Aila Boyd
Roanoke College celebrated its 2026 Commencement ceremony May 2 at Salem Stadium, awarding degrees to 402 students and honoring longtime Roanoke civic and business leader Heywood Fralin with an honorary degree.
The Class of 2026 crossed the stage to receive 64 Bachelor of Business Administration degrees, 159 Bachelor of Science degrees and 171 Bachelor of Arts degrees. Eight students also celebrated the near completion of their Master of Business Administration degrees.
Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr. opened his remarks by thanking the graduates’ supporters.
“Families, friends, teachers, coaches and mentors of all kinds: Thank you for the steady encouragement, the late-night calls and the unwavering love that helped carry the Class of 2026 to this stage,” Shushok said. “We celebrate you today as well. When we accomplish something big in life, we rarely get to the finish line alone.”
Shushok told graduates they had spent the past four years building not only academic credentials but also character, which he said remains a central part of the college’s mission.
“Character isn’t a destination; it’s a daily practice — the brave work of being fully yourself while still growing,” he said.
Malon Courts, chair of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees and a graduate of the Class of 1992, encouraged the graduates to look back on their accomplishments as they move forward with a sense of purpose and the potential to change the world.
“Think about what our campus looked like on the day you arrived and what it looks like today. You’ve been part of something rare—a college in genuine motion,” he stressed.
The graduating class represented 29 states and 22 countries and ranged in age from 20 to 43. Among the graduates, 63 earned cum laude honors, 64 earned magna cum laude honors and 46 earned summa cum laude honors.
Eight students shared valedictorian honors: Nicholas Joseph Cuchna of Manchester, Maryland; Mylah Faith Goudy of Cumming, Georgia; Crockett Christian Adams Hill of Elliston; Samson Webber Adams Hill of Elliston; Mary Lynn Langan of Hickory, North Carolina; Noelle Ranae Ropp of Broadway; Elizabeth Carter Satterfield of Cary, North Carolina; and Yelyzaveta “Liz” Satynska of Slovyansk, Ukraine.
“We are exactly where we have set ourselves up to be. Now it is a matter of setting ourselves up for the journey after college,” Goudy said during her address.
During her remarks, Langan encouraged classmates to rely on the people around them.
“This stadium is full of your greatest cheerleaders,” she said. “Lean on them. Let your community inspire you to achieve your dreams, and don’t forget to give back to those who walk with you on your journey.”
Satynska greeted her parents watching from Ukraine and reflected on her path to Roanoke College.
“My parents, you taught me to work hard and dream big, and this is the reason that I was able to make it here,” she said. “I had barely 1,000 bucks in my pocket, but I was rich.”
Salutatorian honors went to Victor Zerva Salvo of York, Pennsylvania, who read an original poem titled “Keep your Mortarboard Flat.”
The ceremony also featured the presentation of an honorary degree to Fralin, a Roanoke native recognized for his philanthropy, leadership and advocacy for higher education.
“A lifelong resident of Roanoke, Fralin has played a central role in advancing collaboration among higher education, industry and government across the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Roanoke Valley,” the college said in announcing the honor.
Fralin practiced law in Roanoke for more than 28 years before becoming co-chairman of Retirement Unlimited Inc., a Virginia-based senior living company, and chairman of Medical Facilities of America before its sale in 2019.
He served as chairman of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and held leadership positions with the Virginia Business Council and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. He also helped launch GO Virginia, a statewide workforce development initiative.
In 2018, Fralin made a $50 million gift through the Fralin Family Trust to establish the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, helping expand biomedical research and workforce opportunities in the Roanoke Valley. The investment also created internship, research and career opportunities for Roanoke College students and alumni.
Shushok said Fralin’s contributions had strengthened both the Roanoke Valley and higher education throughout Virginia.
“Roanoke is a better place because Heywood Fralin chose to pour his energy, his resources, and his imagination into it — and higher education is no exception,” Shushok said.
Fralin has received numerous honors over the years, including the William H. Ruffner Medal from Virginia Tech and the Gordon and Llura Gund Leadership Award from Research!America. In 2024, he was named Roanoke’s Citizen of the Year and received a key to the city.
The college also recognized retiring faculty members Melanie Almeder, Gordon Marsh and Ned Wisnefske with the Simon Carson Wells Medal, an honor presented to tenured retiring faculty members.
