Eight graduates earn valedictorian and salutatorian honors at 143rd Commencement

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Eight members of the Thiel College Class of 2017 earned valedictorian and salutatorian honors at the 143rd Commencement, which was held Sunday, May 7 in the College’s William A. Passavant Memorial Center.

Elizabeth Carlson ’17, Nathan Flory ’17, Audra Franley ’17, Austin Hall ’17, Sara Matczak ’17, Ashley McMillen ’17 and Tiffany Rohm ’17 all shared valedictorian honors with perfect 4.0 grade point averages. Kelly Thompson ’17 was named salutatorian. The eight students graduated summa cum laude and received the Dean’s Key for making the Dean’s List during all eight semesters at Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania.

• Carlson, of Kane, Pa., graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in communication studies. She earned April Student of the Month recognition and departmental honors. Carlson is a 2013 graduate of Kane High School.
• Flory, of Export, Pa., graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in English. He earned November 2016 Student of the Month recognition, departmental honors, and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Flory is a 2013 graduate of Franklin Regional Senior High School.
• Franley, of Jefferson, Ohio, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in religion and parish education with minors in pre-ministry and psychology. She earned October 2016 Student of the Month recognition, departmental honors, and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Franley is a 2013 graduate of Jefferson Area High School.
• Hall, of Beaver Falls, Pa., graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in English and history. He earned December 2016 Student of the Month recognition, departmental honors, and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Hall is a 2013 graduate of Riverside High School.
• Matczak, of Erie, Pa., graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in business administration and mathematics. She earned departmental honors and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Matczak was a 2013 graduate of Fairview High School.
• McMillen, of Cheswick, Pa., graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and majored in communication sciences and disorders and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology and a minor in philosophy. She earned departmental honors and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. McMillen was a 2013 graduate of Deer Lakes High School.
• Rohm, of Chippewa Lake, Ohio, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in accounting, and business administration and forensic accounting. She earned departmental honors and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Rohm is a 2013 graduate of Cloverleaf Senior High School.
• Thompson, of West Middlesex, Pa., earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in accounting, and business administration and forensic accounting. She earned departmental honors and was a member of the Kenneth and Marianna Brown Dietrich Honors Institute. Thompson is a 2013 graduate of West Middlesex Area Junior-Senior High School.

Students who received the honor of summa cum laude graduated with a GPA of 3.8-4.0; students who received the honor of magna cum laude graduated with a GPA of 3.60-3.79; and students who received the honor of cum laude graduated with a GPA of 3.4-3.59. The valedictorians and salutatorian were among 83 members (46%) of Thiel's Class of 2017 were awarded Latin academic honors during the Commencement Exercises, which is above published figures for the national average. Graduates earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 or higher were awarded cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude.

Related Link

• Academic Affairs

Related Stories

• More than half of College’s 183 graduates recognized for honors at 143rd Commencement (May 7, 2017)
• Pittsburgh-based Dietrich Foundation executive to speak at 143rd Commencement (April 28, 2017) 

Office of Admission

• Schedule a visit
• Apply