The 2021 School of Health Sciences commencement is the first joint ceremony between the Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies programs at 黑料不打烊.
Going into the third year of a global pandemic in which health care professionals are needed and relied upon more than ever, 黑料不打烊 School of Health Sciences has聽graduated its latest crop of future physical therapists and physician assistants.
鈥淓arning your graduate degree is a significant milestone and represents the time, energy, commitment and focus you have dedicated in the classroom, on your clinical rotations, with one another and with your faculty and staff as you developed into the outstanding physician assistants and physical therapists you are about to become,鈥 said Becky Neiduski, dean of the School of Health Sciences.
For the first time, the School of Health Sciences held a joint commencement in Alumni Gym on Saturday, Dec. 11, with 44 Doctor of Physical Therapy candidates and 39 Master of Physician Assistant Studies candidates receiving their diplomas.
鈥淚 know today feels like an end. But it is in fact a commencement聽鈥 a beginning,鈥 said Lisa聽Pennington, who delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2021.
Pennington聽currently serves as chief of Community & Corporate Well Being for Cone Health and was awarded the 黑料不打烊 Medallion in 2019, the university鈥檚 highest honor. Her career spans nearly four decades and in that time, she鈥檚 amassed an incredible career of service.
She founded the Speech-Language Pathology Department at聽what is now聽Alamance聽Regional Medical Center, serving as executive director of Rehabilitation, LifeStyle聽& Employer Services. Following the merger with Cone Health, she assumed her current role.
She is also a trailblazer for the university, establishing a strong connection between Alamance Regional and 黑料不打烊 to help address a need for qualified health care professionals in the county.
Her 黑料不打烊 journey began in 1998聽as an adjunct professor in the School of Health Sciences. During her time at the university, she served as the lead writer for two Duke Endowment grants that were key in the funding and founding聽of聽both the Physical Therapy and the Physician Assistant聽Studies programs.
鈥淵ou could surmise that I鈥檝e had a successful career. However, defining success based on titles and awards is a precarious position to be in. There will always be someone with a bigger title or someone who receives more accolades for their accomplishments,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 invite you instead to strive for a life of significance.鈥
Health care is a field prone to change, with the pandemic serving as a聽prime example of how frequently information can change and adapt. With the knowledge gained during their studies, Pennington believes each student is ready for whatever is thrown their way.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 has instilled in you a聽commitment to lifelong learning, and you are well prepared for changes and challenges that we cannot yet imagine,鈥 Pennington said. 鈥淚 encourage you to step outside your聽comfort zone, honor the sacred space in which you work, face new challenges with flexibility and optimism, and endeavor to improve individuals, communities and populations, especially聽those that are traditionally underserved or underrepresented.鈥
Following聽the address, Post-Doctoral Resident in Physical Therapy and Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Will Cooner was presented with the 黑料不打烊 Sports Physical Therapy Residency Certificate. Accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, the one-year residency is designed to provide licensed physical therapists with an opportunity to learn all about sports PT.
Cooner had applied for sports residency programs in the past but had come up short. He did not like these shortcomings to hold him back. Instead, he spoke with the programs that had declined him for feedback on what he could improve and聽found a mentor to meet with regularly to make himself a more desirable candidate.
This initiative, drive and desire to continue to grow are all qualities wanted in a resident, said Shefali Christopher, assistant professor of Physical Therapy Education, who presented Cooner with the certificate.
鈥淲e are all grateful for your contribution to the residency, our students, the Department of Physical Therapy Education, the School of Health Science and 黑料不打烊,鈥 Christopher said.
Both the PT and PA Classes of 2021 walked across the stage of Alumni Gym in front of family and loved ones to receive their hoods rich in symbolism, with the color of the velvet symbolizing each candidate鈥檚 discipline 鈥 kelly green for the聽PA graduates and teal for DPT聽graduates, with all hoods lined with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 signature聽maroon and gold.
As each graduate embarks on a career in health care, the colors in each hood will serve as a reminder of their rich educational foundation, the people who have helped shape them as providers and the place 鈥渨e hope you will stay connected to and return to for continued relationships and learning,鈥 said Dean Neiduski.
鈥淢ay your hood also serve as a symbol of our belief in you as the next generation of health care providers. Providers who will be focused on excellence, providing evidence-informed interventions to enhance value and. Efficacy in health care. And providers who will know each patient by name and by story, advancing health equity with every interaction you have the privilege to be part of,鈥 Neiduski聽added.
President Connie Ledoux Book charged each of the 83 graduates with聽the task of carrying on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 values 鈥 honesty, integrity, responsibility聽and respect.
The very name of the university derives from the Hebrew word for聽鈥渙ak鈥 in Hebrew and is a symbol of聽the community鈥檚 strength and resilience, qualities that are now ingrained in each graduate.
