; Yunniel Marinez, Hazleton; Joelvi Matia Medina, Hazleton; Jugermi Nunez, Hazleton; Victor-Alexan Smalls, East Stroudsburg; Evyon Tapia, Hazleton; and Frandeli Taveras, Hazleton.