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2023 Commencement -- Penn State College of Medicine

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Class of 2023 Graduates

  • Graduate school

    Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security

    John J. Biskupski, BA, Central Connecticut University
    Capstone Experience: Asymmetrical Warfare threats by the People’s Republic of China targeting the United States and the implications to Public Health
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Abigail Cunning, BA, Rosemont College
    Capstone Experience: Noncommunicable Diseases: A Threat to Public Health Preparedness
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Lindsay D. Dally, BS, Troy University
    Capstone Experience: Systemic Review of the Technological Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Social Media to Support Emergency Responders for Pediatric Patients
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Lindsay English, BS, Waynesburg University
    Capstone Experience: Protecting Healthcare Networks from Cybersecurity Threats
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Jason Heller, BS, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
    Capstone Experience: Systemic Review: Department of Veteran Affairs Homeless Programs
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Alexandra Kowsh, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination in Latinx Communities in Rural Pennsylvania: A Study through Penn State Outreach & the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Jasmine N. Lee-Hall, BS, Fort Hayes State University
    Capstone Experience: Veterans & PTSD: Fighting the Internal War Post Service
    Adviser: Gavin Macgregor-Skinner BVSc, MSc, MPH, MRCVS

    Graciella Souza McBrearty, BA, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Systematic Review of How effective were the Mitigations in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic for most states in the United States.
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Marni E. Russell, BS, Grand Canyon University
    Capstone Experience: Extreme Heat – The Effect on the Population and Proposed Solutions
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Melissa Serrano Burns, BS, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
    Capstone Experience: The COVID 19 Pandemic’s Effect on the Biological Drug Development Timeline and the Implications for Future Biological Drugs
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Stephanie A. Slagle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: A Systemic Review of the Policies and Procedures of Disease Prevention and Emergency Preparedness in Early Care Settings in Pennsylvania
    Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

    Jeffrey David Toony, BFA, Webster University
    Capstone Experience: XR/VR/AR and the gamification of efficient emergency management training and planning
    Adviser: Jennifer Osetek, MHS, PhD

    Master of Public Health

    Miewan Ahmed, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Needs Assessment of Behavioral and Mental Health Providers Serving Local Refugee and Immigrant Communities
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Christopher Almeda, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Assessing and Strengthening the Emotional Intelligence of Future Generations
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Victoria Baumert, BA, Albright College
    Capstone Experience: Why do Parents Not Vaccinate Their Children For HPV?: Observing Trends in Responses from HPV Vaccine-Hesitant Parents
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Halle Becker, BS, Messiah University
    Capstone Experience: Healthcare in the Home – How to meet the Healthcare Needs of Sex Trafficked Survivors in a Long-term Care Home Setting
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Eunita Chandarat, BS, West Chester University
    Capstone Experience: The Association between Levels of Relational Intimacy, among Older Adults and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Incidence in Pennsylvania and Surrounding States
    Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, CRNP, MPH

    Nicholas Dennis, BA, Millersville University
    Capstone Experience: Rates of falls and fall-related injuries in renters versus homeowners over 65 years old
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Rebecca Derbes-Bobersky, BS, Lebanon Valley College
    Capstone Experience: Sustaining Basic Hygiene and Non-Food Supplies within Penn State Community Food Pantries
    Adviser: Kathleen Sturgeon, PhD

    Kaedryn A. DiGuglielmo, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Addressing Root Causes of Food Insecurity in Lebanon County
    Adviser: Laura Carrel, PhD

    Shalinie Dowlatram, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: The Pain of Gun Violence: Pilot Study and Grant Application for Assessing the Long-term Health Outcomes for Survivors of Gun Violence
    Adviser: Jane Schubart, MBA, MS, PhD

    Kaitlyn Marie Durant, BS, West Chester University

    Capstone Experience: Diabetes Prevention Among Mifflin County, Pennsylvania Youth
    Adviser: Betsy Aumiller, D.Ed

    Elizabeth Easterling, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Grant Proposal: Addressing Health Literacy in Older Adults Living in Juniata County, Pennsylvania
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Riley Anne Eisler, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Outcomes Associated with the use of Prescription Stimulants in Obesity Treatment: A Systematic Review
    Adviser: Melissa Butt, DrPH

    Kate Ferguson, BS, Wittenberg University
    Capstone Experience: Exploring Connections between Allied Health Professionals and Non-clinical Staff Education, Preparedness, and Comfort while Caring for People with Intellectual Disabilities
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Venus R. Grella, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Predictors for Emergency Department Utilization Among those with Autism Spectrum Disorder 0 to 21 Years Old
    Adviser: Vonn Walter, PhD

    Dung (Young) Ho, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: What is the Relationship between Prenatal Sleep Disorders and Postpartum Anxiety in Mothers during COVID in the US?
    Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD

