Slippery Rock University

Showcasing the outcomes of its commitment to student success, Slippery Rock University will honor graduates who have reached a pivotal milestone in their academic journeys by hosting its 2025 fall commencement ceremony, 11 a.m., Dec. 13, at the Morrow Field House. More than 530 students are eligible to graduate and participate in the ceremony. Graduate students and undergraduates from each of SRU's five colleges will receive their degrees in one ceremony.

A Slippery Rock University student has established herself as a forward-thinking, driving force for change in campus sustainability through her internship with Aramark, the University's contracted food service provider. Abi Lushefski, a senior geography major from Trucksville (Dallas HS), has led the charge to replace the regular plastic bags in campus dining facilities with a cornstarch-based alternative produced by Plastech, a manufacturer of environmentally friendly plastic-alternative products. Through implementing these bags, SRU will save 160,000 plastic bags from entering landfills and ecosystems and contributing to rising levels of microplastics in the environment and greenhouse gas emissions.

Eight seniors in Slippery Rock University's Bachelor of Fine Arts program are sharing the culmination of their college careers through capstone art projects at the Martha Gault Art Gallery Dec. 1-4 and 8-11. Featured artists for Dec. 1-4 are: Megan Anthony from Butler (Butler HS) presenting "Beneath the Surface" (photography). Emma Barrell from Hellertown (Saucon Valley HS) presenting "Hardly Working" (painting). Sarah Heary from Saint Marys (Saint Marys HS) presenting "The Shuffle and the Deal" (drawing). Carla Snodgrass from Petrolia presenting "Held Fragments" (metalsmithing). Featured artists for Dec. 8-11 are: Madison Bauer from Gibsonia (Deer Lakes HS) presenting "Welcome Home" (printmaking). Kimberly Dominguez from McKees Rocks (Montour HS) presenting "In Their Silence" (painting). Nathaniel Gabriel from Monroeville (Gateway HS) presenting "How the Water Holds You" (painting). Zoey Galat from Beaver Falls (Lawrence County Career and Technical Center presenting "Ask Me About My Grief" (photography). The Martha Gault Art Gallery is located at 108 Maltby Ave. and is all-accessible by parking and entry on Campus Drive near Rhoads Hall. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Five senior civil engineering students at Slippery Rock University are making tangible change in the community through their capstone project. They are creating a plan to revitalize and improve the accessibility of Misty Hollow Residency, an outdoor space near Ellport for eco-centric artists and scientists to engage the public with their projects.

Student choreography and creative achievements will be on display as the Slippery Rock University Dance Department presents the Fresh Moves Dance Showcase Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. in the Stoner West Dance Studio Theater. The showcase will feature nine choreographed performances by current SRU dance students. Tickets are $10 for general admission and can be purchased online at sru.edu/tickets or at the Smith Student Center information desk.

Bella Bartoletti is establishing herself as an accomplished, rising voice in her field thanks to her experience at Slippery Rock University. Bartoletti, a senior psychology major from Portage (Portage HS), took home the first prize for the Sloane Prize for Undergraduate Research in the Social and Behavioral Sciences category at the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in San Diego, Nov. 6-9. Bartoletti's research focus is sports psychology, an area that is close to home for her as a javelin thrower on the SRU track and field team. The research that she presented at the conference focused on the relationship between psychological strain and depression in collegiate athletes, examining how factors of psychological strain, isolation and flourishing patterns predict depression among student-athletes.

A Slippery Rock University student showcased her newly developed leadership skills when Slippery Rock University hosted the Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) Regional Leadership Conference, Nov. 7-8. The Campus Success Center was filled with nearly 300 students and advisers from more than a dozen regional universities, but for the ARHS chapter at SRU and organizers like McKenzie Kuth, it was a culmination of their leadership experience across campus. Kuth, a senior mathematics major from Leechburg (Kiski HS), originally chose SRU because of its notable history as a teacher's college and quality of education, something she scoped out as early as when she was in the eighth grade. But once she visited SRU, Kuth noted the vibrancy of the campus and the welcoming community. That experience motivated her to demonstrate those traits upon becoming an SRU student. She got that opportunity by organizing a conference on campus.

Audiences will have four chances to witness the Slippery Rock University Theatre Department's production of "Into the Woods." This Tony Award-winning musical has become a modern classic since it first hit the stage in 1987, captivating audiences for almost four decades with its tale of wishes, family and the choices people make, all told through the entangled stories of characters from the Brothers Grimm's fairytales. Performances will take place in the Performing Arts Center Miller Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21, Nov. 22 and Nov. 23 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 23. Tickets are $12 for students and $15 for general admission. Tickets can be obtained at sru.edu/tickets or in-person at the ticket counter up to one hour before each performance.

Allison Taylor is gaining valuable experience contributing to a faculty-led research project that tests how gas is stored underground. Taylor, a Slippery Rock University senior petroleum and natural gas engineering major from Fremont, Ohio (Fremont-Ross HS), has spent the last two years researching under the guidance of Xindi Sun, assistant professor of engineering. They are testing how nanogels, which are tiny gel-like polymers that absorb and release materials, can be more efficient at storing gas in land reservoirs.

The REACH program at Slippery Rock University gives students the opportunity to climb a rock wall, ride a zipline or complete a high ropes course, all without leaving campus. And students like Katie Weiner are right there, 25 feet above the ground, facilitating the experiences that take education literally to a higher level. Weiner, a junior early childhood and special education major from Levittown (Neshaminy HS), is part of the Campus Recreation student staff that runs the Outdoor Adventures programming, including the REACH program.

Dakharee Mann gained a behind the scenes look into one of golf's biggest tournaments at Oakmont Country Club. Mann, a Slippery Rock University sophomore sport management major from Harrisburg (Susquehanna Township HS), experienced first-hand the inner workings of the U.S. Open tournament through an internship with USGA Pathways. The 10-day internship, on location in Oakmont during the U.S. Open earlier this month, gave college students the opportunity to learn to every facet of the $84 billion golf industry. Mann was one of 24 interns selected from a pool of more than 750 applicants.

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.