Commencement Exercises Confer Degrees, Honors at Carnegie Hall
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The Class of 2005 raise their hands in affirmation of the Hippocratic Oath, a hallowed rite of passage in becoming a doctor. |
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Dean Gotto addresses the graduates and their families at Carnegie Hall, from a stage lined in red and white bouquets. |
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Dr. Joel Pardee, associate dean of the Grad School, and Dr. David Hajjar, dean of the Graduate School, prepare to confer degrees to the Class of 2005. |
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Sanford Weill, Joan Weill, and Arthur Mahon convene before the ceremonies at Carnegie Hall. |
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Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson beams with pride for the graduates. |
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Mustapha Saheed, student speaker for the Medical College, reflects on the uniqueness of its diverse student body. |
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Graduates of Weill Cornell Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences received their degrees before a sea of enthusiastic family and friends at the Commencement Exercises on June 1 at Carnegie Hall.
Bouquets of red and white flowers lined the stage, as the ceremonies unfolded against the elegant Renaissance Revival backdrop. Jeffrey Lehman, then-president of Cornell University, joined Deans Antonio Gotto and David Hajjar in conferring the degrees of doctor of medicine, master of science, and doctor of philosophy.
"We want our students to truly master the scientific method, make new discoveries and make this world a better place to live," said Dr. Hajjar, dean of the Graduate School.
The 50 graduates of the Graudate School of Medical Sciences, the largest class in its history, have collectively published more than 100 original research papers in numerous fields.
Dr. Gotto, dean of the Medical College, introduced the 88 physician graduates with pride. "We have a truly outstanding group of young doctors to present," Dean Gotto said.
Each of the Medical College graduates took the Hippocratic Oath, newly revised by a committee of faculty members and student representatives, before President Lehman conferred upon them the degree of "doctor of medicine." It is a revered tradition for medical students to accept the responsibilities set forth in the oath before entering the profession. (To read more about the new oath, click here.)
Each graduating class was represented by a student speaker, who addressed the audience with a few reflections. This year both students hailed from Nigeria, accentuating the remarkable diversity of the Weill Cornell student body.
The student speaker for the Graduate School, Kenolisa Onwueme, considered the axiom, "To whom much is given, much is expected."
"Thank you to those who stood behind us, teaching us, and to those who stand before us, showing us the way," he said, extending his gratitude to supporters at Weill Cornell and beyond.
The student speaker for the Medical School, class president Mustapha Saheed, mused that of all the honors found in a medical education, "the biggest privilege has been getting to know my class." The students bring a diversity of talents - opera singer, teacher, athlete - that exceeds even their diversity of culture.
"When you have 100 talented, intensely focused people living and working together, it could have been a season of 'Survivor,'" he joked. "But we survived, bonded and became a class family. We supported and loved each other. We've learned not only from our textbooks, but from the privilege of taking care of others and of each other."
Each school honored a former graduate with the Alumni Award of Distinction, given for achievements and contributions to clinical research or patient care and service to humanity. The Graduate School's 2005 distinguished alumna, Ellen Heller Goldberg (Ph.D., '71, immunogenesis), was recognized for lifelong contributions to biomedical education and research. She served in the National Allergy and Infectious Disease division of the National Institutes of Health, where she played a key leadership role in biomedical research. She also helped establish and develop the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. As a student, she found her "perfect niche" at Cornell, with its rich biomedical research opportunities, and credits the school with launching her career, opening doors to a new world, and giving her the skills and confidence to help build a medical school from scratch in Santa Fe. "My education at Cornell was one of the best experiences of my professional life. It introduced me to the rigors of scientific research and a whole new world of inquiry. You're embarking upon an incredible journey," Dr. Heller Goldberg told the Class of 2005. "Today's graduates will find their degree and education will lead them to exciting opportunities throughout their lives."