    Taylor Keckler, BS, Messiah College
    Capstone Experience: Evaluating the impact of the Lebanon Bicycle Recycle on the physical health and habits of community members in Lebanon, PA.
    Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Elysse Mellott, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: The Revision and Reimplementation of the School Immunization Catch Up Program in Pennsylvania
    Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Jordan Sellers, BA, Franklin & Marshall College
    Capstone Experience: National Comparison of Veterans and Non-Veterans Medical Center Patient Satisfaction Ratings: An HCAHPS Survey Data Analysis
    Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Jocelyn Simmers, BSW, California University of Pennsylvania
    Capstone Experience: Social Determinants of Health in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Joelle Williamson, BS, Messiah College
    Capstone Experience: TTR Amyloidosis Education and Outreach Program
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Alice Zhang, BS, Duke University
    Capstone Experience: Not just for Snacks: Vending Machines as an Innovative Method for Overdose Prevention
    Adviser: Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD

    Integrated Undergraduate Accelerated Master Of Public Health

    Laura Bockoff, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Pain Disorders
    Adviser: Carolyn Bernstein, MD

    Olivia Jeannette Bognanni, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: A Review of Effective Communication Strategies for Health Promotion During Emerging Infectious Diseases; from a Global Health Perspective
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Erin E. Cavanaugh, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on prenatal care utilization among pregnant women in central Pennsylvania
    Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD

    Dana Doyle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Stories to Prevent (StoP) Covid-19 among Expecting and Postpartum Mothers
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Juliette Entenman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Social Determinants Associated with Opioid Use Behaviors in Rural/Urban American Adults
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Monioluwa Evelyn Erinle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Targeting Comorbid Depression Within Adolescents Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Olivia R. Filandro, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Do Student Athletes Receive Adequate Follow-up Care Post Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)?
    Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD 

    Victoria Francois, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: An Evaluation Plan for Penn State College of Medicine Diversity Pathway Programs
    Adviser: Inginia Genao, MD

    Britney Goldsman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Total Drug Spending for High-Cost, High-Need Adults in the United States From 2011-2020
    Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD

    Alexandra Harvey, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Systematic Review of Internalized Weight Bias among Adolescents
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Ashley Regina Hibbs, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Impact of SES & Healthcare Accessibility on HIV Prevention Efforts in Substance Abuse Facilities in the Rural US
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Rachel Jacobs, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Mixed Methods Research: Qualitative Analysis of Challenges Faced by People with Immunosuppression due to Lupus during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Gavin Kerr, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Knowledge of Emergency Medical Services by Physicians Directly in Contact with the Emergency Service System
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Jenny Lee, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Implementation Plan to Improve the Internship Program at SimiTree Healthcare Consulting
    Adviser: Donalee Unal, MD

    Noah Fredrick Morando, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Mental Health in Young Adults Following the COVID-19 Pandemic Intervention
    Adviser: Cindy Reed

    Sydney Neuman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Is the Urinalysis Necessary in Adult Patients with Abdominal Pain and No Urinary Symptoms: A Retrospective Chart Review
    Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

    Madison Pennie, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Corporate & Nongovernmental Donation Partnerships in Disaster: A Case Study Analysis
    Adviser: Damian Morales, MPH

    Skylar Pulver, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Association Between Self-reported STI Symptoms and Stillbirth in Sub-Saharan Africa using Nationally Representative Surveys
    Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, MPH, CRNP

    Lyndsay Stakem, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Identifying Challenges and Addressing Opportunities for Improved Care for Maternal and Child Health in Uganda
    Adviser: Julie Lentes, MPH

    Kathryn Van Scyoc, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Global Health Burden of Burn Pits on U.S. Military Personnel
    Adviser: Julie Lentes, MPH

    Jason Haoxu Wang, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: Young Adults’ Body Satisfaction: From Childhood Obesity to Current and Future Behavior
    Adviser: Melissa Bopp, PhD

    Master of Science

    Alana Artura Benn, BS, Howard University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Thesis: Testing Chandelier Cell Abnormalities in the 16P11.2 Microdeletion Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Adviser: Anirban Paul, PhD
    Continued Education: Neuroscience PhD Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

    Sarah Carey, BS, State University of New York at Fredonia
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Thesis: Implicating CXCL10 and CXCL13 Signaling in T Cell Trafficking to the CNS during Polyomavirus Infection
    Adviser: Aron Lukacher, MD, PhD
    Employment: Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh

    Caroline Chang, BS, DVM, North Carolina State University
    Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
    Thesis: The Role of Glutathione Peroxidase 3 in Ovarian Cancer
    Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM

