Slippery Rock University

Serenity Williams embodies the importance of affordable higher education, not just as a scholarship recipient at Slippery Rock University but in her work supporting her fellow students on their financial path to pay for college and achieve success. "I'm a first-generation college student, so without the financial aid and scholarships that I've received, I definitely wouldn't be here today," said Williams, a sophomore psychology major from Johnstown (Ferndale HS). Wiliams can identify with many of the students she assistants through her on-campus job working in SRU's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

A Slippery Rock University student achieved a unique display placement for her artwork-front and center in SRU President Karen Riley's on-campus residence. Samantha Toki, a senior dual art and strategic communication and media major from Windber (Windber HS), is the winner of the Spring 2026 SRU President's Student Art in Residence Award. Since Fall 2023, SRU art faculty select student art for display in the foyer of the president's home where guests attended special events can enjoy the work.

Eight Slippery Rock University students earned a coveted opportunity at one of the largest spectacles in sport by joining the staff that brought Super Bowl LX to life in Santa Clara, California, for more the than 90,000 fans attending the NFL's marquee event.

For a second straight year, students from Slippery Rock University who are preparing for careers in public relations were recognized by a Pittsburgh area professional association as the highest achieving students in the region. The Public Relations Student Society of America's SRU chapter, known as Rock PRSSA, was named the Public Relations Society of America Pittsburgh's 2026 PRSSA Chapter of the Year at the PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Awards on Jan. 29 in Pittsburgh. The rare back-to-back distinction for the chapter reflects its consistent performance and the applied, professional focus of SRU strategic communication and media program.

A Slippery Rock University student has eagerly seized opportunities to make her mark in SRU's proud and vibrant community. Jayden Williams, a senior strategic communication and media major with from Turtle Creek (Taylor Alderdice HS), went from describing herself as a very introverted upon arriving at SRU four years ago to now being an active leader involved in organizations like Queens, Black Action Society, the Frederick Douglass Institute, and as an employee of the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership."

A Slippery Rock University student is exploring new ground and empowering those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through a faculty-led research project. Natalie Krulac, a senior recreational therapy major from McKees Rocks (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart HS), is studying the effects that students' preferred music has on their focus and attention, examining potential coping strategies for those with ADHD and potentially decreasing excessive use of prescription drugs. Krulac's interest in research took root during a research-based course that she took with Betsy Kemeny, professor of recreational therapy. Krulac credits Kemeny as an important mentor in her time at SRU, supporting and encouraging her through her research.

By engaging in student organizations and fostering a welcoming and supportive campus culture, Garrett Kristen has established himself as a resilient leader at Slippery Rock University. Kristen overcame early struggles and now serves on the executive boards of Green and White Society and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, promoting campus traditions and opportunities for students to connect with one another. Kristen, a senior strategic communications and media major from Elizabeth (Elizabeth Forward HS), chose SRU because he values the small-town, tight-knit feelings evoked by campus and town alike that reminds him of his own hometown.

Celebrating academic excellence and the dedication of high-achieving students, Slippery Rock University has announced its dean's list for the Fall 2025 semester. The dean's list consists of SRU undergraduate students who earned an adjusted semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher, based on a schedule of at least 12 newly attempted and earned credits.

The Slippery Rock University Dance Department presents its boundary pushing, cutting edge Emerging Artists Dance Concert with two shows, 7 p.m., Jan. 30, and 2 p.m., Jan. 31, at the Performing Arts Center's Miller Theater. Tickets are available for purchase for $15 at www.sru.edu/tickets. This unique concert is an important tradition in the SRU Dance Department, highlighting the choreography of SRU students and lifting up the creative voices of the next generation of dance artists. This year's concert offerings are the creations of junior and senior dance majors:

A Slippery Rock University student is making a lasting impact on the lives of her peers by doing what she loves most - helping others. Haley Barner, a senior chemistry major from Sharpsville (Hickory HS), spent the fall semester serving as a mentor in FYRST seminar, SRU's one-credit course designed to help first-year students bridge the transition between high school and college. Barner was inspired to pursue a position as a FYRST mentor by the experiences that she had in her own FYRST seminar. Barner said that she thought so highly of her own FYRST peer mentor that she decided that she'd like to pay it forward by offering the same support to younger students. This led Barner to serve in the classroom under Ashley Loe, associate professor of chemistry, who was the very professor who ran the FYRST seminar that started it all for Barner.

A Slippery Rock University dance student was again featured on an international stage in New York City. Lauren Mortimer, a senior dual dance and early childhood education major from Butler (Butler HS), was one of 10 choreographers selected to have their work performed at the Nov. 16 Steps Beyond Foundation Choreography Lab. Mortimer performed a piece she choreographed at SRU titled "Breaking Barriers," honoring the resilience of working women. The showcase serves to present a variety of dance styles and expressions at the highest artistic merit level.

A Slippery Rock University student experienced what it's like to nurture the potential of local school-age kids by helping them avoid summer learning loss, all while having fun doing it. Dimajio Locante, an SRU sophomore secondary education major from Pittsburgh (Keystone Oaks HS), spent this summer as a lead counselor for Camp Batch, a summer camp program in Homestead for students in grades 3-10 run by the Best of the Batch Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by former Pittsburgh Steeler Charlie Batch.

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.

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.