Kutztown University to Celebrate Spring 2026 Commencement May 15-16

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – More than 1,300 students will be awarded degrees during Kutztown University's spring commencement ceremonies May 15-16, at O'Pake Fieldhouse. Dr. Philip Cavalier, university president, and Dr. Lorin Basden Arnold, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, will preside.

Commencement coverage (pictures, video, links)

Graduate students will receive their degrees at 5 p.m. Friday, May 15, including 16 doctoral candidates. Solomon Johnson '24, Higher Education and Student Affairs, will serve as the graduate student speaker.

Undergraduate students in the Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts and Sciences will graduate at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 16. Ava Esterly, Environmental Science, will serve as the morning's undergraduate student speaker.

Undergraduate students in the Colleges of Business and Visual and Performing Arts will graduate at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16. Zhixi Zhang, Business Administration, will serve as the afternoon's undergraduate student speaker.

Solomon Johnson ’24 of Philadelphia, Pa., graduates with a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs. He also earned Bachelor of Science in sport management and a minor in coaching/athletic administration from KU in 2024.

Johnson's academic and extracurricular endeavors at KU have carved a path of exceptional leadership and dedication to sportsmanship. As a student coach and intern with the Golden Bear men's basketball team, Johnson contributed to developing strategies and fostering an environment of excellence and determination. His involvement with the Philadelphia Youth Basketball Summer Program as an assistant coach further showcased his commitment to nurturing young talent and advocating for the importance of sports in personal development and community engagement.

Johnson's tenure at KU was also marked by significant volunteer work within the Golden Bear athletic department, demonstrating his well-rounded contributions to the university's athletics community.

Ava Esterly of Pottstown, Pa., graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Regenerative Organic Agriculture and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

As an intern at both Farmer Jawn and the Rodale Institute, Esterly helped design scalable techniques for 100-acre production systems and developed comprehensive economic reports comparing conventional and organic crop yields.

Esterly's extensive research portfolio focuses on the mechanical and ecological drivers of soil health. She has spearheaded studies on the synergistic effects of biochar and compost on crop productivity, the isolation of mycorrhizal fungal spores, and the impacts of transitioning conventional farming systems to regenerative management. Her findings have been presented at the Ecological Society of America (ESA) national and mid-Atlantic conferences, as well as to the research department and executive leadership at the Rodale Institute. Her professional background bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and community engagement.

Esterly was selected as the student speaker to announce a $1.5 million grant for Kutztown University’s Regenerative Organic Agriculture program in 2024 and was a mentor and student team leader as an underclassman for the Regenerative Agriculture Living Laboratory. Her contributions have earned her several prestigious honors, including the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarship and KU's Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award Silver Medal.

Zhixi Zhang of Palmyra, Pa., graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He triple majored in personal financial planning, supply chain management and finance, while also minoring in psychology.

Zhang is a high-achieving Honors Program student. He served as the chief financial officer for the Applied Investment Management (AIM) Association, where he led performance strategies and organizational restructuring to drive productivity. His professional background includes serving as a C2C Advice Intern at Vanguard, where he specialized in generational investing and operational strategy for clients with portfolios ranging from $50,000 to $5 million.

In addition to his financial roles, Zhang has proven expertise in operational optimization. As a Global Sourcing Intern at Clark Associates, he helped manage global logistics and refine workflows, ultimately generating more than $1.5 million in savings. He also conducted foundational research on the recruitment and retention of young finance professionals as an extern for the Pennsylvania Bankers Association.

Zhang is the co-founder of both the Ski and Snowboard Club and the Chinese Students and Scholars Association. He also served as president, vice president and treasurer of the Ultimate Frisbee Club, where he managed budgets, increased equipment investments and coordinated competitive tournaments.