    Jack Cimino, BS, Dickinson College
    Major: Neuroscience
    Thesis: Agonist-induced D1 Receptor Mediation of Spatial and Temporal Working Memory
    Adviser: Yang Yang, PhD
    Continued Education: SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

    Rachel L. Griffin, BS, DVM, Michigan State University
    Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
    Thesis: Transcription Factor SOX2 as an Indicator of Progression in Early-Stage Bladder Cancer
    Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM
    Employment: Michigan State University

    Kristina Rogers, BS, University of Pittsburgh
    Major: Anatomy
    Thesis: Does Smoking Buffer against Stress-induced Reduction in Cognitive Performance?
    Adviser: Andrea Hobkirk, PhD

    Ashley N. Varley, BS, DVM, Delaware Valley College & Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine
    Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
    Thesis: Neurodevelopmental Changes of the Brain-gut Acid in the Valproic Acid Induced Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
    Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM

    Doctor of Public Health

    Tarek B. Eshak, MD, Cairo University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: Retention in Care Among People Living with HIV: The Syndemic Effect of Substance Abuse, Depression, and Diabetes and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Dissertation Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD
    Postdoctoral training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

    Eileen S. Flores, BA, Barnard College, Columbia University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: Skin Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Hispanics in the Pennsylvania State Cancer Institute Catchment Area: A Mixed Method Study
    Dissertation Adviser: Shelley Bluethmann, PhD

    Kyungha Kim, BE, Handong Global University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: “The Opioid Epidemic Among Pregnant Women: Treatments For Opioid Use Disorder And Their Association with Pregnancy and Maternal Outcomes”
    Dissertation Adviser: Douglas Leslie, PhD Postdoctoral training: University of Maryland, Baltimore

    Savanna Gates Ledford, BS, MS, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Johns Hopkins University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: COVID-19 and Cancer in Pennsylvania: Behaviors, Advocacy, and Mortality
    Dissertation Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD
    Postdoctoral training: Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Fellowship, Little Rock, Ar.

    Douwné Müller, BS, Shippensburg University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: Hepatitis B Vaccination Barriers among Adults, aged 19 to 59, with Diagnosed Diabetes
    Dissertation Adviser: Jessica Yingst, DrPH

    Cheryl Richardson, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: Exploring the role of healthcare staff education and experience on comfort level when providing care to individuals with intellectual disabilities
    Dissertation Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, CRNP
    Postdoctoral Employment: Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

    Sangeeta Gopal Saxena, MBBS, Delhi University
    Major: Public Health
    Dissertation: Promoting Equity among International Medical Graduates
    Dissertation Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD
    Postdoctoral Employment: Coastal Carolina University, Conway, S.C.

    Doctor of Philosophy

    Radha Dhingra, MD, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Hospital
    Major: Epidemiology
    Dissertation: Understanding the Bi-directional Relationship Between Mental Illness and Cardiovascular Disease
    Dissertation Adviser: Duanping Liao, MD, PhD

    Ashna Dhoonmoon, BS, BA, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Modulation of the Replication Stress Response by the mono-ADP-Ribosyltransferase PARP1
    Dissertation Adviser: George-Lucian Moldovan, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

    Adam J. Fike, BA, Arcadia University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Transcriptional Regulation of B Cell Responses in Protection and Autoimmunity
    Dissertation Adviser: Ziaur Rahman, MD, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Bristol Meyers Squibb, Princeton, N.J.

    Rebecca Fleeman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Conveyed by Apolipoprotein E ε4: Immunometabolism and the Brain-Body Connection
    Dissertation Adviser: Elizabeth Proctor, PhD Postdoctorate Employment: Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries

    Chenqi Fu, BS, Fudan University
    Major: Biostatistics
    Dissertation: Bayesian Predictive Hypothesis Testing and Model Averaging
    Dissertation Adviser: Shouhao Zhou, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA

    Zhuangzhuang Geng, BS, China Pharmaceutical University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Regulatory Function of AUTS2 on Vital Signaling Pathways during Brain Development
    Dissertation Adviser: Zhonghua Gao, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia

    Nour Hawila, BS, American University of Beirut
    Major: Biostatistics
    Dissertation: Confidence Intervals for Noninferiority Testing, Bayesian joint Modeling of Interrater and Intrarater Reliability, Topics in Biostatistical Modeling and Statistics Education
    Dissertation Adviser: Arthur Berg, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Bristol Myers Squibb 

    Ian R. Hayman, BS, The University of Idaho
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Initial Infection and Intercellular Spread of Epstein-Barr Virus in Stratified Epithelium
    Dissertation Adviser: Clare Sample, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle

    Christine Hehnly, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Infections from Paenibacillus Thiaminolyticus with a Type IV Pilus causes Neonatal Sepsis and Subsequent Infant Postinfectious Hydrocephalus in Uganda
    Dissertation Adviser: James Broach, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston

