UIC School of Public Health Graduates 35th Class

On Friday, May 9, the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health (UIC SPH) honored its 35th graduating class with a procession into commencement, featuring alumni from each decade since the school’s first class graduated in 1973.

This year’s commencement address was given by Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Associate Physician in the Division of Social Medicine and Health Inequalities at Brigham, and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Mukherjee’s research focuses on human rights and the social and economic factors affecting health in impoverished settings. She is an expert in implementation and scale-up of treatment for complex diseases, including HIV and TB, in resource poor settings. Since 2000, Dr. Mukherjee has served as the Medical Director of Partners in Health, an international nongovernmental organization that provides direct health care services and undertakes research and advocacy activities on behalf of those who are sick and living in poverty, in Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, and Haiti.

Of this year’s 128 graduates, 19 received doctoral degrees. Students Amanda C. Bennett, Izumi Chihara, Krusta Gerndt, Jane Jih, April Oh, Melissa Sherwin, Hua Wei and Janna Stansell were inducted as new members into the Lambda Chapter of Delta Omega Society.

Dr. Jennifer M. Hebert-Beirne, who represented the class of 2008, was presented with the Alan W. Donaldson Memorial Award, which is given to one graduating student for academic excellence, qualities of leadership and community service. It is the most prestigious award granted by the UIC SPH and is a memorial to Dr. Alan W. Donaldson, a founding father of the school and its first Associate Dean.

The school’s Interim Dean, Dr. Sylvia Furner, was presented with a Golden Apple Award by Mr. Randy W. Hall, President, Public Health Student Association and Dr. Kusuma Madamala, President, UIC SPH Alumni Association.

UIC SPH Dean Designate Dr. Paul Brandt-Rauf; UIC Interim Chancellor Dr. Eric Gislason; Associate Dean, UIC Graduate College Dr. Marya Schechtman; Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health Dr. Terry Mason; Rear Admiral of the US Public Health Service Dr. James Galloway; and Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health Dr. Damon Arnold (UIC SPH, 1992), provided opening remarks and greetings.

Commencement Speaker Dr. Joia Mukherjee