Commencement Speakers Announced

Read about the 2018 commencement speakers for the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies below.

2018 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker Announced

The University of Scranton announced that Most Reverend George V. Murry, S.J., Ph.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, will be the principal speaker at its undergraduate commencement on Sunday, May 27. He will also receive an honorary degree from the University at the ceremony.

A member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Murry currently serves as chair of its Committee Against Racism, which was formed in August 2017 “… to focus on addressing the sin of racism in our society, and even in our Church, and the urgent need to come together as a society to find solutions.”

 “Bishop Murry’s leadership in the Church, his Jesuit roots, his experience in Jesuit higher education, and his important work in combating racism in our society, all combine, I believe, to make him a wonderful choice for this honor. He is someone who has the ability to deliver a timely and important message for our students, their families and guests,” said Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., interim president of The University of Scranton.

Prior to his service as Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, which began in 2007, Bishop Murry served as Bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago. For 20 years previously, he worked as a teacher and administrator in Catholic education, serving as associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of Detroit-Mercy, president of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., assistant professor of American studies at Georgetown University and as a faculty member and dean of student activities at Gonzaga College High School, Washington, D.C.

Read on, here.

2018 Graduate Commencement Speaker Announced

The University of Scranton announced Peter J. Danchak ’84, regional president, PNC Bank, Northeast Pennsylvania, will serve as the principal speaker at its 2018 graduate commencement. He also will receive an honorary degree from the University at the ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, May 26, at 10:45 a.m. at the Byron Recreation Complex.

“Pete Danchak is a community leader who cares greatly for this area and is deeply committed to improving the lives of those in this region. We are proud to count him as one of our alumni and pleased to have him serve as principal speaker at our graduate commencement,” said Rev. Herbert B. Keller, S.J., interim president of The University of Scranton.

Danchak earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University in 1984, the same year in which he joined PNC Bank. He held numerous positions with PNC bank, advancing in 1996 to senior vice president, division manager for the corporate banking line of business for the Northeast Pennsylvania market. He was named regional president of the Northeast Pennsylvania market of PNC Bank in January 2001.

Read on, here.