    Xupeng Hong, BAGR, Shanghai Ocean University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Determinants of HBV Host Tropism and Roles of HBV Precore/Core Proteins
    Dissertation Adviser: Jianming Hu, MD, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: The Rockefeller University, New York

    Ryan Hylton, BS, Washington State University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Cofilactin Bundling in Neurodevelopment and Degeneration
    Dissertation Adviser: Matthew Swulius, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany

    Brandon LaFever, BS, Rochester Institute of Technology
    Major: Neuroscience
    Dissertation: Effects of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Nasal Inflammation on the Olfactory Neural Circuit
    Dissertation Adviser: Fumiaki Imamura, PhD
    Postdoctorate Education: Emergency Medical Technician and Physician Assistant

    Menglu Liang, BM, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
    Major: Biostatistics
    Dissertation: Modeling and Dynamic Prediction for Recurrent Time-to-event Data with Competing Risks
    Dissertation Adviser: Ming Wang, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: University of Maryland, College Park, Md.

    Wenxue Lin, BS, Dalian Medical University
    Major: Epidemiology
    Dissertation: Effect of Menthol Flavor in Cigarettes on Addiction and Toxicant Exposure
    Dissertation Adviser: Joshua E. Muscat, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Temple University, Philadelphia

    Xiaoming Liu, BA, Rutgers University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Mechanisms of Resistance to Anti-GD2 Immunotherapy in Neuroblastoma
    Dissertation Adviser: Hong-Gang Wang, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Sonata Therapeutics, Watertown, Ma.

    Barbara Manfredi, BS, MS, University of Parma
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Effects of Schweinfurthin Analogue 5’-Methylschweinfurthin G in Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines
    Dissertation Adviser: Raymond Hohl, MD, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Oakland University, Mich.

    Greer McKendrick, BS, College of Charleston
    Major: Neuroscience
    Dissertation: Pharmacological and Neurocircuit Regulation of Opioid-Context Associations
    Dissertation Adviser: Nicholas Graziane, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Johns Hopkins, Baltimore

    Darren Mehay, BA, Indiana University
    Major: Anatomy
    Dissertation: Angiotensin-(1-7) and Neural Mechanisms Controlling Energy Balance
    Dissertation Adviser: Amy C. Arnold, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

    Asvelt J. Nduwumwami, BA, Williams College
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Regulatory Role of Sphingolipid Metabolites in Immunogenic Cancer Cell Death
    Dissertation Adviser: Jong Yun, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas

    Mary Piscura, BS, The Ohio State University
    Major: Anatomy
    Dissertation: Mechanisms and Efficacy of Non-Opioid Alternatives for the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Pain in Mice
    Dissertation Adviser: Daniel Morgan, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn, Ala.

    David Rasicci, BS, University of California, Santa Barbara
    Major: Anatomy
    Dissertation: Cardiac Myosin Dysfunction in Genetic Cardiomyopathies and Ischemic Heart Failure
    Dissertation Adviser: Christopher Yengo, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, W. Va.

    Anna Livvia Ricci, BS, University of Utah
    Major: Anatomy
    Dissertation: Association of Synchronized Oscillations of Sleep with Brain Maturation and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
    Dissertation Adviser: Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vt.

    Tanay Thakar, B.Tech, University of Pune, India
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Assessing the Role of Gap Avoidance Mechanisms and Nucleosome Assembly Pathways as Guardians of DNA Replication Fork Stability
    Dissertation Adviser: George Lucian Moldovan, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York

    Joshua Walston, BA, The Pennsylvania State University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Epstein-Barr virus Glycoproteins BDLF2 and BMRF2 are Important for Efficient Infection and Spread in Oral Epithelia
    Dissertation Adviser: Clare E. Sample, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh

    Xi Wang, BS, Nankai University, China
    Major: Biostatistics
    Dissertation: Analysis of Crossover Designs with Nonignorable Dropout Dissertation
    Adviser: Vernon M. Chinchilli, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Microsoft

    Xingyan Wang, BS, Peking University, China
    Major: Biostatistics
    Dissertation: Statistical Methods for Aggregating Trans-Ancestry Genome Wide Association Summary Statistics & Its Applications to Nicotine & Alcohol Addiction Phenotypes
    Dissertation Adviser: Dajiang J. Liu, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

    Natalie Yoshioka, BA, University of Maryland
    Major: Anatomy
    Dissertation: G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2: A Novel Regulator of Postnatal Skeletal Development
    Dissertation Adviser: Fadia Kamal, PharmD, PhD
    Postdoctorate Employment: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Yakima, Wash.

