UMHS held our 4th Annual Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2015 for the second year in a row at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City on Friday, June 5, 2015. This new generation of physicians were all honored in an upbeat ceremony, with 7 candidates for honors, 22 for high honors, and 7 for highest honors. The ceremony included graduates for December 2014, March 2015, April 2015 and June 2015. Candidates for July and September 2015 were also listed in the official program.
The UMHS Endeavour takes a brief look at this proud day for UMHS graduates and their families.
UMHS PRESIDENT WARREN ROSS: Addresses the 2015 graduates at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC on June 5, 2015. Photo: Island Photography
DR. JERRY THORNTON: Speaking to 2015 UMHS graduates at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC on June 5, 2015. Photo: Island Photography
JOHN O'LEARY: Giving his inspiring motivational speech to UMHS 2015 graduates. Photo: Island Photography
UMHS CLASS OF 2015 GROUP PHOTO: President Warren Ross (center) & UMHS Class of 2015 graduates at Lincoln Center, NYC on June 5, 2015. Photo: Nelly Alvarez
The processional, “Pomp and Circumstance,” was performed by the West Village Quartet. UMHS Vice President Jerry W. Thornton and UMHS President Warren Ross gave the welcome address. President Ross spoke about the legacy of UMHS founder, the late Dr. Robert Ross (1918-2011), and his commitment to education at Caribbean medical schools for future U.S. and Canadian doctors.
The motivational keynote speech was given by inspirational author/speaker John O’Leary. Mr. O’Leary told his incredible story of how, as a 9-year-old boy, he was burned on 98% of his body in an accident and given just a 1 % chance of survival. While enduring nearly five months in the hospital, years of therapy, countless surgeries for skin grafts and, eventually, losing all his fingers to amputation, John developed a great appreciation for doctors and the medical community. Mr. O’Leary spoke of the humanity and caring nature of one particular doctor who made a difference and helped save his life.
Dr. Stacy Michele Madaus, the graduating UMHS student with the highest honors, was the featured graduate speaker. President Ross, Edwin Purcell, Ph.D, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Chair and Professor of Anatomy and Professor of Histology at UMHS, and David Hetrick, Ph.D, Professor of Genetics and Immunology, did the conferral of degrees. Finally, Dr. George H. Shade, UMHS Clinical Dean, had the new doctors graduating from UMHS recite the Hippocratic Oath.
Congratulations to all the 2015 UMHS graduates.
(Photo, inset right) KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT UMHS GRADUATION 2015: Motivational speaker & author John O'Leary. Photo: Courtesy of Rising Above/John O'Leary
HIGHEST HONORS
Christine Ann Fetterolf
Joey Michael Giordani
Priyanka Kapoor
Stacy Michelle Madaus
Adham H. Osman
Asha Vinaychandra Shah
Karl Sorenson
HIGH HONORS
Seth Gregory Ahrendt
Joel Rhein Amidon
Robert Anthony Annibale
Melissa Anne Banzon
Kristin Joann Biggie
William Read Blackman
Richard Cassidy Dwyer
Bianka Eperjeslova
John Anjelo Fernando
Jan Salvador Fune
Nicholas Albert Garcia
Eric Ryan Gutglueck
Jodi-Ann Heath
Rohan Kalra
Adnan Mohamud Khalif
Ken Shibata Lizama
Sifau Y. Oladipo
Krupa H. Patel
Alejandro Pineda
Aaron Todd Simpson
Quan Tien Tran
Virginia Olivia Volpe
HONORS
Shakeel Anwar Choudhry
Antonio Gobenciong
Albert De Ridder Harmse
Darcy Lash
Ashish Rajendra Patel
Jared I. Tucker
Alexandra M. Wolf
WELCOME ADDRESS BY DR. THORNTON: Jerry W. Thornton, Ph.D., Vice President of UMHS (at podium) addresses the Class of 2015. Far right: Dr. George H. Shade, Jr., UMHS Clinical Dean. Photo: Nelly Alvarez
(Top photo) UMHS GRADUATION 2015: Group photo of President Warren Ross with the graduating class at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC on June 5, 2015. Photo: Island Photography
About UMHS:
Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciencesfocuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, “personalized medical education,” and it’s what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada. UMHS is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
