Bradford Area High School has named its graduation speakers, including Michelle Fuhrman Elliott giving the commencement address.
The top career and technical education student Makenzie Hartle will speak. The class introduction will be given by Austin Jadlowiec, the class address by Tyler Thompson, the class farewell by Ellery Signor and the baccalaureate address by Sara Nichols.
Mackenzie K. Hartle is the daughter of Dan A. Hartle and Leslie A. Cobb. She will be attending the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to obtain a Bachelor in Science of Nursing (BSN).
Mackenzie is president of National Honors Society, president of Skills USA, Communications Officer for Gamer’s Club, a member of National Technical Honors Society, a member of National Art Honors Society and a member of Green Club. She lettered in volleyball and was crowned Prom Queen.
She currently works at the Bradford Manor as an activities assistant. She will be earning her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on June 4 and will then continue working at Bradford Manor as a nursing assistant.
Austin Jadlowiec is the son of Brian Jadlowiec and Nikki Wiseman. He will be attend the University of Pittsburgh with a dual major in computer engineering and mathematics. Austin is president of the National Honor Society, president of the eSports Club, member of the Environmental Club, member of the Envirothon Team, Tennis Team, and Prom King.
Tyler Thompson is the son of Eric and Lindsi Thompson. He will be attending Lock Haven University to major in pre-medicine. Tyler is a member of the wrestling team, National Honor Society, Student Council, Environment Club, and Envirothon Team. He is also a volunteer at Bradford Regional Medical Center and employed by Hennard Construction Company.
Ellery Signor is the daughter of Guy and Dara Signor. She will be attending the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to major in pre-optometry. Ellery is president of Key Club, National Honor Society secretary, Student Council secretary, a member of the cross country team, and a member of the YMCA Barracuda Swim Team. She is also a swimming instructor for the YMCA.
Sara Nichols is the daughter of Grant and Debra Nichols. She will be attending the University of Miami Florida.
Sara is a member of National Honor Society, Key Club, History Club, a member of the YMCA Barracuda Swim Team, and Callahan Swim Team. She is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors, a Questbridge National College Match Finalist, and a Pennsylvania Governor’s School Certificate of Excellence Recipient. Sara is a volunteer at Bradford Regional Medical Center, First Night, and Eagle Scouts. She is employed as a lifeguard at Callahan Pool.
For the commencement address, a 2008 graduate of Bradford Area High School, Michelle “Shelly” Fuhrman Elliott is currently the plant manager for Arconic’s Kawneer Cranberry location, a 650-person, $100M revenue facility that manufactures architectural products including commercial windows and storefront.
At Bradford High, Elliott was the class valedictorian and also served as senior class vice president, freshman and junior class president, and National Honor Society president. A two-sport captain and four-year letter-winner in basketball and softball, Elliott was a Bud Thompson Award winner and District IX and Big-30 girls basketball all-star team selection. Elliott was a recipient of the 2008 YMCA Ray C. Uhler Award, 2008 Zonta Club Amelia Earhart Service Award, 2008 University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Woman of Promise Award, and 2007 YWCA Young Leader award.
From the time she was six years old, Elliott knew she wanted to be a student at Notre Dame. Her dream came true, and she graduated summa cumme laude from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. Elliott won multiple awards for her leadership, community involvement, and academic performance, including the Society of Women Engineers Leadership Award, the University of Notre Dame Chemical Engineering Alumni Award, and the University’s Student Activities Leadership Award. She is still heavily involved at Notre Dame, currently serving as a member of the College of Engineering Advisory Council.
After graduating in 2012, Elliott moved to Houston, Texas, to start her career with ExxonMobil as a process engineer in the distillation technology. She then moved into a lubricants process engineer role at the Baytown Refinery, helping lead the execution and start-up of a multi-million dollar expansion project. During this time, Elliott was admitted to the Texas A&M Professional MBA program. She graduated in 2016, number one in her class and was selected as the program’s Most Outstanding Student.
When Elliott left ExxonMobil in September 2016, she was coordinating Baytown’s diesel and jet fuel operations, managing the production, logistics, and transportation of over 160,000 barrels per day spread across eight operating units and 20 tanks. Though she loved the oil industry, Elliott and her newlywed husband Scott wanted to return to Pennsylvania to be closer to family. She accepted an offer from Alcoa as a consultant in the company’s internal consulting group that focused on operations, supply chain, and strategy.
A year later, Elliott moved back into operations as the production control manager at Arconic’s Kawneer plant in Cranberry Township. On April 1, Elliott was officially promoted to the facility’s plant manager role, providing overall leadership and strategic direction to the EHS, Quality, Operations, Maintenance, Technology, Production Control, Procurement, and Shipping departments and sharing profit and loss. She is currently the only female plant manager in Arconic’s Building and Construction Services division and one of the youngest in the company’s history to serve in this capacity. She writes about her career as an engineer on her blog Shelly in Steel Toes & Stilettos.
She resides in Cranberry Township with her husband Scott and their dog “Biscuit.” Elliott’s father and former Owls basketball coach Dave Fuhrman will retire from the Bradford Area School District this year after 32 years of teaching.
