Jubilation filled the room at the Penn Stater Conference Center as South Hills School of Business and Technology graduated 73 students from its State College and Altoona campuses.
President and co-founder of South Hills School, Maralyn Mazza, stated that starting South Hills was the best thing that she and her husband, the late Paul Mazza II, ever did.
“It has been the joy of our lives watching you head into your new lives and careers,” Mazza said.
The night was filled with bursts of applause and cheering from family and friends as the graduates walked across the stage to officially receive their specialized associate degrees, diplomas, and the accompanying hug from Maralyn Mazza. Close to 1,000 people were in attendance to be a part of this family-friendly night of recognition and celebration for South Hills’ Class of June 2015.
Because of appreciation for their alma mater, two prior South Hills graduates returned to be a part of this year’s graduation. The commencement ceremony vocalist was Coreen Watson, 2012 Business Administration-Accounting graduate who drove from Everett to be a part of the event. Before singing a special song for the graduates, she expressed her deep gratitude for the education as well as the personal growth she acquired while at South Hills.
Keynote speaker for the night was Lori Watson, a Class of 2000 Diagnostic Medical Sonography graduate. Over the past 15 years, she used and enriched her medical ultrasound degree to recently become Executive Administrator for Surgical Specialist of Lancaster, PC.
Watson commented on how thrilling it was for her to return to State College to see how South Hills School and her medical sonography program has expanded since graduating 15 years ago. She encouraged the graduates to aim high, set good goals, challenge themselves and be confident in their ability to achieve.
Numerous academic honors and awards were given throughout the night. Accounting graduate, Dominique Hook of Aaronsburg, was the honorary recipient of the Joann Bonfatto Memorial Award. This special award is given to a graduate who exhibits the attributes of enthusiasm, friendliness, dependability and willingness to help others while a student at the State College campus.
South Hills has schools located in State College, Altoona and Lewistown and has graduated over 6,000 students in its 45th year history.
