UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Michael Mervosh has been named Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ student marshal, the top graduate overall; and Brenden Franks has been named the college’s science honor marshal, the top graduate in a non-engineering discipline. They will be recognized during the college’s spring 2024 commencement ceremony, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, in the Pegula Ice Arena on Penn State's University Park campus.
Michael Mervosh: Student Marshal
Mervosh will earn his bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering. He will be graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average. He selected Clive Randall, distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Materials Research Institute, as his faculty marshal.
“I feel extremely honored and excited for this opportunity,” Mervosh said.” I am grateful to know that my efforts during my undergraduate career have not gone unnoticed.”
Mervosh received numerous awards including Penn State’s Provost’s Award, President Walker Award, President Sparks Award and Evan Pugh Senior Scholar Award. He was the recipient of many scholarships including the Virginia and Phillip Walker Scholarship, Charles D. Greskovich Scholarship and AVX Corp. Scholarship. He also was selected as an EMSAGE Laurate by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Mervosh conducted research in Randall’s lab beginning as a first-year student at Penn State. His research focused on cold sintering, a relatively new ceramics processing method that reduces the temperature, cost and energy required to sinter materials that allows for a more sustainable manufacturing process. He worked on developing electro-ceramic composites for high power and high frequency circuits.
“The most memorable part of my academic career at Penn State was having the opportunity to be a part of a research group so early on in my time here,” Mervosh said. “I felt that I would be considered too inexperienced to land a position my freshman year. However, Dr. Randall gave me that chance, and I feel I have become well versed in my area of expertise as a result. So, I am grateful to have gone to a university where such stories are possible.”
Mervosh was a member of Material Advantage, the student club for materials science and engineering majors. He also worked as a materials engineering intern at GE Hitcahi Nuclear in North Carolina during the summer of 2023.
Mervosh’s father, Peter Mervosh, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will be attending the commencement ceremony. This fall, he will be attending graduate school at Penn State, majoring in materials science and engineering.
Mervosh has advice for future students interested in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State.
“I would tell future students that this college, while small, is filled with a helpful staff and exceptionally knowledgeable faculty,” Mervosh said. “Its majors are focused towards solving crucial issues in our world today, and its small size reduces the magnitude of going to such a large school, which could otherwise be overwhelming to some.”
Brenden Franks: Science Honor Marshal
Franks will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in geography as well as a degree in finance from the Smeal College of Business. He will be graduating summa cum laude with a 3.99 cumulative grade-point average. He selected Jennifer Baka, associate professor of geography, as his faculty marshal.
Franks said he was surprised and very appreciative to receive this honor.
“Receiving this honor has helped me realize everything I’ve been proactive about becoming involved with over the past five years has not only paid off for me personally, but it has also been recognized,” Franks said. “I am honored by this selection and promise to continue to live up to the standards Penn State has empowered within me.”
Franks was very involved in many academic and extracurricular activities. He served as executive treasurer for Net Impact, a student club in the Smeal College of Business designed to accelerate the integration of sustainability in business. He also founded and served as the president of the first-ever Green Athletes Committee, a committee of student athletes seeking to make sustainable changes in Penn State Athletics. He was also a member of the Athletic Director’s Leadership Institute’s team, which is designed to inspire and implement leadership, strong values and life-skills for student-athletes.
Franks also studied abroad in Iceland through the GREEN Program’s Renewable Energy Innovation and Sustainability program offered by Reykjavik University. Through the program, he took courses in geothermal and hydropower, visited renewable energy sites and completed a capstone project focused on a circular-economic model for a desalination plant.
During the summer of 2023, Franks worked as a financial analyst for GE Energy Financial Services, which is part of GE Vernova. As the energy-focused branch of General Electric, GE Vernova specializes in large-scale energy projects like wind turbines, solar, gas plants with carbon capture and nuclear. In this position he said he was able to combine knowledge learned from both his geography and finance studies.
“In my internship I was heavily involved with the diligence and modeling process of a live windfarm deal,” Franks said. “It was a unique mix of my finance skills empowering projects that are addressing the pressing climate issues and energy challenges. I will be returning to GE Vernova as a full-time financial analyst starting this July.”
Franks played on the varsity Penn State Baseball team and said making the team was his favorite Penn State experience.
“My favorite experience was certainly walking-on to the Penn State Baseball team in my first year; I say favorite because it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” Franks said. “I sacrificed my social life to chase a goal that I had been working towards since middle school. The combination of 5 a.m. workouts, 15 plus credits each semester and four-hour practices, helped develop many of the skills, relentless work ethic and confidence I have in myself today. I have carried these skills into the rest of my experiences at Penn State, and I strongly believe that my experiences at Penn State have been so positive because of this beginning with Penn State Baseball.
Franks’ parents, Ann Franks, from East Lansing, Michigan, and Ross Franks, from Shelby Township, Michigan, will be attending the commencement ceremony.
“I can say with absolute confidence that Penn State has helped mold me into the person I am today,” Franks said. “Penn State has created a foundation of skills, relationships, connections, experiences, and a family I can always come back to, and for that I will be forever grateful. I am proud to represent this University as I prepare to head off into the world.”
Department Marshals
The seven students listed below were selected to represent their respective departments during commencement:
- John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
Halah Abdulaziz A. Aldejain and Wedad Hussain M. Bin Dira - Department of Geography
Nathan Andrew Cherok - Department of Geosciences
Octavia Anna Szkutnik - Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Muhammad Khairul Ikhwan Bin Ishak - Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
Ethan Robert Balderrama and Christian Spallone