Undergraduate Program SATURDAY, MAY 16 • 9:00 A.M. • O’PAKE FIELDHOUSE * ** ** * ANNOUNCEMENTS..............................Matt Santos ’03, M.S., Vice President, University Relations and Athletics POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE: March No. 1, Op. 39 (Edward Elgar) NATIONAL ANTHEM (Francis Scott Key) WELCOME .........................................................................................................Philip A. Cavalier, Ph.D., President PA STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER ..............................................................................................Mark-handy Phanor EDUCATION GREETINGS Member, Board of Governors STUDENT REMARKS ............................................................................................................................. Ava Esterly Environmental Science ALUMNI GREETINGS .................................................................................................Julia Wanamaker ’25, BSBA Gift Administration Specialist, KU Foundation PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES.................................................Lorin Basden Arnold, Ph.D. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs CONFERRING OF DEGREES...................................................................................................... President Cavalier ALMA MATER: Tune Aurelia (Clyde Francis Lytle) RECESSIONAL: The Danserye – Susato, arr. Dunnigan William Donner, Ph.D., Grand Marshal; Daniel Blanchard, Ph.D.; Lisa Frye ’90, B.S.Ed./B.S., ’93, M.S., Ph.D.; Tracy Keyes, Ed.D.; Brian Kronenthal, Ph.D.; Marshals KU Wind Ensemble, Timothy Butler, Ph.D., Conductor; Marlie Heym ’28, Vocalist *Audience will remain seated. **All who are able, please stand. AVA ESTERLY of Pottstown, Pa., graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Regenerative Organic Agriculture and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). As an intern at both Farmer Jawn and the Rodale Institute, Esterly helped design scalable techniques for 100-acre production systems and developed comprehensive economic reports comparing conventional and organic crop yields. Esterly's extensive research portfolio focuses on the mechanical and ecological drivers of soil health. She has spearheaded studies on the synergistic effects of biochar and compost on crop productivity, the isolation of mycorrhizal fungal spores, and the impacts of transitioning conventional farming systems to regenerative management. Her findings have been presented at the Ecological Society of America (ESA) national and midAtlantic conferences, as well as to the research department and executive leadership at the Rodale Institute. Her professional background bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and community engagement. Esterly was selected as the student speaker to announce a $1.5 million grant for Kutztown University’s Regenerative Organic Agriculture program in 2024, and was a mentor and student team leader as an underclassman for the Regenerative Agriculture Living Laboratory. Her contributions have earned her several prestigious honors, including the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarship and KU's Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award Silver Medal.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzcxOTE=