Slippery Rock University

When Thomas Freilino journeyed to Dublin, Ireland, with Slippery Rock University students, he knew he would be learning about how to become a leader. After all, the program was organized by SRU's Student Engagement and Leadership Office. What Freilino did not know was the insight he would gain from an SRU alumna

Nate Presutti is helping meet a need for music educators in the community by creating choir lessons at a low cost for use by high school music teachers. Presutti, a Slippery Rock University senior music education major from Clinton (West Allegheny HS), is recording six public domain choral pieces with local musicians and pairing the pieces with lesson plans as part of a summer research project.

Growing up in the Erie area, Abigail Nguyen has long had a passion for both conservation and art. As part of her summer internship, she brought those passions to children in her community. Nguyen, a Slippery Rock University junior biology major from Harborcreek (Harbor Creek HS), designed and led a free community event on July 29 centered on environmental awareness and hands-on learning for children through an internship with the Erie County Conservation District.

From partner lifts in a Leuven dance studio to witnessing primetime performances at the Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Abby Brubaker experienced Belgium through dance. She expected the study-abroad program to grow her skills as a dancer, but what she also found was a clearer picture of the career she hopes to pursue. Brubaker, a Slippery Rock University senior dance major from Lancaster (Lancaster Mennonite HS), joined a group of 21 SRU dance students May 12-21 in an immersive exploration of Belgium's modern dance scene. Led by Jennifer Keller, SRU professor of dance, and Lindsay Viatori, associate professor of dance, the program featured hands-on workshops, performances and cultural experiences in Brussels, Leuven, Ghent and Bruges, where the group expanded their dance repertoire while exploring Belgian culture.

Destined for Peru, Macie Johnson boarded a plane for the first time in her life. But she wasn't just traveling abroad - she was embarking on a life-changing journey for both herself and communities in need. Johnson, a Slippery Rock University junior biology major from Kane (Kane HS), traveled with 11 other students and Miranda Falso, associate professor of biology, to establish health clinics and provide community assistance to five low-income communities in Lima, the capital of Peru, from May 24 to June 1.

Students at Slippery Rock University have opportunities to establish a network and learn alongside professionals before they graduate. Victoria Mackalica and Emmalee Henthorn attended the American Society of Safety Professionals' Professional Development Conference and Exposition, July 22-24, in Orlando, Florida. Mackalica, from Butler (Butler HS), and Henthorn, from Slippery Rock (Slippery Rock HS), are both rising senior safety management majors who are members of the ASSP student section at SRU. Their travel expenses and conference registration were covered by SRU's Safety Management Department, and they received internship credit hours for attending.

Many graduates of the park and resource management program at Slippery Rock University fulfill their dream of working for the National Park Service, but one SRU student is already getting a taste of the experience. Beau Fillion, a senior from Palmyra, New York (Palmyra Macedon HS), was selected for an internship at one of the NPS's most recognizable locations, Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Fillion is one of only three college interns working from May to August as an interpretive ranger at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

A Slippery Rock University student recently joined leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., to voice the importance of music education. Nate Presutti, a senior music education major from Clinton (West Allegheny HS), won an award presented by the National Association for Music Education before meeting with lawmakers that included U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. During the NAfME's Collegiate Leadership Advocacy Summit, Presutti won the Collegiate Professional Achievement Award. Presutti was the president of the American Choral Directors Association, SRU chapter, for two years and is now the student organization's adviser.

Neva Lilla and Benjamin Porter are gaining valuable experience conducting research at Slippery Rock University to study grief and loss support groups with and without the use of therapy dogs. Porter, a senior social work major from Kittanning (Armstrong HS), and Lilla, a graduate student majoring in social work from New Castle (Central Mountain HS), are working with inmates from Crawford County Correctional Facility in Saegertown to perform group therapy sessions.

Carmen Hay is conducting hands-on research at Slippery Rock University to help purify water using innovative techniques. Hay, a senior biology major from Connellsville (Connellsville HS), is taking samples from Wolf Creek near Slippery Rock to investigate the use of microbes while addressing water pollution.

The Slippery Rock community is more vibrant because of a group of Slippery Rock University students who left their mark, thanks to a collaborative project with a local business. Six art students painted a colorful mural on the wall inside the Fuzzy Monkey Coffee Co. located at 354 South Main Street, just across the street from SRU's campus.

Slippery Rock University has announced its dean's list for the Spring 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.

Before donning their caps and gowns at commencement, seniors from Slippery Rock University's Bachelor of Fine Arts program showed off their artwork that was part of their capstone projects. Students displayed their artwork in a recent exhibition at the Martha Gault Art Gallery on campus.

Internships and clinical experiences provide college students the opportunity to apply their education and prepare for their careers. They are especially beneficial when they learn from professionals who were once in their shoes. Noah Novak is a perfect example. As a graduate student in Slippery Rock University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program, Novak is completing his clinical rotations at Precision Physical Therapy and Performance, an outpatient clinic in Allison Park that is privately owned and operated by two graduates of SRU's DPT program.

More than 1,600 students from the Class of 2025 are eligible to be recognized for graduating, as Slippery Rock University will conduct its spring commencement ceremonies, May 9-10, at the Morrow Field House in the following four ceremonies: 6 p.m., May 9, Graduate Studies. 9 a.m., May 10, College of Business. Noon, May 10, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Rock Life. 3 p.m., May 10, College of Engineering and Science and College of Health Professions.

