With the close of Susquehanna University’s 168th academic year, a new class of graduates steps forward — poised to launch careers, pursue graduate study and set what they’ve learned into motion.
Accounting grad bound for the Big 4
As she considered where to launch her career after graduation, Samantha Rogers sought a firm that would challenge her and support her growth. That’s what drew her to KPMG.
“I wanted to be in an environment where I’m constantly learning and challenged,” Rogers said. “The opportunity to work with a wide range of clients is important to me because I want to absorb as much as possible early in my career.”
As an audit associate, Rogers, who majored in accounting, will work on financial statement audits and gain hands-on experience with clients. It’s a role that aligns naturally with her strengths.
“I’ve always enjoyed problem-solving and working through challenges, so accounting was a great fit for me. I like breaking things down and really understanding how everything connects,” the Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, native said. “I also enjoy working with others and helping people, so I’m excited to build relationships with my team and clients.”
Studying for the CPA exam, Rogers said, has been one of the most demanding experiences she faced, but also one of the most rewarding. She is already halfway toward her CPA certification having passed the first two of four sections of the exam.
“Preparing for the CPA exam has pushed me more than anything I’ve done before and has taught me self-discipline and accountability,” Rogers said. “I feel more confident starting at KPMG knowing that I’ve already made significant progress toward my CPA, and I’m glad I was able to get a head start as an undergrad.”
Now, Rogers is ready to keep learning, growing and embracing every opportunity ahead.
“I’m looking forward to growing both personally and professionally as I start my career,” Rogers said. “I want to continue challenging myself and apply everything I’ve learned at Susquehanna.”
Other graduates from the Sigmund Weis School of Business are bound for AXA XL, Columbia Bank, EY, DHL Supply Chain, Future Business Leaders of America, Hartford Financial Services Group, Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc., the Hershey Company, IHG Hotels & Resorts, JPMorganChase, Kiewit, Louis Vuitton, MUFG, Novo Nordisk, PricewaterhouseCoopers, SEI, Seneca Insurance Companies, Sompo International, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Valuation Research Corporation, Vanguard and the Walt Disney Company.
Ecology major headed to Alaska for salmon study
Soon after Jacob Thomas graduates from Susquehanna University, he will relocate to Alaska to work as a field technician for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. There, he will reside in a remote cabin with a small team of researchers recording salmon counts and characteristics. The data they collect will help inform decisions regarding commercial fishing in the region.
“I’m excited to go to a place I’ve been wanting to see since I was a kid, while doing the exact type of work that I was hoping my education would lead me to,” Thomas said. “Also, I think it’ll be pretty cool to see grizzly bears.”
Thomas, a Sunbury, Pennsylvania, native, majored in ecology. Last summer, he interned with Susquehanna’s Freshwater Research Institute studying fish in challenging environmental conditions and rough terrain — an experience he said perfectly prepared him for his upcoming work.
In fact, it was through that experience Thomas learned about the Alaska position, as he is not the first Susquehanna alum to set off for the last frontier. Danielle Tryon ’24, who also worked at the FRI when she was a student, joined the Alaska Department of Fish and Game immediately after her graduation. It was through conversation with Tryon that Thomas determined this work was something he absolutely wanted to be a part of.
“I decided to major in ecology because I love being outside and wanted to do field work in remote and interesting places,” Thomas said. “Alaska is about as remote and interesting as you can get, so when I heard about this opportunity, I jumped on it right away.”
Other natural sciences graduates will embark upon careers or graduate school at Columbia University, Geisinger Health System, IEH Laboratories & Consulting Group, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Temple University, University of Virginia, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of State, Villanova University and Washington University in St. Louis.
Tenor will lift his voice at the New England Conservatory of Music
As the curtain closes on music education major Robbie Speece’s four years at Susquehanna, the tenor vocalist is preparing to enter his next scene at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music where he will pursue an advanced degree in vocal performance.
“I will study art songs, arias and opera as well as broader studies in music history, theory and performance practice,” Speece said. “I have chosen this area of study to gain more exposure to opera repertoire and continue my training in classical vocal music.”
Speece’s decision to continue his training at the conservatory level reflects a clear commitment to his craft. Eager to expand his repertoire and refine his technique, he is focused on building a career as a professional performer, with aspirations to appear in opera productions, recital settings and choral ensembles.
“I enjoy collaboration and creating art with others. Music, and all forms of arts, are about expression,” Speece said. “I am empowered to pursue this profession because I have experienced performances that truly changed who I am as a person and shaped who I am today.”
