PCA&D celebrates 43rd Commencement with the Class of 2025

Family and friends turned out on a sunny May 2 morning to celebrate the Class of 2025, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s 43rd graduating class. The College’s newest alumni marked the end of their PCA&D studies with BFA, BA, AFA, and AA degrees, and celebrated briefly before returning to campus to open the traditional three-day show of thesis work. 

Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient was Amy Sarig (A.S.) King, an award-winning author lauded as one of the country’s best writers for young adults. She is the only two-time winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, and she lectures throughout the United States. King earned a degree in photography from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. 

The 2025 Student Speaker was Rylee Hohney, a Photography & Video major.

Medals of Honor: Dr. Barbara K. Altmann and Danene Sorace. Dr. Altmann is the 16th President of Franklin & Marshall College, the first woman to serve in that role. She earned a B.A. in romance languages from University of Alberta, and completed an M.A. and Ph.D. in medieval French language and literature from University of Toronto. 

Sorace serves as the 43rd mayor of the City of Lancaster. Elected in 2018 to this position, and the second woman to hold this office, Sorace previously served on the Lancaster City Council, where she chaired the finance committee. She received her bachelor’s degree from Albright College, and her master’s degree in public policy from Rutgers University. 

Distinguished Alumnus Recipient: Mike Witmer ’88, Fine Art. A graduate of PCA&D’s precursor, The Pennsylvania School of the Arts, Witmer also studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has continued to paint, maintaining his studio practice for nearly four decades and exhibiting his work nationally. 

Departmental Awards

• Animation & Game Art: Samantha Sidesinger
• Design Thinking: Lindsay Salazer
• Fine Art: Quinn Knepper
• Graphic Design: Aiyana Alvarado
• Illustration: Beck Schilling
• Photography & Video: Kiri Chhun
• Liberal Arts: Laurence Jacoby

PCA&D Honors

Award for Academic Excellence (highest GPA): Bailey Stechman and Elizabeth Gregory 

Mary Colleen Heil Vanguard Award: Katherine Hess

Founders’ Award for Excellence in Leadership: Beck Schilling

Trustees’ Award for Faculty Excellence: Jason Ward

Trustees’ Award for Staff Excellence: Rebecca Adey

Degrees

Bachelor of Fine Art Degrees were conferred upon:

Animation & Game Art: Omar Lee Almanzar, Anthony Jordan Chase, Zanaeia Alejandra Douglas, Sandy Skye Ferrare, Cara Janay Miller, Samantha Lyn Sidesinger, Austen Tram, Andy Minh Vo.

Fine Art: Sydney Kate Beard, Charlie Eileen Boyce, Krista Anne Canoles, Elizabeth Margaret Gregory, Katherine Elizabeth Hess, Michelle Lynn Hess, Adanya Johnson, Quinn Olivia Knepper. 

Graphic Design: Aiyana Jordan Alvarado, Warren Daniel Burke, Logan Byer, Coby Correll, Matthew Thomas Dornan, Madalynne Catherine Reynolds, Bailey Michael Stechman. 

Illustration: Eric Michelle Bazor, Abigail Graham Doyle, James Henry Echevarria, Onix Guadalupe-Rivera, Laurence Leigh Jacoby, Jacob Kinney, Gelian Jeramel Mesa, Marissa Dionna Rhice, Beck A. Schilling, Lucas de Moraes Smith, Sydney Gage Walrath, Abigail Mae Wooddell, Taj Christian Younger, Nicole Anabel Zajdel. 

Photography & Video: Kiri Butr Chhun, Rylee Rose Marcelle Hohney, Ashley Marie Vazquez.

Associate of Arts Degrees were conferred upon:

Design Thinking with Concentration: Irene Lynnett Soriano-Cabrera, Illustration

Associate of Fine Arts Degrees were conferred upon: 

Animation & Game Art: Katelyn Lucas.

Photography & Video: Krista Ilizabeth Silon. 

Bachelor of Arts Degrees were conferred upon:

Design Thinking with Concentrations: Lindsay Elizabeth Salazer (Fine Art and Illustration); Christian Quadir Sizer (Graphic Design and Illustration).