More than 1,400 students to graduate at Wright State’s 2019 fall commencement

Wright State’s 2019 fall commencement ceremony takes place Saturday, Dec. 14, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Wright State Nutter Center.

More than 1,400 students are expected to graduate during Wright State University’s 2019 fall commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 14.

The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in the Wright State Nutter Center. Tickets are required.

The class of 2019 includes graduates with 925 bachelor’s degrees, 452 master’s degrees, 47 doctoral degrees and 16 associate degrees.

The class features 132 international students from 20 different countries. India boasts the largest number of foreign graduates, with 63.

The youngest graduating student is 18, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. The oldest student is 80, earning a master’s degree in humanities.

Graduates by college:

• College of Education and Human Services: 250
• College of Engineering and Computer Science: 286
• College of Liberal Arts: 209
• College of Nursing and Health: 90
• College of Science and Mathematics: 179
• Raj Soin College of Business: 309
• Lake Campus: 41

The commencement ceremony will be broadcast live on WSU-TV on Time Warner Cable channel 21.105 in the university dorms and Fairborn and regionally on AT&T Uverse channel 99 in the Dayton tab.

The ceremony can also be watched online at wright.edu/streaming

Notable class of 2019 graduates

Faith White, a biology major and Army ROTC cadet, intends to serve at least four years of active duty in the U.S. Army.

Faith White

Faith White is a biology major who serves in the Army ROTC and after graduation will be commissioned as an officer.

In 2017, she interned with the Center of Microbial Pathenogenesis at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, comparing the DNA of bacteria. At the end of her four-month-long internship, she made a presentation of her work to the scientific community.

The following year, White was accepted into the Cultural Understanding and Leadership Program and assigned to the African nation of Madagascar. She trained with Madagascar’s military cadets and helped teach English.

White says she wants people to remember her name and associate it with her hard work and perseverance.

“I entered college by myself and now I’m graduating with new friends who I now consider family,” she said. “Wright State holds their students to high expectations, which forced me to be accountable for my schoolwork and time management.”

After graduation, White intends to serve at least four years of active duty in the U.S. Army and hopes to be assigned to the Medical Services branch. Her career dream is to become a physician.

Denis Barry Jr., a geography major, hopes to work in urban planning, data management or academia.

Denis Barry Jr.

Denis Barry Jr. will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in geography. Last year, he won first place for his research poster during the annual meeting of the East Lakes Division of the American Association of Geographers. His poster stemmed from his research into poverty in Appalachian Ohio on a county level.

As a result of his presentation, he was recruited to master’s degree geography programs at The Ohio State University, Central Michigan University, Western Michigan University and several other schools.

Barry worked his way through college with various jobs, including an internship working in geographic information systems at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

He is also a member of the Wright State Pep Band, where he primarily plays the tuba. But he has taught himself to play virtually every musical instrument — from the piano to the guitar to the clarinet and saxophone.

After college, Barry would like to do something in the urban planning field or find a job in data management or in academia.

Hunter Whitt, a communication major, wants to work as a school counselor after graduation.

Hunter Whitt

Hunter Whitt will receive a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in health communication.

Having cerebral palsy, which affects mobility, presented extra challenges. But Whitt says the university was able to provide him with the support and resources he needed to become independent and confident.

Whitt also took advantage of opportunities outside the classroom. As a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, he participated in the annual Raiderthon, a fundraising dance marathon in which proceeds go to Dayton Children’s Hospital. And last summer he interned in Maryland helping people with disabilities find jobs.

After graduation, Whitt wants to work as a school counselor and eventually seek a graduate degree in school counseling. His goal is to help students who may not have support to pursue higher education or careers.

Aman Ali Pogaku, a graduate computer science student, wants to work as a software engineer in the blockchain domain of the IT industry.

Aman Ali Pogaku

Aman Ali Pogaku will graduate with a master’s degree in computer science.

During his time at Wright State, Pogaku has become an expert in blockchain technology, a decentralized database to secure transactions, with potential applications in everything from finance to food safety.

Pogaku has written 17 different blog posts about blockchain technology and spoken at national blockchain and technology conferences in Boston and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Pogaku said Wright State gave him a strong foundation in computer science.

“The coursework projects give sufficient hands-on experience to help graduates secure a proper job in the industry,” he said. “And the environment, flexibility and facilities provided at the university helped me conduct master’s thesis research in the blockchain domain.”

After graduation, Pogaku wants to work as a software engineer in the blockchain domain of the IT industry.