The Dime Bank celebrates employee graduations The Dime Bank is proud to recognize five of its dedicated employees for graduating from the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s Schools of Banking, a significant achievement that highlights their commitment to professional growth and excellence in the banking industry. Gary Schemel II, Amanda Abbruzzi, and Cora-Ann Grossman have successfully completed the Advanced School of Banking, a comprehensive three-year leadership development program designed to prepare banking professionals for management and leadership roles within the financial services industry. Through a curriculum focused on financial services knowledge, leadership development, and strategic thinking, participants gain a deeper understanding of the many disciplines within banking and how they work together to drive organizational success. Caitlin Babyak and Madison Irish completed the PA Bankers School of Banking, a comprehensive one-year program designed to provide a strong foundation in core banking principles. “We are incredibly proud of our team members for their hard work and commitment to professional development,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich. “Completing these rigorous programs demonstrates their dedication to advancing their careers and strengthening the future of The Dime Bank. Their achievements reflect both their individual talents and the bank’s ongoing investment in building the next generation of leaders.” Schemel II has served the banking industry for 12 years. As vice president, BSA/fraud officer, he leads the bank’s programs to stop financial crime and manage risk related to fraud. He oversees compliance with anti-money laundering laws and directs fraud prevention strategies. His daily focus centers on monitoring transactions, investigating suspicious activities, and ensuring strict adherence to complex federal guidelines. Additionally, he designs comprehensive risk-mitigation policies and delivers essential training to safeguard both the institution and our customers from emerging threats. Abbruzzi has served the banking industry for eight years. As training manager, she oversees employee training programs, coordinates the bank’s training curriculum, monitors employee progress, and helps ensure completion of required learning and compliance initiatives. She works closely with departments to support employee development and foster a culture of continuous learning. Throughout her career, Abbruzzi has built experience in training and professional development, helping team members gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their roles. Grossman has served the banking industry for seven years, joining The Dime Bank as universal banker in 2022 and recently promoted to branch manager II. She manages branch operations, leads her team, and helps customers achieve their financial goals. Known for her dedication to customer service and team development, she is committed to creating a positive banking experience for every customer. Babyak has five years of experience in the banking industry and currently serves as HR & training generalist I. She supports the bank’s recruitment efforts by sourcing and screening candidates for open positions, manages administrative responsibilities, and assists the training department with onboarding and training new hires. Prior to transitioning into her current role, she assisted customers with their everyday banking needs and provided exceptional service while building strong customer relationships. Irish has been in the banking industry for three years. As the insurance/escrow representative, she is dedicated to providing accurate, timely support to both customers and colleagues. Irish maintains and analyzes escrow accounts, assists borrowers and peers with escrow inquiries, and performs general loan operations functions.
Marywood University Celebrates 108th Commencement More than 930 graduates, including those from August, December, May, and international cohorts, were part of Marywood University’s 108th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 1 p.m., Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, in Wilkes-Barre Twp. President Lisa A. Lori, J.D. conferred degrees on undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, who represent 25 states and nine countries, from Marywood University’s two colleges, the College of Health Sciences and the Reap College of Creative and Professional Studies. Business, social work, and physician assistant studies were the top graduate-level degree programs. Business, architecture, and nursing were the top undergraduate-level degree programs. Actress and comedian Caroline Rhea served as keynote speaker and received an honorary doctorate during the ceremony. Ms. Rhea is known for her many television and film roles, particularly as Hilda Spellman in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Recalling her role as Aunt Hilda, she encouraged the graduates to persevere as they pursue the magic of success. “Use your power for good,” said Rhea. “Persevere and keep trying.” Regional graduates are listed below by degree level, then alphabetically by county of residence. For full list of graduates and related commencement information, visit marywood.edu/commencement.
