ILR – "the best of both worlds" – awarding 286 degrees

Katelyn McClellan’s relatives account for 19 of the 2,500-plus well-wishers expected at the ILR School commencement Sunday.

McClellan, one of 286 receiving a degree from ILR this year, said her family’s journey to graduation from their homes on Long Island began when she was smitten by ILR's combination of subject areas

"Government, psychology, economics … that's what I’m interested in," said McClellan, who starts a job with IBM on July 28.

"ILR has the best of both worlds – the small school feel and the benefits of a large university," she said. "The faculty and staff really do get to know you."

McClellan transferred to ILR after a year at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. President of the ILR Student Government Association for two years, she was also a student peer advisor at ILR and an officer in the school's Sports Management Club.

Kevin Harris, associate director of ILR's Office of Student Services, said McClellan "hit the ground here running. Katelyn has been a tremendous ambassador for ILR. She really strengthened student participation."

McClellan’s leadership, he said, resulted in innovations such as an annual Welcome Event during which new students learn about ILR organizations.

Collaborative programming among ILR's student groups can also be traced to McClellan's efforts, Harris said.

McClellan is among 15 ILR students slated to graduate with honors on Sunday.

Her honors thesis, "Social Networking Sites and Workforce Today," reports that one in four recruiters seeks information about job candidates through Internet search engines such as Google. One in 10 recruiters uses social networking sites such as Facebook to research prospective hires, according to McClellan's research.

On Sunday morning, with a school banner stretched between them, McClellan and classmate Katherine Sawyers will lead the yellow-tasseled ILR graduating class from the Arts Quad to the university-wide ceremony at Schoellkopf Field.

At noon, nearly 3,000 guests and graduates will gather for a reception at the ILR School complex.

At 1:30 p.m., ILR's diploma presentation ceremony begins in Lynah Rink. Fifty-nine people will receive master's and doctoral degrees and 227 will receive bachelor's degrees.

Until then, McClellan is spending time with friends and reflecting on her ILR years.

"Honestly," she said, "it's been great."