Photo of WVU alumna Giana Loretta standing in front of a green hedge holding a large bouquet of red and yellow flowers. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a navy blue floral dress.

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WVU alumna awarded Rangel Fellowship to pursue foreign service career

Wednesday, May 08, 2024

West Virginia University alumna and global citizen Giana Loretta is a recipient of the prestigious Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship. The Shinnston native is the second WVU alumnus to secure the prestigious fellowship which provides up to $42,000 annually for two years to students who plan to earn master’s degrees and begin careers in the foreign service.

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Commencement Preview radio spot - April 26, 2024

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Shauna Johnson: At West Virginia University, Mountaineers go first. It's time to celebrate the graduates in gold and blue. Commencement weekend will include nine ceremonies over three days beginning May 10th at the Coliseum. Kelly Flanagan is the Director of University Events.

Kelly Flanagan: This is our favorite event that we do all year. We get to do a lot of fun things in University Events, but this is definitely our favorite.

Shauna Johnson: Thousands of graduates from 13 colleges and schools are expected to cross the stage to cheers from family members and friends.

Kelly Flanagan: You walk across, your dean is there, President Gee, Provost Reed, Chancellor Marsh are there as well, depending on your degree path, and ready to do those handshakes and the smiles and the hugs and the end of photo moments, which is great.

Shauna Johnson: Among the honorary degree recipients this year, US Senator Shelley Moore Capito, 84 Lumber and Nemacolin owner and CEO Maggie Hardy, award-winning television writer Don DeNoon, and Cynthia Bissett Germanotta, president and co-founder of Born This Way Foundation. US Senator Joe Manchin is one of the scheduled commencement speakers. For those who can not attend in person, ceremony live streams will be available online at graduation.wvu.edu.

Kelly Flanagan: My favorite part is just seeing the families and the graduates so excited. It's been four years or longer depending on your degree or your path. So it's been a long time coming for them, and they're all just really excited. So it's a great time.

Shauna Johnson: So let's go, follow our stories at wvutoday.wvu.edu.

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