Submitted by Neumann University
BELLEFONTE — Bellefonte’s Madelyn Tice has been named valedictorian of the Class of 2024 at Neumann University in Aston. She will deliver the valedictory address during the undergraduate graduation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18.
Tice is a business administration major and sport management minor with a 4.0 GPA. She graduated in three years by completing 12 college credits in high school and taking 18 credits per semester at Neumann in addition to an occasional winter class.
Tice, who previously played softball for Bellefonte, played catcher for Neumann University and worked as a peer tutor, helping other students succeed in business courses such as marketing, business statistics, accounting and management.
In April, she was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a national honor society that recognizes students who have excelled in the classroom and athletic competition.
Tice will begin her career post-graduation as a human resources coordinator with Aramark Destinations in Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park.
She believes that a summer 2023 internship with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation in Medora, North Dakota, made her an attractive candidate for the Bryce Canyon job.
“It was an amazing summer,” Tice recalled. “I got to meet people from all over the world, and the experience grew my passion for HR and the outdoors. My duties included onboarding and offboarding, scheduling trips to movies and festivals and helping a team organize the annual musical that tells the story of the town.”
Her fascination with the outdoors began years ago when her family of baseball fans decided to add to its bucket list the goal of visiting every Major League Baseball park — they have only six to go.
“One summer, we went to Seattle, drove south and hit six ballparks. Along the way, we saw Redwood National Forest and other national parks, too.”
She knew then that she wanted a career that would connect her to the outdoors.
Tice grew up in Bellefonte but didn’t want to go to college close to home.
“I was recruited by the Neumann softball coach and was familiar with the area (suburban Philadelphia) from traveling to softball tournaments,” she explained. “Neumann is close enough to home, but I’m still on my own, making new friends and experiences.”
She was surprised at an athletic banquet on Monday, April 22, when her name was announced as valedictorian.
“I was caught off guard and definitely shocked. But when I told my mom, she was really excited.”