Twelve cadets from Slippery Rock University's U.S. Army ROTC program will be recognized for their commissioning as officers with the rank of second lieutenant. They will be officially commissioned and take their oaths at a private ceremony on campus, May 9, before a public oath reading at SRU's commencement ceremonies, May 10, when they graduate and receive their bachelor's degrees.

Among the most outstanding research posters presented by honors students in the region was one from Slippery Rock University. Alexandra Caldwell, a senior psychology major from Scottdale (Geibel Catholic HS), was one of 10 students to earn the Poster Presentation Award at the Northeast Regional Honors Council's annual conference last month in Harrisburg.

Sewer cut and fill and resume writing were among the tasks won by Slippery Rock University students at the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2025 Mid-Atlantic East and West Symposium, March 27-29 at Penn State University. SRU students competed in surveying tasks, poster presentations and more against more than 500 students and teams from 21 universities.

Ten Slippery Rock University students presented research at the 56thAnnual Meeting of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania University Biologists Meeting, April 5, at Commonwealth University, Bloomsburg.

Three Slippery Rock University students presented research at the Interdisciplinary Association for Philosophy and Religious Studies Conference, March 29, at East Stroudsburg University, including one that was recognized for the conference's best paper. Jordan Ensign, a senior dual English writing and philosophy major from Strongsville, Ohio (Strongsville HS), presented a critique of John Hick's Irenaean theodicy, which received the IAPRS prize for best paper.

A Slippery Rock University student received an award for his poster presentation at a professional conference. Charles Reilly, a freshman hospitality and tourism major from Export (Franklin Regional HS), earned an honorable mention for best student-led poster presentation at the 2025 NENA-CHRIE Conference, March 28-30, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Slippery Rock University engineering students can design and create innovative, hands-on projects in the 3D printing laboratory. One student was recently recognized for her work at a national conference. Jennifer Cichra, a junior mechanical engineering major from Renfrew (Butler HS), came up with an idea while hiking with her family in the Rocky Mountain last summer. She was using crampons on her boots to gain traction, but that's when she began to think like an engineer.

The culminating work of six Slippery Rock University Bachelor of Fine Arts dance majors will be presented in an inspiring, entertaining and passionate showcase of dance. There will be two shows of "Roots to Branches: A Senior BFA Concert," 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., April 26, in the Stoner West Dance Studio. Tickets are $10 for each show and they are available for purchase online at sru.edu/tickets.

Continuing to apply their classroom learning at some of the largest sporting events in the country, students from Slippery Rock University's sport management program worked at the 2025 NCAA Men's Final Four basketball games, April 5-7, in San Antonio, Texas.

Audiences have four opportunities to watch the Slippery Rock University's production of the Tony Award-winning play, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time." Based on the popular novel by Mark Haddon, the play is about a brilliant yet socially challenged 15-year-old. The SRU Theatre Department will host shows April 18, 19, 21 and 22 at the Miller Theater in the Performing Arts Center. Show times and dates are 7:30 p.m., April 18, 21 and 22, and noon, April 19. Tickets are $12 for SRU students and $15 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased online at sru.edu/tickets or in person at the Performing Arts Center ticket counter up to one hour before each performance.

Slippery Rock University recognized its most accomplished students at its annual Celebration of Achievement awards ceremony, April 1, in the Smith Student Center Ballroom, including the highest honor: the University's nominee for the Syed Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence. Brooke Hamilton, a senior music education major from South Park (South Park HS), is SRU's finalist for the Ali-Zaidi award, which is given to a graduating senior in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education who exemplifies academic excellence and involvement. A selection committee appointed by the State System chancellor reviews all nominees' accomplishments and selects a winner. The winner will receive $1,000 and will be announced later this month. The award was established by Syed Ali-Zaidi, a charter member of the PASSHE Board of Governors.

Noah Suto, a Slippery Rock University senior management major from Parker (Allegheny-Clarion Valley HS), was named an SRU Outstanding Student Academic Leader. These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges based on their outstanding leadership within an academic department or college. Suto is president of the Society for Human Resource Management Chapter at SRU, a member of the College of Business Student Advisory Board, and a member of the SRU Green Fund Advisory Board, where he contributed to student-focused initiatives, curriculum development and sustainability efforts.

Kelli Galbraith, a Slippery Rock University graduate student majoring in secondary education mathematics and science from Gibsonia (Deer Lakes HS), was named an SRU Outstanding Student in Research, Scholarship or Creative Activity. These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges based on their involvement in a variety of research, scholarly and creative projects. Galbraith has been involved with research projects during her 10-week internship at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee that centered on identifying faults in power grids and she was part of a study that was accepted for presentation at the North American Power Symposium, as well as writing a peer-reviewed paper for the conference proceedings.

Olivia Evans, a Slippery Rock University senior early childhood and special education major from Zelienople (Freedom HS) was named an SRU Outstanding Student Academic Leader. These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges based on their outstanding leadership within an academic department or college. Evans is president of the Council for Exceptional Children, a student organization with 100 members that helps lead sensory-friendly activities in the community, and she's also presented at the Council for Exceptional Children's Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Jebediah Jorden, a Slippery Rock University senior mathematics major from Wexford (North Allegheny HS), was named an SRU Outstanding Student in Research, Scholarship or Creative Activity. These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges based on their involvement in a variety of research, scholarly and creative projects. Jorden is one only five SRU students in the history of the mathematics program to score a 10 on the International Putnam Exam, and he's passed two professional actuarial exams with international pass rates around 45%.