The Medical School's distinguished alumnus, Dr. John Allen Clements (M.D., '47), is renowned for his crucial role in the discovery, characterization and understanding of the surfactant system of the lung, and for developing an artificial pulmonary surfactant that saves the lives of infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Dr. Clements has also received the prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, which cited his "brilliant studies defining and describing the role of pulmonary surfactant." In accepting his award, Dr. Clements expressed the hope that today's graduates will take advantage of today's medical advancements to surpass the achievements of all previous generations. "I wish you all success, good luck and Godspeed," he said.
Reverend Robert S. Smith of Cornell University administered the closing benediction, which expressed the idea that blessing others means sharing one's gifts, especially the gifts of life and wisdom. "May you be blessed by the community of scholars into which you now enter; by the doctors, nurses and patients who will form you during your residency; and by the insights, wisdom, dreams and hopes of many lives from traditions other than your own. In this way," Smith said, "may you discover the depths and riches of your own tradition."
| Doctors of Medicine Alizabeth Jenny Acevedo Kwame Sarpong Akowuah Emily LaVigne Arch Paul Scott Baker Sophie A. Bartsich Carina Rizzo Bercovici Jessica Berrios Jonathan Karl Beschloss Elizabeth Scardino Booma Leslie A. Castelo-Soccio Peter Gar-Jun Chan Alice Tzu-ying Chen Alden Vincent Chiu Jillian Marie Ciocchetti Aisha Jendayi Cupid James W. Daniels, III Omololu Adetokunbo da-Silva Tricia Desvarieux Kaili Temple Dilts Kathleen Meghan Doherty Jennifer Schwanke Drukteinis Sophia Mae Edwards-Bennett Rashiah T. Elam Michael Dominic Maramba Espiritu Laura Beth Fanning Aaron Galaznik Rachel Anne Gallagher Julie A. Gedden Cara Louise Grimes Rebecca Catherine Haines Noal Isaac Hart Samantha Lynn Heller Valaine Bernadette Hewitt Bethany Kathleen Hodges Whitney Burrell Holds Aton Mordechai Holzer Howard Chia-Hao Hsu Jacob Bennett Kagan Kevin Kalwerisky Meredith Anne Kato Jonathan Khedoori Kazam Hansoo Michael Keyoung Don Han Kim David A. Klibansky Lawrence Daniel Koutcher Johnny Kwon Scott David Lawrence Joshua Ian Levinger Czer Anthony Enriquez Lim Markus D. Little Abner Louissaint Jr. Neal Luther Amy Ly Sean Patrick Lynch Tal Manor Devika Maulik Jessica Brenna McCannon Ngozi Ifeoma Mogekwu Anson Marryshow Moise Jason Alan Moore Cyrus H. Nozad Uzoma C. Okorie Alda Maria Osinaga Aasim Ilyas Padela Paul K. Paik Amudha Palanisamy Minal K. Patel Rebecca Diane Riba Ingride Richardson Marianna B. Ruzinova Mustapha Saheed Jacqueline Danielle Saitta Timothy Andrew Sanders Jennifer Susan Scherer Brian Thomas Shaffer Jeremy Bradford Shelton Seth Lawrence Sherman Joshua Seth Silverman Raymond E. Soccio Grace Sun Zandraetta Tims-Cook Simon Tom Yael Simone Varnado-Rhodes Michael Franklin Walton Douglas Herbert Weinstein Asha Wede Yancy Lawrence John Young Jr. Daniel Jason Zimmerman |
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Masters of Science Seda Col Sam Amirfar Sela Han James Peter Harnett Nancy Joanne Hogle Joshua David Lee Joseph Errick Ravenell Marie-Helene Sajous Doctors of Philosophy |
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Dr. Heller Goldberg receives the Alumni Award of Distinction for the Graduate School. |
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Kenolisa Onwueme, student speaker for Graduate School, shares some inspiring words about his journey to Weill Cornell. |
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From many walks of life, facing many different paths ahead, the Weill Cornell graduates joined in one ceremonial march at a stirring ceremony in Carnegie Hall. |
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Photos by Amelia Panico and Janet Charles. Powered by Big Medium™
