Duquesne University Liberal Arts

Ella Fahey, A’26, found her place by following her instincts.

After her freshman year at a small school ten hours from home, she wanted a different college experience: A Catholic university with a strong journalism program, located in a safe and vibrant city, and an engaged campus community. A tip from a high school friend pointed her toward Duquesne, and the more she learned, the clearer the choice became.

“Liberal Arts seemed like the only school that checked every single box that I had,” Ella said.

The transfer process was seamless because all her credits were accepted – and the Bluff welcomed her with open arms.

“I moved around a lot as a child and switched schools multiple times, so I’m used to not feeling at home,” she said. “But Pittsburgh was it for me.”

In the Media Department, Ella pursued a double major in multiplatform journalism and digital media arts, building a skill set that spanned photography, video production, sound design, sportscasting, and animation, often covering subjects she knew nothing about.

“The Department is remarkable in how many disciplines you are exposed to without losing focus on your primary area of study. Not knowing something does not preclude you from tackling it anyway,” she said.

That adaptability landed her a role as a technical writer at Gifthealth, a digital pharmacy, where she translates complex pharmaceutical documents into clear, accessible content.

Before graduating last month, Ella also became an early voice in what is now the Grefenstette Center’s Digital Storytelling Lab, helping shape the grant proposal behind a space where faith, technology, and narrative intersect.

“The storytelling lab really resonated with me because I value faith and storytelling," she said. "Staff members like Dr. Mia Briceño and Ren Horcher made it something special, and working under their guidance to build something for future students was an experience I'll always be grateful for."

Class of 2026! You did it, and we couldn’t be prouder.

The journey to the commencement stage wasn’t always easy. Late nights. Lengthy papers. Lingering questions. But the horizon-expanding experiences and growth along the way were worth it.

Today, your lives branch in different directions. Some of you are stepping into the workforce for the first time. Some are continuing your studies. Others balanced all of this alongside families, careers, and responsibilities many never face, showing up to every lecture and assignment anyway.

We hope that one day — long after you’ve achieved your bigger goals — you look back fondly at this ceremony and your time on the Bluff.

Congratulations, Dukes.

Zavier Chambers, A’26, knows grit. Growing up in Brookfield, Ohio, he experienced homelessness throughout high school and believed college wasn’t for him. That was until his now-wife, Sarah, encouraged him to apply to Duquesne through the Gussin Spiritan Division program.

He didn’t commit to the College until DUQ Day, when he met Associate Dean of Liberal Arts John Kern.

“I would not be here today if Duquesne and Liberal Arts hadn’t taken a chance on me and looked beyond my background,” Zavier said. “That moment meeting Dr. Kern changed my life.”

As a first-generation student, Zavier found stability, community, and an unexpected passion in Liberal Arts: cybersecurity studies. He earned Dean’s List honors every semester, received scholarship support that allowed him to live on campus, and built a college experience he once thought was out of reach.

No challenge was too large, including Calculus 1, which once stood between him and a double major in computer science. Walking alongside faculty, he met it head-on.

“That experience truly shaped my mindset and showed me that discipline can overcome self-doubt,” he said.

His other classes also pushed him to achieve his bigger goals.

“My cybersecurity studies coursework provided hands-on experience through labs, group projects, and close mentorship,” Zavier said. “The one-on-one access to professors was especially impactful and helped me discover my interests within cybersecurity.”

On campus, Zavier spoke at events, mentored incoming Gussin Spiritan Division students as their 2024 Student Ambassador of the Year, and traveled to the Dominican Republic on a Duquesne mission trip.

He graduates this week with the Award for Excellence in Cybersecurity Studies and plans to work as a professional foster parent with Crossnore Communities for Children while providing cybersecurity and IT support to local schools. He will also pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity management.

“My story stands as proof that your past does not define your future,” he said. “Faith, perseverance, and opportunity can change everything.”

Aidan Reilly, A’26, has his sights set on bigger goals. This fall, he will begin a master’s in social work program at his top-choice graduate school after earning a double major in psychology and sociology with a minor in history.
 
Early in his time at Liberal Arts, Aidan discovered his passion for phenomenological research through professors like Dr. Leswin Laubscher in the Department of Psychology and Dr. Ann Marie Popp in the Department of Sociology.
 
“I was primarily drawn to this type of research due to its ability to go in depth with individuals about their own experiences and affective responses to situations,” he said. “The emphasis on lived experience from real people that I get to know well is an important aspect of the scholarship that I find most fulfilling.”
 
His studies gave him a strong grounding in the ethical and safety considerations that come with this type of work.
 
“Liberal Arts did a great job emphasizing responsibility and care when working with vulnerable populations,” Aidan said. “Various classes also addressed the ethical concerns and moral responsibility of working with human research participants.”
 
Aidan’s commitment to phenomenology earned him the Jurczak Excellence in Sociology Award, and he credits the faculty and peers who walked alongside him for his success.
 
“My professors and fellow students are some of the smartest, hardest working, and empathetic people I have ever met,” he said. “The people here are truly special, and I’ve made long-lasting connections that will never go away.”

It’s not always the final lecture that signals the end of the semester. For President Ken Gormley’s American Presidents and the Constitution students, it’s also the Pez dispensers in the likeness of U.S. presidents.

Gormley – who co-teaches the course with Dr. Kristen Coopie, director of pre-law – closes the class by handing the dispensers out as a final sendoff. It’s a tradition that has become part of the course that teaches the history, power, and evolution of the American presidency.

This time, he was handing out a piece of history, as Monday marked his last class as president before he transitions into his role as chancellor on June 30.