Honorary Degree Recipients Announced

2012 honorary degree recipients (L-R): James E. Nevels, William J. Reuter and Carlos Graupera.

James E. Nevels, William J. Reuter and Carlos Graupera will be the recipients of honorary degrees from Millersville University at the spring commencement ceremony on May 12 at 10 a.m. at Chryst Field, Biemesderfer Stadium.

Millersville grants honorary doctoral degrees to individuals of extraordinary accomplishments. As an academic institution, Millersville confers its highest honor on those individuals who have shown remarkable creativity or distinguished themselves through service or scholarship. This year’s recipients are being recognized for extraordinary service as leaders in business, banking and public service.

Nevels, who will present this year’s commencement address, is the non-executive chairman of the board of directors of the Hershey Company. He founded the Swarthmore Group in 1991 and has nearly 30 years experience in the securities and investment industry. In 2004, he was appointed by the President of the United States to the advisory committee of the pension benefit guaranty corporation, where he served a three-year term and served as chairman from 2005-2007. Nevels presently serves on the boards of the Milton Hershey School, Tasty Baking Company and Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania as chairman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, which he served through September 2007, overseeing the turnaround of the Philadelphia School System, the eighth largest school district in the United States.

Reuter serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., a financial services holding company with $13.9 billion in assets and includes Susquehanna Bank, which operates 221 branches with more than 3,000 employees in the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as several additional financial service companies that include an asset management company, commercial financing, vehicle leasing and risk management insurance services. Reuter has held leadership roles in numerous professional and community service organizations throughout the Baltimore and Western Maryland areas including chairman of United Way campaigns in both Hagerstown, Md., and Lancaster, Pa. He has also served as vice president, director and chairman of the Maryland Bankers Association. Reuter is currently serving on Meritus Health, Inc., board and its governance, audit and business integrity committee, as well as the Economic Development Company of Lancaster and The Lancaster Alliance.

Graupera has served as the executive director and chief executive officer of the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) in Lancaster since 1973. He has worked in the field of community development including areas of human services, housing, neighborhood revitalization telecommunications, economic development and charter school initiatives. He was the past chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. Under Graupera’s leadership, SACA has expanded to include La Academia Charter School, WLCH-FM 91.3 radio station and SACA Development Corporation. His civic involvement includes treasurer, Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations; board of directors, La Academia Partnership Charter School; president and board of directors, South Central Pennsylvania Sickle Cell Council; and board member for SACA Development Corporation, Tabor Community Services, Inc., Inner City Group and Lancaster Family YMCA.