LATROBE, PA – Kimberly (Kim) M. Colonna, Esq., C’94, a distinguished education lawyer and vice chair of Saint Vincent College’s Board of Directors, will deliver the principal address at Saint Vincent College’s 179th Spring Commencement Ceremony.
“We’re honored to welcome Kim Colonna for our Spring Commencement this year,” said Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, Saint Vincent College president. “Her daily work shows the care and passion she has for education, and that passion shows also in her leadership on our Board of Directors. Her experiences as a Saint Vincent graduate and her journey to making a difference in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are an inspiration to all our graduating students poised to follow in her footsteps.”
The ceremony will begin at 11:00 am on Saturday, May 10, in the Robert S. Carey Student Center. A livestream will be available for the public. On Friday, May 9, a Baccalaureate Mass will be held in the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica to offer a space of reflection and spiritual meaning for graduating students transitioning into the next phase of their lives. Full information on Saint Vincent College’s Spring Commencement activities can be found at https://www.stvincent.edu/community-events/commencement.html.
About Kim Colonna
Colonna graduated from Saint Vincent College with highest honors in 1994, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in education. She went on to earn her juris doctorate from the Dickinson School of Law. A member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, Colonna is a former president of the Program for Female Offenders. She was twice recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and was the 2015 recipient of the Local Legal Leaders Award. In 2023, she was named to Saint Vincent College’s 40 Women for 40 Years list.
As an education law attorney with McNees, Wallace and Nurick LLC in Harrisburg, Colonna represents universities, colleges, school districts, charter schools and other providers of educational services. She regularly provides counsel on matters involving student and faculty rights and compliance with federal and state laws. She assists educational institutions with policy development and contract review and provides training on liability risk avoidance and legal compliance topics.
Colonna’s litigation practice focuses on litigation of claims against educational institutions, as well as business disputes and estate and fiduciary matters. She represents education clients in due process hearings, governmental investigations and state and federal courts, including defense of Title IX claims and civil rights claims.
Currently serving on the Saint Vincent College Board of Directors as the vice chair, Colonna also chairs the Fred Rogers Institute Committee of the Board.
Kim Colonna
