Bucknell Set to Celebrate Class of 2024 Commencement

More than 870 students representing 32 states and 21 countries from the Class of 2024 will be awarded degrees during Bucknell University's 174th Commencement on Sunday, May 12, beginning at 10 a.m. on Malesardi Quadrangle. Nadia Sasso '11 — a creative producer and digital storyteller whose work has been recognized by former President Barack Obama and former network news anchor Katie Couric, among others — will deliver the keynote address.

The University will tentatively confer 874 degrees — 862 bachelor's degrees and 12 master's degrees. The College of Arts & Sciences will confer 544 undergraduate degrees, the College of Engineering will award 157, and the Freeman College of Management will confer 161.

The student speaker for Commencement will be Lea Tarzy '24, an accounting major from Medford, N.J. Alexandra Slofkiss '24, a biology major from Marlboro, N.J., will sing the national anthem. || Read more about Tarzy and Slofkiss.

As in past years, the ceremony will be livestreamed on Bucknell's Commencement web page and Facebook page.

Commencement Speaker
Sasso develops engaging, cross-platform cultural content, utilizing various media forms to connect people around the world. She was featured in the cover story of the Fall 2019 issue of Bucknell Magazine for her success as a digital storyteller.

She is also advancing inclusivity in the entertainment industry through her app BlaytorBox, which connects companies, brands and filmmakers to Black, Indigenous and other people of color professionals working in creative fields. The BlaytorBox project earned her a semifinalist position for the Black Ambition Prize, which provides capital and resources to high-growth startups founded by Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs.

Through her entrepreneurial and creative ventures along with her passion for making connections, Sasso has worked with award-winning actress, writer and producer Issa Rae; New York Times bestselling Nigerian-American author Luvvie Ajayi; and award-winning journalist and filmmaker/producer Jose Antonio Vargas. She also has led creative campaigns working with such clients as Viacom, Nielsen, UBS, the Peace Corps and the United Nations. She has leveraged her background in diversity, marketing, communications and new media with the White House, the Smithsonian and universities all over the world.

Sasso is also a documentary filmmaker who focuses on advocating for the Black experience in the United States. She made her creative debut in 2015 with the independent film Am I Too African to be American, Too American to be African, which she produced and directed. The film featured Rae and was celebrated for its impact on Afro-millennials around the world. Sasso was also a writing-room consultant and occasional host for the PBS show Say It Loud.

More recently, she released an experiential art campaign, #BCuzSheSaidSo, which featured her #13AlbumsTo31 Instagram visual social campaign to inspire Black women to be unapologetic about their identity.

Because of her leadership potential, Sasso was selected by the Posse Foundation to attend Bucknell, where she majored in English and sociology with a concentration in media and culture before graduating in 2011. At Bucknell, she was awarded a Project for Peace grant, which supports projects that contribute to resolving conflict and maintaining peace. She was the recipient of Bucknell's Young Alumni Award in 2021.

Weather Updates
If severe weather is likely, including thunderstorms with lightning, high winds, heavy or prolonged rain, Commencement may be delayed or moved indoors. This will be determined by 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. Announcements about the change will be made through campus email notification and on the Commencement website. Signs will be posted at the entrances to Malesardi Quadrangle and the lobby of the Elaine Langone Center. The University telephone operators will also be providing information at 570-577-2000.

The procession and Ceremony may also be delayed by up to two hours, then remain outdoors as planned.

If the ceremony is forced indoors, it will be held in Gerhard Fieldhouse at 10 a.m. Only graduates and ticket holders will be permitted. Other guests will be able to view a live broadcast of the event at one of several locations, including the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Trout Auditorium in the Vaughan Literature Building and several classrooms. || Campus map

For more information, including a complete schedule of all Commencement Weekend events, registration and general information, visit Commencement 2024.