Lebanon Valley College to Host 145th Baccalaureate and Commencement May 10

Dr. Anderson Marsh, 2013 Thomas Rhys Vickroy award winner, to speak

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Dr. Anderson Marsh, Lebanon Valley College Commencement speaker

ANNVILLE, PA (04/23/2014)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College will honor nearly 560 graduates Saturday, May 10 in its 145th Commencement. 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 LVC Gymnasium.

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 review information relating to the day's activities including parking, shuttles, photography, and ticketing at www.lvc.edu/commencement.

This year's 434 graduating seniors will be joined by 96 master of business administration, music education or science education graduates and 29 doctor of physical therapy graduates. Undergraduate and graduate students who graduated in December 2013 are welcomed back to participate in Commencement; students who will complete their degrees in August and December 2014 are also invited to walk in the Commencement ceremony.

The Commencement speaker will be Dr. Anderson Marsh, of Lebanon, an associate professor of chemistry at LVC. He was selected as speaker according to tradition after receiving The Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award at the 2013 Commencement. The Vickroy award is the College's top teaching honor for a full-time faculty member.

Dr. Marsh regularly teaches physical chemistry and general chemistry courses and laboratories, as well as the senior capstone course in chemical research. Moreover, he has taught environmental chemistry and first-year seminars on nanotechnology, Harry Potter, and astrobiology, and contributed to a team-taught disciplinary perspectives course on the campus-wide Energy Colloquium. He has secured more than $250,000 in external grant money for projects with undergraduates and has mentored more than two dozen students in research, resulting in 10 published co-authored papers and over 60 presentations at national and regional scientific meetings. More than half of those students have completed or are currently enrolled in a doctoral program in chemistry or a related field.

The Baccalaureate speaker will be Canon Patty Johnson, who joined the National Cathedral in July of 2007 as Cathedral missioner directing the outreach and social justice work of the Cathedral. Working in concert with myriad volunteers, she facilitates and leads 14 ministries ranging from hunger to homelessness, literacy to prison work, Cathedral Scholars to the Palestine/Israel Advocacy group, as well as special initiatives such as gun control. Johnson is tasked to connect the Cathedral to the city via the nonprofit organizations, faith, and minority groups. Her involvement at the Cathedral grew as part of her ministry in the Disciples of Christ in Community (DOCC course) and Transforming Literature of the Bible, both of which she facilitated for many years.

The College will also award three faculty and student commendations. The H. Anthony Neidig Award (top student) includes a monetary award and commemorative medallion; the 2014 Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award (top professor) includes a monetary award and commencement speaking rights; and the Nevelyn J. Knisley Award (top part-time/adjunct member) includes a monetary award.

The College will broadcast the May 10 Commencement at www.lvc.edu/LVCtv for those unable to attend.

Lebanon Valley CollegeĀ® in Annville, Pa., welcomes 1,648 full-time undergraduates studying more than 30 majors, as well as self-designed majors. Founded in 1866, LVC has graduate programs in physical therapy, business, music education, and science education. Annville is 15 minutes east of Hershey and 35 minutes east of Harrisburg; Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are within two hours. Learn more at www.lvc.edu.