Collado delivers keynote address, receives honorary degree This year’s keynote address was delivered by Shirley Collado, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of College Track, a college completion program dedicated to democratizing potential among first-generation college students from underserved communities. Lycoming, which was part of College Track’s inaugural cohort of partner colleges and universities, works with College Track to recruit first-generation students who contribute to the diversity of the campus community. Throughout her career, Collado has leveraged her leadership to advocate for equity in all forms, pushing toward real change by activating an awareness of — and working toward the deconstruction of — existing structures that prevent full participation, whether on campuses or in communities at large. “You have had the privilege of being educated in this country, of earning a bachelor’s degree on a residential campus…. You have been challenged to broaden your scope. And I hope you hold this close to your heart as you move into your lives and your careers,” Collado shared with the graduates. “It’s not just sentimental — it’s critical to the future of our nation. We exist in a world that seems so divided, where our shared humanity feels so vulnerable. This moment requires awareness, empathy, connection, and collaborative decision-making. It also requires a willingness to listen to, understand, and be inspired by people who do not think like you. This is exactly the mindset we need to have when solving the most complicated issues that impact all of us.” ycoming College held its 177th Commencement Ceremony on May 10 to celebrate the Class of 2025. Following the footprints of tradition, the graduates processed through the Oliver Sterling Metzler Gate and onto the Fultz Quadrangle where family and friends greeted them in the sunshine. Kent Trachte, Ph.D., president emeritus of Lycoming College, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the ceremony. Trachte, who retired on June 30, provided thoughtful and bold leadership during his tenure — a period of rapid change in higher education, including significant demographic shifts and the Covid 19 pandemic, while advancing initiatives that softened the boundaries of the residential campus and established bridges to the Williamsport community. “Class of 2025, you are graduating at a time when higher education is under attack, the value of a liberal arts education is being questioned, and uncertainty is pervasive. It would be normal for you to feel some anxiety about the future,” Trachte said as he addressed the seniors. “My message today, however, is one of optimism and confidence. As graduates of our top 100 national liberal arts colleges, you are prepared to lead lives of meaning, enjoy success in your careers, and contribute to the public good…. You are ready to make a difference in the world.” 177TH COMMENCEMENT LYCOMING COLLEGE’S Prior to her leadership at College Track, Collado served as the ninth president of Ithaca College and, at the conclusion of her tenure, was named president emerita of the institution. Not only a first-generation college graduate, she was also the first person of color to be named president at Ithaca College, and the first Dominican-American in the United States to serve as president of a four-year institution. During the ceremony, Lycoming awarded Collado with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Fry delivers senior greeting Benjamin Fry ’25, a biology (ecology) major with dual minors in chemistry and environmental science and a Lycoming Scholar, delivered the senior greeting to his classmates. “By choosing to be here together, we have chosen to be fundamentally altered by each other. Changed by our differences, our commonalities, and our shared experiences,” said Fry. “We are a petri plate of the world, a community that is constantly intermixing with each other — constantly changing each other. To me, that is the beauty of Lycoming.” An active member of the College’s campus community, Fry has proven himself an effective leader as a member of Student Senate; served as the Class of 2025 treasurer; and served on the Community Activities Board, the Academic Standards Committee, and the Marathon Canoe Team. He also worked as an admissions tour guide, an orientation guide, and as a Warriorthon student caller, and was active in the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Fry, a Haberberger Research Fellow, appeared consistently on the Dean’s List, was the recipient of several academic awards, and was involved in a number of honor societies. He dedicated himself to volunteerism both for the campus and the greater community. He completed a service-learning internship with the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority, where he’ll begin his career following graduation before attending graduate school for biology. 14 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTA3NDk=