Commencement season highlights Senior Class Gifts honor distinctive role models On Friday, May 14, the Mercyhurst 2020 with a bachelor’s degree accumulated $18,332 intended University Class of 2021 presented in sport business management, to help a future Laker who the university with its Senior Class and had intended to return in the embodies Kenny’s spirit and Gift — a scholarship in memory fall and study for a master’s degree legacy in an inspirational and of Kenny Robinson, who lost his in organizational leadership meaningful way. life tragically in an accidental while helping to coach the On hand for the presentation drowning on May 16, 2020. baseball team. were members of Kenny’s family, Earlier that Friday, the Class of Kenny’s fnal tweet was May 10, who came from Pittsburgh for 2020, whose commencement 2020, the day of Mercyhurst’s the day. festivities were canceled a year graduation, which had to The Class of 2020, meanwhile, ago because of the COVID-19 be canceled because of the raised $17,376 to support the pandemic, made their Senior Class pandemic. In it, he said: Mike Folga Legacy Scholarship. Gift presentation — a scholarship “Today was supposed to be the day Even as “Folgs” struggled through in memory of Mike Folga, longtime I walked across that big stage and a dire cancer prognosis, he never equipment manager for men’s shed a few tears, the day where lost the kindhearted spirit that hockey, who died of cancer I looked back on all the times I he brought to his job every day in 2019. wanted to quit but kept pushing. It’s for 18 years as the equipment Both scholarships, noted then- been a crazy fve years but I couldn’t manager for men’s hockey. interim President Joe NeCastro in be more excited to fnally say I am a “He loved our student-athletes,” accepting the gifts, are tributes college graduate.” NeCastro said, “and they from Mercyhurst students who Kenny had “beat the odds” to loved him.” chose to remember such positive reach that pinnacle, an expression A special thanks to Mercyhurst and distinctive role models during he used to describe his own life Trustee Lev Kubiak ’88, who a time of such upheaval in their circumstances and to motivate his contributes to each year’s own lives. fellow teammates. scholarship in order to help Kenny was a key member of the In raising funds for the Kenny the senior class reach the Lakers back-to-back Regional Robinson Beat the Odds $25,000 mark needed to Championship and World Series Scholarship, Mercyhurst seniors endow their scholarship. baseball teams. He graduated in Marina Boyle shows true ‘Carpe Diem’ spirit With three commencement ceremonies for the Class of and chair of the 2021 Senior Class Gift Committee. 2021, the year’s Carpe Diem Award recipient and class During her tenure, she also received the national speaker had a decision to make. Would she speak at her Jim Mathews Undergraduate Award and Fellowship own graduation and tape her address for the other two, or for Intelligence Excellence. go live at all three? More than her academic accomplishments and her In true form, Marina Boyle said, “It’s been a tough year; I extracurricular activities, Marina was best known around think I want to do it live for everyone.” campus for her bright smile and uplifting spirit. The Carpe Diem Award is presented annually to the “Mercyhurst is truly a place that changes lives,” she said. graduating student who has made the most positive efect “My time at Mercyhurst has been a journey, from a small on the Mercyhurst community and who best exemplifes town in Ireland, or Éire, to Erie, Pennsylvania. Mercyhurst the university motto, “Carpe Diem” — “Seize the Day.”
Kenny’s twin brother, Keith Robinson, with nephew Maurice Murry, both of Pittsburgh. Keith is wearing a shirt with his brother Kenny’s image, and Maurice is wearing a jacket that refects the “Beat the Odds” scholarship message.
Archival photo of “Folgs,” center, at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Mike Folga Day, Jan. 26, 2019. (Photo credit Ed Mailliard)
has given me so much, and I’ll always remember it as the place where I made lifelong friends, expanded my horizons, and grew in mercy. My journey with Mercyhurst is not over, and I am honored to be recognized with this award as I continue to go out and seize the opportunities beyond the gates, knowing that Mercyhurst will always be home.” Marina has taken a job as a fnancial crimes investigator with Key Bank in Cleveland. Eventually, she would like to start her own business and later an NGO that would enable
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Marina completed majors in business & competitive intelligence and international hospitality & tourism, and minored in pre-law. Coincidentally, her sister, Rhona Boyle, won the same award when she graduated in 2013. A pre-med student while at Mercyhurst, Rhona is now a junior doctor in
Aberdeen, Scotland.
Certainly, the Boyle family has made its mark on
Mercyhurst. For her part, Marina served as an RA, Merciad editor-in-chief, International Student Association president,
her to use her skills for humanitarian work.
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