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Graduate Court

About Graduate Court

Holding a position on the Graduate & Professional School Court is an incredible honor that brings along unique experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. You will have the opportunity to participate in all Homecoming events including being honored at said events. This culminates in being honored during the Homecoming Football Game. While being on the Graduate & Professional School Court is an incredible honor, there are many opportunities for fun and developing professional connections.

Meet the Graduate Court

Homecoming 2025

Evelyn Thomas

Bio

Sumant Rokade

Bio

Evelyn Thomas

Evelyn Thomas is a Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. candidate researching Additive Manufacturing and Compliant Origami-based Design. Her hometown is Beaumont, Texas. Evelyn’s educational background includes a master’s degree in Engineering Design from The Pennsylvania State University and bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and History from The University of Texas at Austin. Throughout her scholastic life, Evelyn has always created and strengthened community wherever she went. At Penn State, Evelyn is President of the Multicultural Engineering Graduate Association (MEGA), Chair of the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA)’s Advocacy & Diversity Committee, a GPSA College of Engineering Delegate, and a member of Black Graduate Student Association. In the past, Evelyn has been MEGA Vice President, MEGA Secretary, and a Diversity Roundtable Representative in the College of Engineering at Penn State. In these roles, Evelyn has consistently worked hard to bring people together and uplift Penn State.

Sumant Rokade

Sumant Rokade is a 5th-year graduate student pursuing his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. His current research focuses on Compliant Mechanisms, Additive Manufacturing, and their application in Biomedical Devices. Sumant received his Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2019 and his Master of Science in Engineering Design from The Pennsylvania State University in 2023. Sumant is involved in the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) and is currently serving as the Chair of the Graduate Council Student Caucus at the Fox Graduate School. Sumant is also the Vice President of the Multicultural Engineering Graduate Association (MEGA) and served as their treasurer last year. Alongside this, Sumant also mentors several Schreyer Honors Thesis students and early-stage graduate students. Sumant’s favorite event is the Homecoming Parade because it brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.

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Court Relations

Events Captains (2)

The Events Captain is responsible for planning events in celebration of the selection of the 2026 Homecoming Court. This includes Court Reception, Court Workshop, and Court Crashes. They also communicate with the Alumni Association and Staff at the Hintz Center to prepare for these events. This captain will lead initiatives and conversations throughout the year to bring up common Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues, and is responsible for taking meeting minutes and fostering morale and bonding within the committee.

Student Court Captains (1-2)

The Student Court Captain(s) coordinates all efforts involving the Homecoming 2026 Student Court. This includes communicating with the past court and involving them in Spring events for Homecoming. These Captains are also responsible for the nomination, application, voting, and selection of the Student Court for Homecoming 2026. This also involves assisting in the coordination of the Faculty Panel and ensuring the appearance of the Homecoming Student Court at events throughout Homecoming Week.

University Court Captain (1)

The University Court Captain is involved in the coordination of all things surrounding the University Court of Homecoming 2026. This includes the nomination and selection of the Court as well as the appearance of the Court at events throughout Homecoming Week. This captain will also work with the Graduate Court Captain to select a Student Panel.

Graduate and Professional School Court Captain (1)

The Graduate and Professional School Court Captain is in charge of the coordination of all things surrounding the Graduate Court for Homecoming 2026. This includes the nomination and selection of the Court as well as the appearance of the court at events throughout Homecoming Week. This will include outreach efforts to different graduate organizations to make them aware of nominations. This captain will also work with the University Court Captain to select a Student Panel.