Misericordia University Hosts Doctor of Physical Therapy Hooding Ceremony Misericordia University recently celebrated the achievements of its newest Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates during the annual Hooding Ceremony held on campus. The event marked a significant milestone for the graduates, signifying the culmination of years of rigorous academic and clinical training. Misericordia University’s DPT program, known for its commitment to excellence in education and clinical practice, continues to prepare students for impactful careers in healthcare. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 DPT graduates as they embark on their journeys to make a difference in their communities! To learn more about the program, click here. Names and hometowns of graduates: Jillian Rogers, Denville, NJ; Andrea Carlson, Newton, NJ; Tara Sweeney, Jessup, PA; Matthew Myers, Hughesville, PA; Kaylee Sturans, Fredericksburg, VA; Eric Jeffies, Nanticoke, PA; Shannon Williams, Hellertown, PA; Brianna McPeak, Warrington, PA; Brianna Fox, Laurel, NY; Zoee Farr, Vestal, NY; Katrina Redline, Dallas, PA; Nicholas Toronzi, White Haven, PA; Micaela Fasolino, Poughkeepsie, NY; Sean Burg, New Castle, DE; Zackary Jayne, Towanda, PA; Matthew McCaffery, Simpson, PA; Katelyn Butczynski, Nanticoke, PA; Shelby Brittain, Milford, PA; Jacqueline Stack, Mahopac, NY; Samantha Lubin, Doylestown, PA; Ashlynn Fitzgerald, Dallas, PA; Brandon Istvan, Dover, NJ; Spencer Sundeberg, Lynbrook, NY; Thomas Vaccaro, Montrose, PA; Justin Occhipinti, Dunmore, PA; Devin Dougherty, Shavertown, PA; Kristen McCloskey, Lumberton, NJ; Alexa Wagner, Elmira, NY; Cheril Parmar, Scranton, PA; Kaden Martell, Canton, PA; John Kelley, Levittown, PA; Kyle Romanofski, Swoyersville, PA; Alexandrea Steele, Nanticoke, PA; Alanna O’Malley, Mays Landing, NJ; Zachary Johnson, Nanticoke, PA; Jason Winters, Palmer, PA; Jarod Cipriano, Scranton, PA; Wayne VanNewkirk, Honeoye Falls, NY; Dane Frantz, Lehighton, PA; Tyler German, Allentown, PA;
Lackawanna College Police Academy Graduation to Host Scranton Police Detective WHEN: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. WHERE: Lackawanna College’s Peoples Security Bank Theater, Angeli Hall, 501 Vine St., Scranton, PA. WHAT: The Lackawanna College Police Academy will graduate the full-time Class 262. The graduating class includes 26 cadets who are set to embark on their careers in law enforcement. Kevin Mahoney, Director of Police Academy Operations, will welcome attendees and present certifications to the cadets. We are honored to have Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin as our guest speaker. Detective Gilmartin will share his insights and experiences to inspire the new graduates. MEDIA RSVP: Space is limited, and media representatives are requested to RSVP prior to attending the event. Please contact Eric Eiden, Media Relations Coordinator, at eidene@lackawanna.edu or (570) 961-7807.
Lackawanna College Graduation to Feature Speech by Scranton Police Detective The Lackawanna College Police Academy is proud to announce the graduation of its full-time Class 262. This distinguished class comprises 26 dedicated cadets who are set to embark on their careers in law enforcement. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in Lackawanna College’s Peoples Security Bank Theater, Angeli Hall, 501 Vine St., Scranton, PA. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Kevin Mahoney, Director of Police Academy Operations, will welcome attendees and present certifications to the cadets. We are honored to have Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin as our guest speaker. Detective Gilmartin will share his insights and experiences to inspire the new graduates. Space is limited, and media representatives are requested to RSVP prior to attending the event. Please contact Eric Eiden, Media Relations Coordinator, at eidene@lackawanna.edu or (570) 961-7807.
Celebrating the Future Leaders of Tomorrow! The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce professional development and community leadership division, Leadership Lackawanna, celebrated 44 high school juniors who graduated from the organization Tomorrow’s Leaders Today (TLT) program. Tomorrow’s Leaders Today is sponsored by NBT Bank. Tomorrow’s Leaders Today is a seven-month program that develops the leadership, interpersonal, and managerial skills of high school juniors and provides real-world experiences in financial literacy, health care, STEAM, philanthropy, crime and corrections, nonprofit organizations, and community service. Class of 2024 participants: Dhruv Amin Jacob Antolick Ashley Bossick Giada Costa Joseph DiStasi Chloe Dong Gabriella Estadt Nicholas Giumento Abigail Harshbarger Joseph Healey Matthew Hill Cole Johnston Zachary Kovaleski Kylie Krzak Caroline Luyster Jordan Malar Jack Maloney Mandie Martin Isabelle Maurer Sarah McCullon Roland McLaine Isabella Moher Declan Moran Reese Morgan Clinton Muir Ivy Neureuter Sarah O’Brien Justin Osman Ava Page Dante Pallazari Margaret Pegula Anthony John Piestrak Abygale Plevyak Hope Polishan Gabriella Potis Lily Rozzi Elizabeth Schneider Gia Serge Akhilesh Velaga Ava Wallace Makayla Walton Nico Warhola Elizabeth Washine Faith Wormuth Throughout the program, students were engaged in various sessions facilitated by local organizations serving the greater Scranton area. In addition to invaluable lessons in the program focus areas, students were given the unique opportunity to engage with business leaders and network with students from 16 local schools. Their program culminated with the allocation of $15,000 in grant money from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to five deserving local nonprofits selected by the students. The nonprofits that received the 2024 grants are the Catherine McAuley Center, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Keystone Mission, Lackawanna County Area Agency of Aging, and the Women’s Resource Center. In addition, each student completed five service hours for a total of 220 hours, dedicated to helping 8 local nonprofit organizations. Leadership Lackawanna’s TLT Program accepts applications from sophomores who attend high school in Lackawanna County and its surrounding areas, as well as all charter and technical schools and homeschool students. Learn more online at www.LeadershipLackawanna.org.
