LVC Graduates 460 Students at 142nd Commencement

College Honors Award Winners and Honorary Degree Recipient

Related Media

A sea of graduates

ANNVILLE, PA (05/14/2011)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College awarded diplomas May 14 to 460 graduates, who received their degrees on the Academic Quad. The graduating seniors were joined by 24 doctor of physical therapy candidates, 35 master's degree candidates, and 44 students who graduated in December 2010 and on Saturday formally received their degrees.

The Commencement speaker was Dr. Grant Taylor of Lebanon, assistant professor of art and art history at LVC. The Australia native inspired students with Aboriginal phrases in a speech titled Ngalata g?rra gannow, in which he told three mini-stories translating to: Friend, we walked together only a short time ago; Brother, we walked together a long time ago; and finally, Now all of us walk together. "For me," Taylor said, "these titles emphasize the importance of connectedness within the multiplicities of our common journey." He spoke at Commencement because last year he was honored at the ceremony with the College's top teaching honor, The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award for a full-time faculty member.

President Stephen C. MacDonald conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree on Dr. Tibor Sipos '64, whose discoveries in the field of medical pharmaceuticals have alleviated suffering and prolonged the lives of those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and other serious diseases. A research chemist and entrepreneur, Sipos was born in Budapest, Hungary, and came to the U.S. in 1957.

"His English was not strong," MacDonald said. "After interviewing at several area colleges, he chose LVC because, he said, it was 'the friendliest.' What that meant, he explained, was that Dr. Tony Neidig, chair of LVC's chemistry department recognized his academic promise and was prepared to be patient with him and to engage him in undergraduate faculty-student research. Dr. Sipos prospered under Tony's mentoring, received his B.S. in chemistry in 1964, went on to Lehigh University and received a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1968."

Sipos worked for 23 years with the Johnson & Johnson Company where he rose through the ranks from bench chemist to manager of dental research. He invented a drug called Pancrease for cystic fibrosis patients., The drug contained digestive enzymes that significantly extended the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients. For his role in the development of this drug, Sipos received the Johnson Medal, Johnson & Johnson' highest award. He left the company in 1990 and created Digestive Care, Inc. in Bethlehem, Pa., where he developed an especially noteworthy drug called Pancrecarb that is highly effective in treating the pancreatic enzyme insufficiency associated with cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer. Sipos received the Ben Franklin Innovator Award for his work as a scientist and entrepreneur with Digestive Care, Inc.

Dr. Catherine Romagnolo of Lancaster, assistant professor of English, won The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award for teaching this year. Romagnolo was described by a nominator as an instructor that "doesn't teach her students what to think: instead she teaches them how to think. Perhaps what is most special about this instructor is her deep passion to foster success in others." Dr. Michael Green, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, noted that Romagnolo "nurtures students' ability to connect and extend meaningful learning and contributions outside of the classroom into new territory. She handles her responsibilities with grace, modeling a mature, reasoned and passionate approach that has deeply affected her students and others. It's not overstating it to say that she is adored by her students."

The top student award, the H. Anthony Neidig Award, went to Stephen Campbell, an art and art history and computer science double major from Lancaster. He was described by an instructor as "a true interdisciplinarian who freely combines, skews, and reimagines disciplinary knowledge." Another said that he "is a natural leader in the classroom. He is quick to investigate new tools and approaches, and asks questions that help us all to understand the subject."

At LVC, Campbell served as a peer tutor and was an integral member of a faculty-student art project. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and was a Vickroy Scholarship recipient, among others. He was elected to the Phi Alpha Epsilon Honor Society and was selected for Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Campbell's hand-drawn animated film, Transformations on Bartok, contains more than 400 individual drawings that together create a twisting, abstract visual dance of forms based on a minute-long piece by the 20th century music composer, Bela Bartok. The film was submitted and accepted into four prestigious competitions including the 2011 Savannah International Animation Festival, where he was awarded Best Experimental Animation. He is completing his second film, expected to debut next month.

Nancy Williams of Lebanon, an adjunct instructor of art and art history, won the Nevelyn J. Knisley Award, which goes to part-time and adjunct members of the College faculty. Williams has taught drawing, painting, printmaking, and teaching of art in the schools for the past five years. Prior to coming to LVC, she taught high school art for nearly 20 years, during which time she furthered her own pedagogical and artistic skills by taking courses at a number of university art programs in the region. One student said of her teaching: "She gives so much more of herself than the job requires; she develops a relationship with each of her students, taking a personal interest in their development as artists. She expects them to work hard and meet high standards, and she gives them the tools to grow to reach this level."

Dr. David Rudd of Palmyra, chair of business and economics and professor of business administration, was honored with the Educator of the Year Award, which is voted on by the students. Student government president Ashten O'Brien presented the award, saying Rudd "is a dynamic professor who displays a love for LVC both in and out of the classroom. He can be spotted at various student events including hockey games, basketball games, LVC Relay for Life, Dutchmen Day, and is the official advisor of the Class of 2011. This enthusiastic professor certainly meets the mission of this historic liberal arts college with his investment in students' academic and co-curricular lives."

Class of 2011 representative Megan McGrady said, "His unwavering faith in me when I had no faith in myself has not only helped shape me as an individual, but as a graduate ready to enter the world. He will forever have my undying gratitude for his listening ear, his high-fives, and his constant dedication to the students of this institution-not only on the academic side of things, but all aspects of student life."