    Li Zhang, BE, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Major: Epidemiology
    Dissertation: Studies of Berries and Health
    Dissertation Adviser: Joshua Muscat, PhD and John Richie, PhD

    Mi Zhou, MD, China Medical University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Accumulation of Misfolded Proteins in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) impairs the Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Cargo and the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
    Dissertation Adviser: Jeffrey Sundstrom, MD, PhD
    Postdoctorate Training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

    Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health

    Benjamin Alexander Jonik, BS, Duquesne University
    Capstone Experience: Demographic Relationships to Patient-Provider Trust and Their Impact on COVID-19 Pandemic Behaviors
    Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, MPH, NP
    Residency: Anesthesiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

    Abigail Washington, BA, Wheaton College
    Capstone Experience: Association of Sarcoidosis Prevalence and Air Pollution
    Adviser: Matthew Helm, MD and Melissa Butt, DrPH
    Residency: Internal Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

    Holly Wisnouski, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Capstone Experience: A Meta-Analysis Characterizing the Spatiotemporal Prevalence of Lassa Fever
    Adviser: Paddy Ssentongo, PhD
    Residency: Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.

    Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy

    Daniel J. Goetschius, BS, MSc, Grove City College; Dublin City University
    Major: Molecular Cellular and Integrative Biosciences
    Dissertation: Icosahedral Subparticle Extraction & Correlated Classification: Characterizing Heterogeneities in Icosahedral Viruses
    Dissertation Adviser: Susan Hafenstein, PhD
    Residency: Internal Medicine, UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh

    William Davis Haselden, Jr., BS, University of Alabama – Birmingham
    Major: Neuroscience
    Dissertation: Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Nitric Oxide Diffusion and Degradation Drive Emergent Cerebrovascular Dynamics
    Dissertation Adviser: Patrick Drew, PhD
    Residency: Neurological Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa

    Martin T. Johnson, BS, Drexel University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Calcium Signaling Pathways in Smooth Muscle Remodeling During Hypertension and Asthma
    Dissertation Adviser: Mohamed Trebak, PhD
    Residency: Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.

    Spencer R. Katz, BS, Yale University
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Silver Linings: Applications of Silver Staining for Micro-CT-based Computational Phenomics
    Dissertation Adviser: Keith Cheng, MD, PhD
    Residency: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Mallory Peterson, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
    Major: Engineering, Science and Mathematics
    Dissertation: Leveraging Neural Imaging for the Management of Hydrocephalus
    Dissertation Adviser: Steven J. Schiff, MD, PhD
    Residency: Neurological Surgery, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.

    Carson A. Wills, BS, Haverford College
    Major: Biomedical Sciences
    Dissertation: Mechanisms of Small Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Chemotherapy-Induced Metastasis
    Dissertation Adviser: Hong-Gang Wang, PhD
    Residency: Internal Medicine, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

    Patricia P. Yee, BS, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
    Major: Neuroscience
    Dissertation: The Roles of Tumor-Associated Neutrophils in Glioblastoma Necrosis and Progression
    Dissertation Adviser: Wei Li, PhD
    Residency: Neurological Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.

  • Physician assistant program

    Alison Bean – University of New Hampshire, BS
    Clinical Plans: Outpatient Internal Medicine, Charles River Medical Associates, Framingham, Mass.

    Kiersten Betz – Pennsylvania College of Technology, BS
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Family Practice Center, Boiling Springs, Pa.

    Joshua Blanchard – Brigham Young University – Idaho, BS Andrew Britton – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Urgent Care, Penn Medicine Lancaster General, Lancaster, Pa.

    Karan Dhungel – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine

    Julia Frye – The Ohio State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Dermatology, Chicago, Ill.

    Joshua Kilic – Florida State University, BA
    Clinical Plans: Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hershey, Pa.

    Khanh Le – University of North Carolina, BA
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Moses Cone Hospital, Greensboro, N.C.

    Carissa Lee – University of California-Los Angeles, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine

    Sarah Lombel – Bucknell University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Family and Community Medicine, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

    Antonio Lopez-de-Alda – University of Texas at Dallas, BS, MS
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Austin, Texas

    Rachel Mack – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Neurosurgery, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes Barre, Pa.

    Grace Maples – University of Wisconsin, BS
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, North Olympic Healthcare Network, Port Angeles, Wash.

    Catherine Meyerhoff – University of Michigan, BS
    Clinical Plans: Women’s Health

    Bryan Mullen – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Outpatient Neurology, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

    Jessica Nussbaum – New York University, BA
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Edwardsville, Ill.

    Ryan Parrish – Lafayette College, BA Casey Reid – University of Maryland, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview, Baltimore, Md.

    Stefanie Sciacca – Ramapo College of New Jersey, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, N.J.

    Andru Smith – University of South Florida, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, UPMC, York, Pa.

