More than 900 Penn State World Campus students will graduate from Penn State at the culmination of its summer 2024 semester.
The students' academic achievements will be recognized during the University’s commencement ceremony on August 10. Each semester, Penn State World Campus students can request to attend a commencement ceremony at a Penn State campus of their choosing.
The big picture
The summer graduates of the Penn State World Campus Class of 2024 number 916 students. They will earn degrees in 89 different academic majors. Here is a breakdown by the level of the degree they will receive:
- 498 students will receive a master’s degree.
- 377 students will receive a bachelor’s degree.
- 40 students will receive an associate degree.
- 1 student will receive a doctoral degree.
Students in the summer group of the Class of 2024 hail from 45 states and 17 different countries, including Greece, India, Myanmar, Paraguay, and the Philippines.
The students range in age from 19 to 68. There are 150 graduates with a military affiliation, such as being an active-duty service member, a veteran, a military spouse, or a reservist.
Thirty-nine of the students are graduating with the second degree they have earned online through Penn State World Campus.
First Doctor of Engineering graduate
Brad Sottile had a unique path to graduation as the first student to graduate from the Doctor of Engineering in Engineering program.
Sottile is on the faculty of the Penn State College of Engineering and has long had ambitions to complete a doctoral degree. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) engineering programs that require full-time residencies were not for him. The flexibility of learning online allowed him to balance his studies with his job and his young family.
The Doctor of Engineering is offered online by the Penn State College of Engineering and aims to provide its students with a deep understanding of advanced subject matter and leadership principles through individualized research.
Sottile took courses year-round, averaging about 15 credits per academic year. He said he had a great support network and an understanding employer.
The culminating experience in the Doctor of Engineering program is a praxis in which students demonstrate through research and study how they are advancing engineering in a real-world problem.
For his praxis, Sottile focused on improving engineering ethics education in a research university such as Penn State. His research approached ethics in engineering from the perspective of organizational theory, and he developed a professional ethics microcredential for engineering.
Student marshals
Penn State World Campus students will represent three of Penn State’s academic colleges as their student marshals during commencement.
Student marshals have the highest grade-point average among all graduates of that college, and they lead their fellow graduates as they enter the floor of the arena where the commencement ceremony takes place.
Stephany Silva Fajardo was named the student marshal of the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture. She is graduating with a Bachelor of Design in Digital Multimedia Design.
During her studies, she completed research that focused on artificial intelligence as a tool for designers. Earlier this year, she was invited as a student panel member to discuss her work at a conference at which she connected with peers from other universities.
Michael Johnson was named the student marshal of the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Energy and Sustainability Policy and has achieved a 4.0 GPA.
Johnson was the recipient of several scholarships, such as the World Campus Scholarship for Success.
Adrianna Sabbagh was named the student marshal of the Penn State College of Health and Human Development. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health.
During her studies, Sabbagh was recognized for her academic excellence as an Evan Pugh Scholar. She also participated in the Penn State World Campus Smart Track to Success program, which aims to help students successfully navigate their first year of learning online.
Military students
A dozen of the 916 graduating students are sergeants major in the Army who completed a master’s degree through a fellowship program.
Each year, sergeants major have the opportunity to earn a Master of Education in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education through the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Fellowship. The sergeants major complete the degree while stationed at the academy in Fort Bliss, Texas.
Upon completion of the degree, they will teach the Sergeants Major Course, which prepares the military’s next generation of leaders with skills they need on and off the battlefield and helps them earn college credit.
The fellowship program started in 2015, and more than 130 sergeants major have graduated with a master’s degree in education.
Graduating with a Penn State degree earned online
Penn State World Campus has been offering a Penn State education online for more than 25 years. It has a comprehensive portfolio of more than 200 degree and certificate programs available in fields such as business, technology, education, health care, liberal arts, and more.
Graduating Penn State World Campus students can be a part of signature Penn State experiences, such as commencement, just like their peers. The students can choose to attend one of the commencement ceremonies across Penn State’s 24 campuses during graduation weekend.
Penn State World Campus graduates and their families are invited each semester to attend a reception at the University Park campus to recognize their achievements and meet faculty, academic advisers, and other staff who helped them reach this day.