Frostburg State University to Celebrate 153rd Commencement Ceremony

Nov 30, 2018 10:20 AM

Frostburg State University will celebrate student achievements of its fall 2018 graduating class with the 153rd Commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 19. The ceremony for the colleges of Business, Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences will take place in the Harold J. Cordts Physical Education Center’s Main Arena at 2 p.m.

University System of Maryland Regent James Holzapfel will confer degrees and FSU President Ronald Nowaczyk will address the graduating class and present diplomas. This year’s commencement speakers are Tyler Dolchan, from the College of Business; Kaylin N. Fields, from the College of Education; and Jha’Neal “Blue” Stoute, from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Dolchan will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a concentration in general management. Dolchan was on the Dean’s List each semester he attended Frostburg. Aside from his excellent work as a student, he also has interned with Baas Bikes and Kick Masters Karate (KMK), where he works as an independent contractor and disciple status instructor. Dolchan is active in student organizations as well, being a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and a founding member of Young Americans for Liberty. He has been recognized as one of Allegany Magazine’s 15 Most Fascinating People and honored with the KMK Black Belt of the Year Award, the KMK Fire-Starter Award, Ronald Reagan Student Leader Award and the Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence.

Fields will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood/elementary education. Fields was listed on the Dean’s List throughout her Frostburg career and has been an excellent student. She had teaching internships at Cash Valley Elementary School in Allegany County and Waverly Elementary in Frederick County, the latter in a class heavily concentrated with English language learners. Her classroom experience as a substitute teacher and a summertime assistant teacher is extensive. Fields’ faculty mentors say she’s very responsive to students in her teaching environments and is always considerate of what is developmentally appropriate for children. She continues to look for opportunities to grow professionally through training and workshop opportunities. FSU faculty described Fields as kind, thoughtful, helpful to her peers and very professional. Actively involved in campus organizations as well as the community, she served as a member of the ECHOSTARS AmeriCorps program in 2014-15.

Stoute will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and mass communication. She is an outstanding spoken word poet; in 2016, she was awarded the International Brave New Voices Grand Slam Championship and was the first Black Pride Grand Slam Champion. Stoute’s creativity has been featured in theatrical performances, including “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Detroit ’67.” In 2018, she directed and organized the production of “The Vagina Monologues.” For a directed study in her mass communication major, Stoute completed a documentary, “What They Don’t Teach You About Black Life,” about mental illness in the black community. She was president of the student organization Spectrum from 2015 to 2018 and a member of FSU’s Gender-Based Harassment and Violence Elimination Task Force. Stoute was recognized with the BSA Humanitarian Award and the President’s Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Provost Dr. Elizabeth Throop; Dr. Sudhir Singh, dean of the College of Business; Dr. Boyce Williams, interim dean of the College of Education; and Dr. Dorothy Campbell, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will present candidates for degrees.

Tickets are required to attend. For more information about commencement, visit the Commencement web site.

The ceremony will also be streamed live online. For the livestream link, visit the Frostburg State web site on the day of commencement. An overflow viewing area showing the livestreamed broadcast will be available in the Lane University Center Loft near Starbucks. No tickets are required at this location.

Graduates and families are encouraged to share photos of favorite Commencement moments on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by tagging them with the hashtag #FrostburgGRAD.

Situated in the mountains of Allegany County, Frostburg State University is one of the 12 institutions of the University System of Maryland. FSU is a comprehensive, residential regional university and serves as an educational and cultural center for Western Maryland. For more information, visit the Frostburg State web site or the FSU Facebook page. Follow FSU on Twitter @frostburgstate.

FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.