    Jason Summerlin – University of Central Florida, BA
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Yakima Valley Farm Worker’s Clinic, Salem, Ore.

    Steven Swenson – University of Utah, BS
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Utah

    Alexander Tish – Michigan State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Family Medicine

    Madison Travor – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Pediatrics, Hershey, Pa.

    Dominick Tumacder – Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, BS
    Clinical Plans: Neurology Critical Care, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Md.

    Annie Wayne – University of California-Davis, BS
    Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina, Calif.

    Eli Weiner – Cornell University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Neurology, UW Health, Madison, Wis.

    Sarah Yeung – Lehigh University, BS
    Clinical Plans: Pediatrics

  • MD program

    Devon R. Ackerman – East Stroudsburg University, BS
    Residency: Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Rawan Alhau – Rutgers University, basketball
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Psychiatry

    Carolina Inmaculada Alvarez – Vassar College, BA
    Residency: Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.: Surgery-General

    Kilash Anthraper – Shippensburg University, BS; Millersville University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Jane-Frances Chiemezie Aruma – Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, BS
    Residency: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill.: Anesthesiology

    Shavini Himansi Athukorala – New York University, BA; Rutgers University, MBS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Ophthalmology

    Thomas Martin Barrett – Muhlenberg College, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Pediatrics

    Gary Steven Beemer – University of Florida, BS, MS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Daniel Julius Berger – California Polytechnic State University, BS
    Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Va.: Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine

    Makenna N. Brezitski – Wake Forest University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

    David Lee Brinton – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Justin Brooke – University of Missouri, BS
    Residency: Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, Colo.: Emergency Medicine

    Parker Richard Burrows – Weber State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Catherine Marie Caldwell – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Ky.: Neurological Surgery

    Olivia C. Calisi – Boston University, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston- Salem, N.C.: Surgery-General

    Kathryn Mackenzie Carlisle – Boston College, BA, BA
    Residency: Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Michael Charles Carter – Brigham Young University, BS
    Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Emergency Medicine

    Kimberly Ho-Yun Chan – University of Michigan, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Otolaryngology

    Joshua Chen – Temple University, BA
    Residency: Inspira Health Network, Mullica Hill, N.J.: Transitional Year

    Mckenzee Chiam – Villanova University, BS
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Psychiatry

    Brian Joseph Chin – Washington University, BA; The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law School, JD
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Shara Chopra – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, BA
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Dermatology

    Jacob Colello – Liberty University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

    Andrew Scott Cross – Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, BS
    Residency: Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Nicholas Jospeh D’Alonzo – The University of Scranton, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Surgery-General

    Yongwook Dan – Northwestern University, BA
    Residency: ISMMS Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, N.Y.: Anesthesiology

    Joseph Dao – Georgetown University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: UC San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.: Surgery-Preliminary

    Matthew Carl Darok – Messiah University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

    Denali Helen Davis – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, BS
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education Pittsburgh, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Kunal Debroy – College of William and Mary, BS
    Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Neurology

    Anne Elizabeth Fenton Dimmock – Franklin and Marshall College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Martha Dresley Doxsey – University of Massachusetts, BS
    Residency: Tufts Medical Center-MA, Boston, Mass.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Elizabeth U. Drda – Lebanon Valley College, BS
    Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.: Pediatrics

    Amanda Blaine Dubbs – Millersville University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Julia Dunbar – University of Notre Dame, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

    Garrett Victor Dunn – Washington and Jefferson College, BA
    Residency: University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio: Anesthesiology

    Brandon Eden – Muhlenberg College, BS
    Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Anesthesiology

    Kodi Endres – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Alana Ebbitt Ernharth – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Hannah Marie Herbert Faeben – Virginia Commonwealth University, BS
    Residency: Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, N.C.: Family Medicine

    Noa Fatimah Farou – The University of Texas at Austin, BSA
    Residency: Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, S.C.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Zachary Robert Foster – Brigham Young University, BS
    Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, N.C.: Anesthesiology

    Madelaine Fritsche – James Madison University, BS, BS
    Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.: Dermatology

    Randy Enrique Galan – University of Utah, BS
    Residency: UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, Calif.: Family Medicine

    Sage Gee – University of Nevada, BS
    Residency: University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, Nev.: Psychiatry

    Aria Ghahramani – Franklin and Marshall College, BA
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Psychiatry

    Sarah Gabrielle Gillespie – University of Virginia, BA
    Residency: Christiana Care, Newark, Del.: Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine

    Daniel James Goetschius – Grove City College, BS; Westminster Theological Seminary, MAR; Dublin City University, MSc; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Stephanie Golub – University of Maryland, College Park, BS; The Johns Hopkins University, MS
    Residency: Maine Medical Center Portland, Maine: Family Medicine

    Marina Laura Gonzalez – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Paul Jacob Gottshall – Marquette University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Internal Medicine