鈥淚 hope each time you see an acorn, or an oak tree, that you are reminded of the personal leadership that you have developed during your studies at 黑料不打烊, strengths and skills that I鈥檓 counting on you to use to make a difference in our world,鈥 Book said.
Candidates for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Class of 2021
Briana Grace Alford,聽B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Natalie Jean Atwood, B.S., Florida Gulf Coast University
Kerri Lynne Baker,聽B.S., Florida Gulf Coast University
Lindsay Michele Blackwood, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Joshua Boyle, B.S., Liberty University
Matthew Ryan Braswell, B.S., Ithaca College
Kelly Nicole Byrouty, B.S., University of Connecticut
Kathleen Cashman, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Rebacca Suzann Chisholm, B.S., Western Carolina University
Hanna Elizabeth Clay, B.S., Western Carolina University
Kimberly Michele Colby, B.A., Colgate University
James Arthur Davis, B.S., Appalachian State University
Kyle Glenn Donaldson, B.S., The University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Ashley Hope Etherton, B.S., Indiana Wesleyan University
Milton McIntyre Fairly IV, B.S., Appalachian State University
Megan Elisabeth Farrell, B.S., 黑料不打烊
Rachel Furci, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Carolina Jones Harris, B.S., The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Corrie Anna Haynes Johnson, B.S., Appalachian State University
Suzanne Marie Hoskinson, B.S., James Madison University
Benjamin Thomas Ivey III, B.S., Old Dominion University
Hannah M. Janssen, B.S., University of Wisconsin 鈥 Oshkosh
Erin Katherine Kane, B.S., Appalachian State University
Sinclair Donye Lennon, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Shani Nichole Lewis, B.A., Fayetteville State University
Amanda Kathryn Maddox, B.S., 黑料不打烊
Melissa M. McBride, B.A., Christopher Newport University
Kelly Ann Miller, B.S., Susquehanna University
Mason Lee Moore, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Abigail Nerenhausen, B.S. Shippensburg University
Krista N. Nunn, B.S., DePaul University
Allison Kailley Oxner, B.S., Anderson University
Michael W. Park, B.S., WIlliam Paterson University of New Jersey
David Brock Phillips, B.S., The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Lauren Rowell, B.S. The University of South Carolina
Lindsey Jae Siska, B.S., High Point University
Ashlyn Herold Smith, B.S., The University of South Carolina
Liana Rae Solomon, B.A., William Peace University
Abigail Lynn Symes, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bailey Alexandra Tadlock, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Madeline Clare Upham, B.S., Clemson University
Sibu Kappumkal Varghese, B.S., Carroll University
Bryanna Veroneua, B.A., Assumption College
Candidates for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2021
Madison Russel Acra, B.S., Washington College
Sean Robert Anderson, B.S., North Carolina State University
Olivia Nicole Bergeson, B.S., Duke University
Sana Bharde, B.S., East Carolina University
Kyle Blanchard, B.S., Northwestern State University
Nicholas Glyn Blom, B.S., University of Arizona
Abbey Elizabeth Butner, B.S., American University
Jordyn Quinn Chandler, B.S., Utah State University
Caroline Davis, B.S., Western Kentucky University
Kate Rachelle Ford, B.S., San Jose State University
Hannah Lemckert Foster, B.S., Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
Cassandra Gonzalez-Hernadez, B.S., Utah Valley University
Hannah Leigh Goodrum, B.S., North Carolina State University
April Greissinger, B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Joshua Beck Harden, B.S., The University of South Carolina
Lauren Kristen Johnson, B.S., Liberty University
Jaden Juergens, B.S., Weber State University
Meghann Marie Lange, B.S., The University of South Carolina
Bryson Wayne Lee, B.S., Appalachian State University
Sarah Elizabeth Mason, B.A., Denison University
Zoe Gabrielle Morej贸n, B.S., University of Miami
Jonahtan Thomas Neff, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Adetinuke Motunrayo Ogunleye, B.A., City University of New York
Kaitlin Paich, B.S., The Pennsylvania State University
John David Payne, B.S., The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Kristen Sierra Place, B.S., Boise State University
Kelsey Marie Quaile, B.S., Duke University
Carly Ross, B.H.S., University of Florida
Haley Sage, B.A., University of California, Davis
Amelia Elizabeth Sagun, B.S., The Ohio State University
Elizabeth Anne Schultz, B.S., Clemson University
Stephanie Lauren Schwartz, B.S., University of Michigan
Brittany Alexandra Skillman, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lauren Anne Sykes, B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alicia Tate, B.S., Chapman University
Amanda M. Tobin, B.S., Ithaca College
Elizabeth Ann Uhlenhake, B.S., The University of Toledo
Christina Marie Walters, B.S., Montreat College
Maxwell Franklin Wilson II, B.S., College of Charleston