IUP confers degrees on Cambria County graduates; Gov. Shapiro urges class to 'enjoy the journey'

May 12—INDIANA, Pa. — Indiana University of Pennsylvania honored 1,566 graduates during commencement ceremonies Saturday at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex including five Cambria County graduates who completed their degrees with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Those Cambria County graduates are Chloe Croft, a safety, health, and environmental applied sciences major from Johnstown; Kaitlyn Griffith, a biology major in ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology track from Johnstown; Sydney Sheredy, a safety, health, and environmental applied science major from Northern Cambria; Jenna Stancombe, a public health major from Johnstown; and Kailee St. Pierre, a criminology major in the Cook Honors College from Ebensburg.

The university also bestowed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Indiana resident Ellen Sylves Ruddock, a 1966 IUP graduate with honorary doctor of public services degrees.

Shapiro offered commencement remarks at the 2:00 p.m. ceremony.

Shapiro prepared the graduates to each be called by name to the stage where they would receive their degrees from IUP President Michael Driscoll.

"In a few minutes, President Driscoll will confer on you a hard-earned diploma, but while that moment will mark the end of your time here at IUP, please know that we call this ceremony a 'commencement' for a reason, because today, well, today marks a new beginning," he said. "In the years to come, your paths will lead you to become teachers, lawyers, military service members and engineers, nurses, doctors and public servants. Some of you will sit behind a desk, some will sit behind a front-end loader, and some will stand you on your feet for hours at a time in a hospital."

He encouraged the students to enjoy the short walk across the stage.

Taking walks is something he urged the graduates to do often.

"Running has its benefits and place and time, but, at least if you are like me, when you go for a run, you put your head down and you focus on reaching your destination as quickly as possible," he said. "Walking is different, when you walk your eyes are open to different paths, different people and different places right in front of you ... so my big advice to you is to take a walk ... If you let yourself enjoy the journey, if you walk in the direction you feel called to go you just might find yourself walking down a path no one has ever traveled before."

Shapiro closed his 10-minute address by referencing "Indiana's most famous son," Jimmy Stewart.

"Stewart appeared in many many iconic movies, It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith goes to Washington, but I want to share a quote from one of his lesser film classics. It was actually the final film of his career, the great animated feature, An American Tale: Fievel Goes West," Shapiro said.

In that film, Stewart played Wylie Burp, a K-9 law man "who keeps the peace and helps young Feivel the mouse find his way."

"He looks to Feivel and says 'I don't know what's out there beyond those hills, but if you ride yonder, head up, eyes steady, heart open, I think one day you'll find that you are the hero you've been looking for.' There's wisdom in that," Shapiro said. "No one knows what the future has in store, but if you walk your own path head up, eyes steady, heart open, you will accomplish much — if you believe in yourself and the power of your own unique path. So I wish you all a joyous commencement, a joyous and wonderful beginning, and I hope to see you on a walk sometime soon."