    Neha Gupta – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: George Washington University, Washington D.C.: Emergency Medicine

    Giang I. Ha – University of California, Berkeley, BS, MTM
    Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Internal Medicine

    William Haselden – University of Alabama, BS, BSE; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
    Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa: Neurological Surgery
    (Graduated December 2022)

    Steven James Hatten Jr. – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Internal Medicine

    Stephanie Julia Hawkins – Ursinus College, BS
    Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

    Sarah Marie Hershberger – Marian University, BS, BA
    Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Family Medicine

    Ryan Higgins – Seattle Pacific University, BS
    Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Neb.: Otolaryngology

    Lisa Ho – Stony Brook University, BS
    Residency: Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Mass.: Radiology- Diagnostic

    Don Hoang – Wright State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd

    Maria S. Holstrom Mercader – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Ill.: Emergency Medicine

    Travis Hoover – Messiah University, BS
    Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Radiation Oncology

    Nonyelum Victoria Ibik – Lincoln University, BS
    Residency: Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas: Transitional Year

    Raisha Haleema Ismail – Williams College, BA
    Residency: University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vt.; Internal Medicine

    Diane Haeji Jang – Dartmouth College, BA
    Residency: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, Wash.: Surgery-Preliminary

    Kimberly Ellen Jayne – Trevecca Nazarene University, BS
    Residency: Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Martin Thomas Johnson – Drexel University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
    Residency: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.: Internal Medicine

    Benjamin Alexander Jonik – Duquesne University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
    Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Katherine Julian – The Ohio State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Col.: Internal Medicine

    Alma Jusufagic – University of California, Los Angeles, BS, MPH
    Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Jennifer Ann Kane – Elon University, BA
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Urology

    Spencer Ridgway Katz – Yale University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
    Residency: Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics

    Noor Kawmi – Assumption University, BA
    Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Charles Jerome Keith – United States Military Academy, BS
    Residency: Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.: Radiology-Diagnostic

    Steven King – The College of New Jersey, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Internal Medicine

    Kelly Marie Kons- University of Wisconsin, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Bronson Ross Kunzler – Utah State University, BS
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Shelby Alexis Labe – Trinity College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

    Makayla Beatrice Lagerman – Bucknell University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Michael Elden Larsen – University of Utah, BS
    Residency: University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics

    Charles Chansoo Lee – Cornell University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Plastic Surgery (Integrated)

    Morgan Elizabeth Lehman – University of Pittsburgh, BS
    Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston- Salem, N.C.: Internal Medicine

    Brooke Pero Lichak – Lehigh University, BS
    Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Pediatrics

    Christine Lin – Cornell University, BS
    Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Radiology-Diagnostic

    Jeffrey Lorenz – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Otolaryngology

    Victoria Elaine Malone – Lebanon Valley College, BS
    Residency: Wellspan Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Brandon Martinazzi- Juniata College, BS
    Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Carly M. Maucione- Rutgers University, BA
    Residency: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.: Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical

    Elise M. McNulty – Princeton University, BS; The Johns Hopkins University, MHS
    Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Pediatrics

    Rea Mittal – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Childrens National Medical Center, Washington, D.C.: Child Neurology

    Puneet Modgil – The Ohio State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Rebecca Ann Morgis – Albright College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.: Pediatrics

    Drew Dalton Mullins – Swarthmore College, BA
    Residency: UPMC St. Margaret, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Frederick Mun – Carnegie Mellon University, BA, BS
    Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Leah Musser – University of Pittsburgh, BS
    Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Neurology

    Zakary S. Newberry – University of Maryland, Baltimore County, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Uyen Phuong Nguyen – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala.: Surgery-General

    Robert H. Nordell, IV – University of Iowa, BS
    Residency: Tower Health/Reading Hospital, West Reading, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

    Wendy Osei-Bonsu – College of Saint Benedict, BA
    Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Neurology

    Megha Patel – McGill University, BS; McMaster University, MSGH
    Residency: Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.: Pediatrics

    Rutu R. Patel – The College of New Jersey, BS
    Residency: Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, N.J.: Psychiatry

    Jordan Elise Pearson – Houghton College, BS
    Residency: University of Rochester/Strong Memorial, Rochester, N.Y.: Anesthesiology

    Lindsey Peck – Duke University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: St. Lukes Hospital, Bethlehem, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Mallory R. Peterson – The Pennsylvania State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, Pa.: Neurological Surgery

    Blaine Michael Prichard – The Pennsylvania State University, BS; University of Pittsburgh, BS
    Residency: University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, N.Y.: Family Medicine

    Olga Prokunina – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BS
    Residency: Brown University /Butler Hospital, Providence, R.I.: Psychiatry

    Anna Marie Ptasinski – Lafayette College, BS
    Residency: Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Muhammed A. Rahim – Rutgers University, BA
    Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

    Roberto Ramirez-Rivera – The Johns Hopkins University, BS
    Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Family Medicine

    Nina Razavi – Saint Louis University, BS
    Residency: Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Alyson Rich – University of Michigan, BS
    Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Neurology

    Monica Rizk – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BS, BA
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Medicine-Preliminary

    Meghan E. Robbins – Boston University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, Conn.

