LVC to Host 143rd Baccalaureate and Commencement May 12

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Dr. Catherine Romagnolo will be the Commencement speaker.

ANNVILLE, PA (04/20/2012)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College will award diplomas to nearly 450 graduates Saturday, May 12. The Baccalaureate Service will begin at 9 a.m. in Miller Chapel with Commencement to follow at 11 a.m. on the Academic Quad. In the case of inclement weather, Commencement will be moved to the Arnold Arena.

The College expects more than 4,000 parents and family members to attend Commencement in its historic location on the Academic Quad. All attendees are asked to preview a web page dedicated to parking instructions that can be found at www.lvc.edu/commencement/parking.aspx.

This year's graduating seniors will be joined by 70 master of business administration, music education, science education, or doctorate of physical therapy graduates. Students who graduated in December 2011 are also welcomed back to participate in Commencement and will receive bachelor or master's degrees.

The Commencement speaker will be Dr. Catherine Romagnolo, of Lancaster, an associate professor of English at LVC. She was selected as speaker according to tradition after receiving The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award at the 2011 Commencement. The Vickroy award is the College's top teaching honor for a full-time faculty member.

Dr. Romagnolo teaches courses in American literature, African-American literature, and literature by women. She specializes in the relationship between literature, ideology and culture and has been involved in numerous programs related to the topics of social justice, race and gender. At LVC, she spearheaded the effort to open the Women's Services and Gender Resource Center, and now serves as faculty director and steering committee representative.

The Baccalaureate speaker will be the Rev. Peggy A. Johnson '75, bishop of the United Methodist Church. She completed her undergraduate studies at LVC and pursued a master of divinity degree at Asbury Theological Seminary. In her early ministry, she served a four-point country charge in Frederick, Md., as campus minister for Gallaudet University, a leader in higher education for deaf persons located in Washington, D.C., and as co–pastor of Lansdowne United Methodist Church in Baltimore.

The College will also award four faculty and student commendations. The H. Anthony Neidig Award (top student) includes a monetary award and commemorative medallion; the 2012 Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award (top professor) includes a monetary award and commencement speaking rights; the Nevelyn J. Knisley Award (top part-time/adjunct member) includes a monetary award; and the Educator of the Year Award as voted on by students includes speaking rights at LVC's opening convocation.

Please visit www.lvc.edu/commencement for all Baccalaureate and Commencement information including seating, parking, schedule, photography, and more.

Lebanon Valley College is located in Annville, Pa., just 15 minutes east of Hershey and 35 minutes east of Harrisburg. Founded in 1866, the College welcomes more than 1,600 full-time undergraduate students studying more than 30 majors, as well as self-designed majors. LVC has graduate programs in physical therapy, business administration, music education, and science education.