For Speece, the journey is also deeply personal. His mother, a music alumna, and his father, a political science alumnus and attorney, helped shape his early connection to the university.
“The community at Susquehanna was apparent throughout my entire admissions process by the personal connections made during my audition, interaction with faculty and the traditions that I get to share with my parents,” Speece said.
Other graduates from Susquehanna’s School of the Arts will embark on careers or graduate school at Dow Jones News Fund, Eastern University, Johns Hopkins University, Hatteras, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and Trollwood Performing Arts School.
First-generation grad finds smile in dentistry
Blending a passion for science, creativity and entrepreneurship, Katelyn Dugery is preparing to take the next step toward a career in dentistry.
Dugery, a Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, native who majored in biomedical sciences, will attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine to pursue a Doctor of Dental Medicine.
Dugery’s interest in dentistry was shaped early on by her family.
“My mom is a dental assistant, so I’ve grown up surrounded by the dental field,” she said. From her father, who owns a construction company, she developed an appreciation for creativity and independence.
“As I got older, I began to see dentistry as the perfect combination of everything I was looking for,” she said. “As a dentist I will have the ability to run my own practice and can help others by giving them a reason to smile!”
A first-generation college student, Dugery and her brothers — one a recent graduate in civil engineering and the other a collegiate athlete — were raised with the belief that “a strong work ethic and support system is all we need.” Rather than viewing her first-generation status as a barrier, Dugery sees it as motivation.
“Being first-generation has never been something we’ve seen as a setback,” she said. Instead, they embraced the opportunity to “make our parents proud by becoming the first generation of doctors, engineers and professional athletes.”
Valedictorian follows call into ELCA ministry
With a calling shaped by faith, community and personal growth, Kendyll Ward is preparing to take the next step in a journey that began in her childhood church.
Ward, who earned dual degrees in psychology and French studies and was named one among several valedictorians in the Class of 2026, will attend United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia to pursue a Master of Divinity, with the goal of becoming an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
She envisions a future in congregational ministry, with a particular emphasis on youth, while remaining open to how her role may evolve.
“I am mindful of the ever-changing and evolving church and am keeping my options open for what being a pastor will look like within the next couple of years,” she said.
Her path to ministry began at her childhood church in Havertown, Pennsylvania, where her early experiences in Sunday School gradually grew into deeper involvement. A pivotal moment came in 2018 when she attended a national youth gathering in Houston alongside 30,000 Lutherans — an experience she describes as life-changing.
“After returning home, I wanted to get involved in every possible way,” Ward said. Over time, she discovered a passion for preaching, “and this has inspired me even more to pursue ministry,” she said.
At Susquehanna University, Ward built a strong academic and experiential foundation for her future. Through her majors, a religious studies minor and hands-on work at Weber Chapel, she developed her intellectual depth and speaking skills.
“Gaining a theological education to become a pastor has been a lifelong dream,” Ward said. “I am excited for all the new opportunities and experiences that will be placed before me. As I move on from Susquehanna, I will step into my future as a proud River Hawk.”
Other social science graduates will embark upon careers or graduate school at AmeriCorps, Marywood University, Penn Highlands Healthcare, Pennsylvania Senate, Slivinski Law Offices, Restorative Behavioral Health, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, Widener University and various school districts.
Sports enthusiast begins sports media career as grad assistant
From the first time he stepped onto a soccer field, Michael Lipscomb knew sports would always be a part of his life. What began as a childhood passion quickly grew into something more — something that would shape his future.
“Originally I wanted to go to school for engineering, but once I learned I could study sports media at Susquehanna, I was hooked immediately,” said Lipscomb, a Frederick, Maryland, native.
Lipscomb is bound for Hood College, Maryland, where he will work as a graduate assistant in sports information while also pursuing his Master of Business Administration.
While studying sports media at Susquehanna, Lipscomb expanded his skills to include feature writing, videography and photography through various roles in the Athletics Department. He also worked with the Marketing & Communications Office and WQSU. He said his marketing minor strengthened his understanding of the business side of sports.
“As a graduate assistant, I’ll continue building my career,” Lipscomb said, “with the goal of one day working with a professional or collegiate sports team.”
Other graduates from Susquehanna’s School of Humanities will embark on careers or graduate school at Alro Steel, Boston University, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Insight Global, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, Pennsylvania State University Libraries, University of Tennessee and WebFX.
