The University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration honored its 2020 and 2021 graduates during a commencement ceremony on Monday, May 3, 2021 at PNC Park. A livestream was hosted virtually for graduates, families, and friends who couldn’t attend in person.
Students and guests sat socially distanced around the stadium while Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, Dean Arjang Assad, Interim Associate Dean Lawrence Feick, and alumni speaker JC Pelusi, International Director of Corporate Solutions and Great Lakes Region at JLL, recognized all of the graduates’ hard work and achievements.
Sara Braza (’20) was selected by her peers as the student speaker for the class of 2020. Braza emphasized the resilience and the connectedness of the class of 2020.
“I can confidently say that we, as graduates of the College of Business Administration are prepared to excel though our education is ever evolving,” says Braza. “Our status may have changed from students to alumni, yet our journeys will continue together.”
Haley McArthur (’21) was selected as the student speaker for the class of 2021. McArthur reminded the graduating classes of all they’ve overcome and how proud they should be of each other.
“We succeed because we are Pitt Business students and these last two graduating classes hold some of the most brilliant, hardworking, and kind people that I know,” says McArthur.
Each year, members of the graduating class are recognized with annual awards for each business major. Additional awards honor students with the highest GPA and highest involvement in extracurriculars, as well as professors who have made the most impactful impression on the graduating class. Feick recognized this year’s winners at the beginning of the ceremony. Award winners from the class of 2020 and the class of 2021 include:
- Devin Bluemling (’21), Justin Chudzik (’21), Kali Kobert (’21), Phillip Missan (’21), Annalise Stonecipher (’21), Alex Keough (’20) and Desiree Paige Rose (’20) were recognized as the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key Winners for highest GPA;
- Annalise Stonecipher (’21) and Stetson Fenster (’20) received the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Accounting Student of the Year Award;
- Loren Fernandes (’21) and Krishna Subramanian (’20) received the Outstanding Business Information Systems Major Award;
- Devin Bluemling (’21) and Desiree Paige Rose (’20) received the Outstanding Finance Major Award;
- Amy Kerchner (’21) and Daniel Penney (’20) received the Outstanding Global Management Major Award;
- Campbell Niehaus (’21), Alania Donnelly (’20) and Kelsey Swimkosky (’20) received the Outstanding Human Resources Management Major Award;
- Kali Kobert (’21) and Zachary Passalacqua (’20) received the Outstanding Marketing Major Award;
- Loren Fernandes (’21), Jaden Draksler (’21), and Sarah Broughton (’20) received the Supply Chain Management Major Award;
- Kayla Haddad (’21) and Sara Braza (’20) received the College of Business Administration Alumni Leadership Award;
- Gemma Skidmore was recognized for finishing at the top of the Outside of the Classroom Curriculum program; and
- Professors Kaushik Mitra, Eugenia Wu, and Jocelyn Carlin received the Pitt Business Student Impact Award.
“More than any previous graduating cohort, the class of 2020 and 2021 have shown fortitude and agility in adapting to a rapidly changing world,” says Assad. “Resilience and innovation are strengths that will serve you well and will be valued by future employers. My own belief is that the major shifts you encountered in the past year have prepared you for the future that awaits the world of business.”
Congratulations to our newest Pitt Business alumni!
To view our 2020-21 Pitt Business Commencement Ceremony, click here.
