Belmont College Honors the Class of 2025

St. Clairsville, OH (May 9, 2025) – Belmont College officials conferred degrees upon a multitude of graduates as part of the College’s 2025 Spring Commencement Ceremonies in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Hundreds of parents, extended family, faculty, and staff were present to congratulate the Class of 2025.

President Dr. Paul F. Gasparro welcomed the graduates, “I want to offer my warmest congratulations to our graduates. You have worked long and hard to be here tonight, and this ceremony is just the beginning of your future. Graduating from college is a major life accomplishment, and we are pleased to be able to share this momentous occasion with you.”

He continued, “Remember, no matter how far or how high you travel, you started here, and you have a great foundation to build on. We are very proud of your achievements and wish you good health, happiness, and continued success in whatever path you choose for your future.”

Graduates from the following programs participated in the commencement ceremony held on Thursday, May 8, 2025: Associate Degree Nursing; Computed Tomography; Emergency Medical; Firefighter/Paramedic; Laboratory Technician; Massage Therapy; Medical Assisting; Medical Coding; Phlebotomy; Practical Nursing; and Radiology.

Mr. Dwayne Richardson delivered the keynote address to the Thursday evening graduates. He is president of Trinity Health System: Twin City Medical Center and Regional Operations. With over 37 years of healthcare experience, Richardson most recently served as chief operating officer and senior vice president, operations for two LifeBridge Health facilities in Baltimore and Westminster, MD. Prior to working in Maryland, he served as chief operating officer and interim CEO at Placentia-Linda Hospital, a part of Tenet Health, located in Orange County, Calif.

Richardson is a Philadelphia native and started his healthcare journey as a Radiology Technologist specializing in pediatric and adult radiography. He then became a Registered Nurse (RN) and practiced in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Emergency / Trauma departments. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his Associate of Science degree in Radiology Technology. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Widener University and a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Management and Leadership from Drexel University.

In his commencement speech, titled, ‘Hello Human-Kindness’ Richardson said, “Your educators have equipped you with invaluable tools to navigate your career journey. Now, it’s time to put them to use. And hopefully, along the way, someone – a professor, a mentor, a friend – has inspired you, motivated you, and shown you the power of human connection.”

Additionally, graduates from the following programs will participate in the commencement ceremony to be held on Friday, May 9, 2025: Associate of Arts; Associate of Science; Accounting; Bookkeeping; Business Management; Building Preservation/Restoration; Chemical Dependency Assistant; Civil Engineering; Cyber Security; Data Processing; Early Childhood Education; Energy & Natural Resources; Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning; Mental Health; Industrial Electronics; Information Technologies Programs; and Welding.

The keynote speaker at the Friday evening graduation was Commissioner Vince Gianangeli. He is serving in his first term as Belmont County Commissioner.  With over 41 years of public service, Gianangeli spent 16 years at the State Auditor’s office where he was a Regional Project Manager in the Local Government Services division and the Assistant Senior Deputy Auditor in Special Audits of fraud and embezzlements throughout the state of Ohio. He also worked at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for 4 years serving as Account Manager and Bureau Chief in the Office of Child Support. Gianangeli worked at the Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services, where he was the Fiscal Administrator for 10 years and Director for 6 years.  He is currently in his 4th term of office as the Colerain Township Fiscal Officer, serving in that position since 2012.  He also works part-time as the Fiscal Manager at St. John Central Academy.

Gianangeli obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in accounting from Ohio University, and a master’s in business administration degree from Franciscan University.

In his speech, he said, “Be leaders, not followers. You set the tone; you make the decisions; you are in charge. Never stop learning – every day should be a new learning experience.”

He concluded, “Congratulations to the Class of 2025. I wish you all health, happiness, and best of luck in your schooling and careers.”

The Class of 2025 Valedictorian is Joseph Nunez of Belmont, Ohio. He earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Cyber Security Computer Forensics, as well as a certificate in Cyber Security Certificate and a certificate in PC/Network Technician. Nunez graduated with honors.

The class Salutatorian is Alissa Hadorn of Martins Ferry, Ohio, who earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Radiologic Technology. She graduated with honors and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the International Honor Society for two-year colleges as well as a member of Lambda Nu, the national honor society for radiologic and imaging sciences.

This year, a total of 92 College Credit Plus (CCP) students were in the 2025 graduating class. They represent 10 area high schools, including: Bridgeport High School, Buckeye Trail High School, Edison High School, Harrison Central Jr/Sr High School, Indian Creek High School, Martins Ferry High School, River High School, Shenandoah High School, Steubenville High School, and Toronto High School. The graduating CCP students are finishing several different degrees/certificates including Associate of Arts and Associate of Science, Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Teacher Education, Industrial Electronics, Medical Coding, and Phlebotomy.

CCP gives students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to take college courses for free and earn high school and college credit before graduating from high school. Students can take up to 30 credit hours per school year, and a total of 120 throughout the program.College credits can be earned during summer, fall, and spring terms. Courses taken in the summer term count toward the upcoming high school year. Each class and corresponding grade are included in both high school and college transcripts. Flexible class scheduling allows students the ability to enjoy school activities that fit around college classes.

“We are incredibly proud of our 92 College Credit Plus graduates this year,” said Bridgette Dawson, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. “These students have demonstrated remarkable dedication and drive—balancing high school responsibilities while completing college-level coursework. Their accomplishments are a testament to the strength of our CCP partnerships and the bright future that lies ahead for each of them. We look forward to seeing the impact they will make in their communities and beyond.”

Additionally, a pinning ceremony was held prior to the Thursday evening commencement ceremony to honor the graduating Associate Degree Nursing students.

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