Lackawanna College Announces Police Academy Cadet Graduation The Lackawanna College Police Academy will graduate the full-time Class 261 of Hazleton during the ceremony. The graduating classes includes 29 total cadets, who will begin their careers in law enforcement. Director of Police Academy Operations Kevin Mahoney will welcome those attending and present certifications to the cadets during the ceremony. Guest speaker Jenny Roberts, Esq. Assistant U.S. Attorney, will attend the ceremony to speak to the cadets. Tuesday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Lackawanna College Peoples Security Bank Theater, Angeli Hall, 501 Vine St., Scranton, Pa. Media are requested to RSVP prior to attending the event. Contact Eric Eiden, media relations coordinator eidene@lackawanna.edu or 570-961-7807.
Dime Bank Employees Graduate from School of Banking Several Dime Bank employees recently completed coursework offered by the Pennsylvania Bankers Association (PA Bankers), the state’s leading banking trade association offering extensive continuing education programs. Viktoria L. Beiter, Lake Region branch universal banker III, and Riley P. Terysen, Indian Orchard branch manager, graduated from PA Bankers Advanced School of Banking on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at the Penn Stater Conference Center, State College. PA Bankers’ Advanced School of Banking is a three-year program that teaches financial services knowledge and skills and paves the road for participants to become leaders at any level within their organization. The curriculum provides a greater understanding of the multiple banking disciplines and how those disciplines work together within the bank. It is analogous to 200-, 300- and 400-level college course study. Beiter received the prestigious Dr. Philip O. Benham, Jr. Achievement Award. Only one or two students each year qualify to receive the Dr. Philip O. Benham, Jr. Achievement Award, as they must achieve the highest academic achievements throughout the three-year school. The award honors the late Dr. Philip O. Benham, Jr., a longtime PA Bankers’ Advanced School of Banking faculty member and curriculum coordinator from Hollidaysburg, PA. Benham, Jr. taught leadership skills and management development, authored several novels, and was nationally recognized as an expert judge on publication of leadership articles in leading educational journals. Nicholas Pomroy, assistant vice president network administrator, Elisabeth McConnell, commercial lending administration specialist, and Brandon Stanton, Accountant II, graduated from PA Bankers School of Banking. The PA Bankers School of Banking provides students with a broad base of knowledge of the financial services industry, which can be applied in a practical manner. Topics taught at this 100-level school cover the banking system, understanding bank financial statements, marketing to customers, compliance, lending, motivation, and supervision. President and Chief Executive Officer Pete Bochnovich stated, “As a community bank, we are driven to provide opportunities for our employees to enhance their education and we are proud of this year’s graduates who made a big commitment to expand their knowledge of the banking industry and thus enrich their abilities to service our customers and grow with The Dime Bank.”
Lackawanna College Police Academy Cadets Graduate The Lackawanna College Police Academy graduated the part-time Class 258 of Scranton and full-time Class 259 of Hazleton during the ceremony. The graduating classes includes 36 total cadets, who will begin their careers in law enforcement. Director of Police Academy Operations Kevin Mahoney welcomed those attending and presented certifications to the cadets during the ceremony. This graduation comes after Governor Shapiro’s visit to the Lackawanna College Police Academy in March to discuss a police recruitment proposal via a $2,500 tax credit yearly for the next three years.
Johnson College to Celebrate Largest Graduating Class Johnson College will celebrate its largest graduating class at its commencement ceremony on May 13, 2023, at 10 a.m. on its Scranton campus. Graduating students will report to the Moffat Student Center gym by 9 a.m. Graduates will complete programs for Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degrees, academic certificates, and Readiness in Skilled Employment (RISE). John W. Cosgrove, Chief Executive Officer of AllOne Foundation & Charities, will give the commencement address. Degrees will be presented by Katie Leonard, Ed.D., President & CEO of Johnson College, and Heather Bonker, General Education Director of Johnson College. Recipients of Johnson College’s Award for Academic Excellence A.A.S., Jacob Banta, an Automotive Technology program graduate, and Richard Christianson, a Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Technology program graduate, will serve as student speakers. Matthew Michalek ’85, Vice President of Operations of L.R. Costanzo Company, and Co-Owner of B & M Property Development, will give the alumni address to the newly graduated Johnson College class of 2023. The event will be live-streamed on the College’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/JohnsonCollegePA. Alpha Beta Kappa (ABK) is the premier national collegiate honor society for trades and essential occupations. The society honors excellence not only in the classroom, but also in shop, studio, and laboratory study. Additionally, students must be a member of a student organization or club to become Alpha Beta Kappa members. The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is an educational non-profit that exists to honor, recognize, and empower students and teachers in Career & Technical Education The appearance of the degree candidate’s name does not verify satisfactory completion of degree requirements.