COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Dyani White Hawk Dyani White Hawk is an artist and curator whose work reflects both her Western, American upbringing and her indigenous ancestors’ mediums and modes for creating visual art. Her art inspires conversations that challenge the lack of representation of Native arts, people, and voices in our national consciousness. She received her BFA in 2-D Studio Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), and an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. White Hawk has been the recipient of numerous and significant grants and prizes and participated in residencies in Australia, Russia, and Germany. Her work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Walker Art Center, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum, among many other public and private collections.
ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD Sedakial Gebremedhin Established in 2015, this award is presented annually by the Alumni Council and recognizes alumni who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to their community. Sedakial Gebremedhin received his BFA from PAFA in 2012. For Gebremedhin, art and community are intertwined, and he views art as a platform to engage community, particularly youth. He is deeply committed to social justice, as exemplified by his work with the Justice for Kaleb Committee. Gebremedhin is a true collaborator and is a member of the Philadelphia-based artist cooperative workshop space Traction Company, composed entirely of PAFA alumni. As the community outreach coordinator at Philadelphia Contemporary, Gebremedhin supports their mission to reflect the diversity and vitality of Philadelphia through a global lens with art.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Aaron Fowler Established in 2003, this award is presented annually by the Alumni Council to an alum who has demonstrated outstanding artistic achievement. Collectively, the recipients reflect the diversity and talent of the alumni body. A prolific visual artist whose monumental works are universal and deeply personal, Fowler explores his family history, American history, Black culture, and contemporary public icons. He received his BFA from the PAFA in 2011 followed by an MFA from Yale University School of Art in 2014. Fowler has exhibited throughout the United States and abroad, including shows at Saatchi Gallery, the Hammer Museum, Seattle Art Museum (solo), New Museum, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. He lives and works in Harlem, Los Angeles, and St. Louis.
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COMMENCEMENT May 14, 2021
2021 Bachelor of Fine Art s Degree Gra dua t es Kyle R. M. Allen Jazmine Almaguer Tamia Brianna Alston-Ward Laura Paola Deliz Burgos Mary Elizabeth Drabiszczak Abigail Christine Dudley Andy Fecile Shant Maríe García* Luna Olivia Garisto Makenna Rose Glessner Owen Joseph Gould David Alan Heshmatpour* Clarissa D. Kear Rebecca Theresa Kennedy*
Joelle C. Lemongelli Adriana Ruby Lobel Alexandra Marie Lyon Mariesa Kathryn Maglione* Natalie Mallinoff* Scout Marsh Marcus McGuire María José Miranda Flores Mina Hamamoto Mohtasham Jackson D. Moyer* Yujun Pan William Paul Spencer E. Pearce Christopher A. Pecoraro*
Jacklyn Peña Cory Pigeon Kaela Pinizzotto Taylor Marie Radcliffe* Domenico J. Rinaldi Dennis Rodriguez Michael Rodriguez Xiaomei Rosen Jasmine Gayle Aquino Samson Evan Stratz Tessa Lauren Tallakson Skylar Lynn Thompson Logan C. Walton Nasir Denir Barnes Young*
2021 Cer t if icat e Pro gra m Gra dua t es Caroline Apsannah Coccia Cynthia DeLago
Abigail Lakey Henry Alfred Murphy
Jiatong Tian*
2021 Mas ter of Fine Art s Pro gra m Gra dua t es Jill Adler Cherisse Torres Alcantara Ev Arnold Marcus Gonzalo Bañuelos Andrea L Bozym Arianna Casado Rachel Rose D’Angelo Margaret Delaney
Maria Curb Gianna Del Rossi
Katherine Doherty Nicole Rose Hehn Adam T. Jester Basak Kilicbeyli Taylor Ross Larsen Maureen Odirah Maduadichie Kyle Robb Margiotta
Shannon E. Murphy Tiffany Barbara Nunzio Matthew John Pring Tania Qurashi Minyue Ruan Lisa Karese Volta Jacob Lucas Zelenkofske
Academic Processional Welcoming Remarks Reginald M. Browne Chair, Board of Governors President’s Remarks. Elizabeth Warshawer Interim President & Chief Executive Officer Commencement Speaker Introduction
Brooke Davis Anderson Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum
Commencement Address
Dyani White Hawk
Alumni Service Award Presented by: Clint Jukkala, Executive Dean of the College of Fine Arts Recipient: Sedakial Gebremedhin Distinguished Alumni Award Presented by: Clint Jukkala Recipient: Aaron Fowler Class Speaker, MFA Program
Jill Adler
Class Speaker, Certificate/BFA Programs
Nasir Young
Candidates for the MFA Degree and Post-Baccalaurate Certificate
Kevin Richards Chair of the Graduate Program
2021 Pos t -Baccala urea t e Gra dua t es
Candidates for the PAFA/Penn BFA Degree
Anne B.K. Stassen Dean of Students
Holly J. Tomlinson
Candidates for the Certificate
Clint Jukkala
2021 Bachelor of Fine Art s Degree Gra dua t es in coord inat ion wit h t he Un i versi t y o f Pen n syl v a n i a
Candidates for the BFA Degree
Clint Jukkala
Erik Fuller Kristen Held**
Catherine Matthews
Penn/PAFA St ud i o Co mpl et i o n Grace Boyle Graham Cuddy
PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS Commencement May 14, 2021
Kilahra Lott
Yiming Sang *Graduated in December 2020, **Graduating in Summer 2021
Conclusion Clint Jukkala Academic Recessional