LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College held its 180th Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 9, in the Robert S. Carey Student Center gymnasium, awarding bachelor’s or master’s degrees to 288 students, including eight anticipated to graduate in August. Eight students from the Bearcat B.E.S.T. (Building Excellence through Skills Training) Transition Program walked and received certificates of completion.
Click here to watch a video replay of the 2026 Spring Commencement.
The Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government conferred 116 degrees. The Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing awarded 109 degrees. The School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) conferred 106 degrees.
Dr. John T. Delaney, vice president for academic affairs, delivered introductory remarks, followed by an invocation from Rt. Rev. Martin de Porres Bartel, O.S.B., S’85, archabbot and chancellor.
Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, PhD, president of Saint Vincent College, presented an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Mark T. Latterner, C’81, executive director of the Jubilee Association, a leading nonprofit organization serving Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Polish Hill communities. At the center of the organization is Jubilee Kitchen, the only soup kitchen in the Pittsburgh area open 365 days a year. As a critical lifeline to those in need in the community, the Kitchen served over 45,000 meals last year.
“The award is meant to recognize individuals whose life work represents the values, knowledge and accomplishments that are embodied in the mission of Saint Vincent. Today, we honor an exceptional alumnus for his career in banking and subsequent outstanding service to people in need across the Pittsburgh region,” Father Paul said. “At Saint Vincent, we take our calling very seriously, and we take your calling very seriously. Please know, Mark, that the monks in our monastery, the members of your graduating class, and the entire Saint Vincent community are proud that you have accepted this calling. One of our Benedictine Hallmarks is to treat our neighbor as Christ. That is what you are doing and is at the highest calling.”
After receiving the degree, Latterner delivered the Commencement address.
“My fear of failure pushed me to work hard academically, and, when I encountered success, for the first time in my life, I enjoyed it—the sense of accomplishment and self-worth. I was motivated to strive for this newfound success, and the environment at Saint Vincent fostered my development,” Latterner said. “A good example of this was second semester freshman year. I was struggling in an English composition class. Panicked I was going to fail, I went to the registrar’s office to drop the class. The administrator wasn’t there, but Father Campion, the actual registrar, came out and asked what I needed.”
Latterner went on to recall that, after explaining the situation to Father Campion, he refused to allow Latterner to drop the class and instead tutored the young freshman for the duration of the semester. Latterner ended up succeeding in the class.
Through the friendships Latterner developed with some of the Benedictine monks, including Father Roland Ripoli, he was drawn into the importance of his spiritual life. Father Roland unknowingly became Latterner’s first connection to Jubilee Kitchen as he would take food from Saint Vincent and bring it to the Kitchen guests.
Later in life and with a desire to do more than have a successful business career, Latterner got involved with the Jubilee Kitchen and eventually became chairman of the Jubilee Association Board of Directors in the 2000s. Latterner assumed the executive director role in 2020.
“Looking back, during my business career I developed all the skills and relationships I needed to be successful at Jubilee. One could argue my working experience was training for when I was needed at Jubilee,” Latterner said. “But without my prayer life, my pursuit of my relationship with God, as imperfect as it was, and still is, I am not sure I would have achieved any of this success. What began here at Saint Vincent has grown over time, and I have come to more clearly realize that I am a beloved child of God.”
Following the Commencement address, Dr. Michael Urick, C’04, dean of the McKenna School; Dr. Stephen Jodis, dean of the Boyer School; and Dr. Elaine Bennett, dean of AHSS, conferred the degrees in course for graduates from their respective schools.
Upon completion of degree conferral, senior class president Andrew Gelin, C’26, and alumni council president Thomas Cocchi, C’13, delivered brief remarks.
Father Thomas More Sikora, O.S.B., S’91, director of campus ministry, closed the ceremony with a benediction.
