Alverno Will Confer First Two Doctoral Degrees

For the first time in its 131 year history, Alverno College will confer doctoral degrees. The candidates, Linda Bay ’01, ’04, ’07 and Christina Megal ’92, ’99, ’15, are graduating from the college’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program launched in January 2017. Alverno will hold its 158th commencement on December 15 as 78 master’s candidates, 125 undergraduates and the two doctoral candidates walk across the Pitman Theatre stage to receive their degrees. The graduate ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m., followed by a reception. The undergraduate ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m., and will also be followed by a reception.

Commencement activities for undergraduates will begin on Friday, December 14 with a Baccalaureate Mass at 4:00 p.m. in the Alverno College chapel, followed by a dinner for degree candidates and their families. The undergraduate commencement introduction will be given by Dana Doyle, who will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s and Gender Studies with a minor in Psychology. The undergraduate invocation will be given by Cecilia Marrero, who will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education/Middle School, with a minor in English Language Arts for Teachers. The student address, “Embrace It, Feel It, Celebrate It,” will be given by Pa Ying Lee, who will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business with a minor in Business Analytics. The graduate commencement invocation will be given by Bay and Megal, who will receive their Doctor of Nursing Practice. Marrero, Lee and Megal are Milwaukee residents, Doyle is from New Berlin, and Bay lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

About Alverno College

Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.