Duquesne University honoured 90 international students at the International Graduate Reception held 7 May for graduates, family and friends. The international students graduated from the university during the spring undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies on 10 May.
They are part of Duquesne’s 1,390 undergraduate and graduate degree students from the class of 2019. According to International Admissions Coordinator Megan Evangeliste, the 7 May reception was held in honor of international students and their families who came all the way from Asia, Africa, and Europe to attend the graduation ceremonies. Speakers at the International Graduate Reception were Dr Joseph DeCrosta, executive director, and Michael Burke, director, of the Center for Global Engagement. The international students’ names were read, along with their majors and countries of origin. They received pins in recognition of their accomplishments, which they pinned on their graduation gowns during the 10 May commencement ceremonies.
Degrees, major concentrations and countries of origin
The international students came from 26 countries with China having the most number of graduates followed by Saudi Arabia and India as the top three source countries. The 23 other countries represented by the rest of the students are as follows: Canada, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Colombia, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, Russia, Oman, Australia, Vietnam, Croatia, Hungary, Estonia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, Serbia and Montenegro, Brazil and the Netherlands.
Of the 90 graduates, 19 were conferred undergraduate degrees in Business, Biology, Liberal Arts, Health Science, Environmental Science and Music while the 71 received their graduate degrees Education, Theology, Healthcare Ethics, Pharmaceutics, English, Law, Business, Management, Accountancy and Music. Major concentrations included finance, accounting, economics, business management, sustainable business practices, management, general business, theology, biology, biotechnology, healthcare ethics, health management systems, nursing, psychology, medicinal chemistry, special education, English as a Second Language (ESL), instructional technology and leadership, education administration, counsellor/education supervisor, performing arts, communication, computer science, juris doctor and foreign law.
2019 commencement ceremonies
During the graduation rites, two Pittsburghers received honorary doctoral degrees from Duquesne University. University President Ken Gormley presented the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to both Maxwell King and Joanne Byrd Rogers for their outstanding service to the community.
Maxwell King is the president and chief executive officer of the Pittsburgh Foundation since 2014. He was also founding director of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College. He wrote The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, the first-ever full biography of the children’s educational television pioneer. King served as editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1990-1998, during which the newspaper was recognized by Time magazine as one of the five best newspapers in the nation.
Duquesne University places #119 in this year’s U.S. News & World Report University Rankings. It offers eight pathway courses, 100 undergraduate and 99 graduate degree programs. For details on scholarships, fees, IELTS and other requirements, education agents and students may check out the EduCo Course Finder.