    Catherine Marie Roberts – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: UPMC Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Savreen Kaur Saran – University of California, Berkeley, BA
    Residency: UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, Calif.: Family Medicine

    Alyssa R. Scott – Muhlenberg College, BS; University of North Carolina, MPH
    Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

    Stephen Petros Sekoulopoulos – Valparaiso University, BS, BA; Indiana University School of Medicine, MS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Urology

    Mariam A. Shalaby – University of Pittsburgh, BS
    Residency: ISMMS Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, N.Y.: Psychiatry

    Rebecca Claire Smith – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, BS
    Residency: Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine: Psychiatry

    Natasha Sood – University of Pittsburgh, BS; Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, MPH; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass.: Anesthesiology

    Lilly Su – The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Stanford Health Care, Stanford, Calif.: Pediatrics

    Haorui Sun – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: New York Presbytery Hospital – Columbia University Medical Center, New York, N.Y.: Family Medicine

    Cyril “Simo” Tankam – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Medical degree awarded posthumously

    Morris Kobina Taylor – Messiah University, BSc
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

    Amy Thompson – United States Military Academy, BS
    Residency: William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas: Orthopaedic Surgery

    Garrett Thompson – University of New Hampshire, BS; University of Sheffield, MPH
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

    Alyssa Wang Tuan – University of Florida, BS, BS, MPH
    Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Internal Medicine

    Jacqueline Tucker – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, MEd
    Residency: University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minn.: Otolaryngology

    Valerie Jeanette Urban – Connecticut College, BA
    Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Pediatrics

    Baadal Ajay Vachhani – Muhlenberg College, BS
    Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston- Salem, N.C.: Psychiatry

    John Walsh – Miami University, BS, BS
    Residency: Ohio Health-Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio: Family Medicine

    Melody Wang – University of California, Los Angeles, BS
    Residency: Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.: Family Medicine

    Abigail Washington – Wheaton College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Dermatology

    Benjamin W. Watt – Saint Vincent College, BS
    Residency: Lawndale Christian Health Center, Chicago, Ill.: Family Medicine

    Sarah Rebecca Weber – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Ophthalmology

    Carson Alice Wills – Haverford College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
    Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Holly Nicole Wisnousky – Coe College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
    Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Emergency Medicine

    Lisa Marie Witmer – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Ashley Wong – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, MEd
    Residency: George Washington University, Washington D.C.: Internal Medicine

    Megan Lynn Wood – Iona University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
    Residency: Stony Brook Teaching Hospital, Stony Brook, N.Y.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Emma Wu – University of California, San Diego, BS, MS
    Residency: UC San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.: Anesthesiology

    Akshata Yalvigi
    Residency: Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Jay William Yang – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.: Radiology-Diagnostic

    Habib Yazgi – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

    Patricia Pei Hsuan Yee – University of Michigan, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
    Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Neurological Surgery

    Lisa Renae Yoder – Allegheny College, BS
    Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Anesthesiology

    Zeva Michal Young – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
    Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo.: Pediatrics

    Zahra Zhu – New York University, BA
    Residency: New York Presbytery Hospital – Columbia University Medical Center, New York, N.Y.: Child Neurology

    Monica Marie Zukowski – University of Pittsburgh, BS
    Residency: Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Surgery-General

Graduate school

Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security

John J. Biskupski, BA, Central Connecticut University
Capstone Experience: Asymmetrical Warfare threats by the People’s Republic of China targeting the United States and the implications to Public Health
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Abigail Cunning, BA, Rosemont College
Capstone Experience: Noncommunicable Diseases: A Threat to Public Health Preparedness
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Lindsay D. Dally, BS, Troy University
Capstone Experience: Systemic Review of the Technological Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Social Media to Support Emergency Responders for Pediatric Patients
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Lindsay English, BS, Waynesburg University
Capstone Experience: Protecting Healthcare Networks from Cybersecurity Threats
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Jason Heller, BS, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Capstone Experience: Systemic Review: Department of Veteran Affairs Homeless Programs
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Alexandra Kowsh, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination in Latinx Communities in Rural Pennsylvania: A Study through Penn State Outreach & the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Jasmine N. Lee-Hall, BS, Fort Hayes State University
Capstone Experience: Veterans & PTSD: Fighting the Internal War Post Service
Adviser: Gavin Macgregor-Skinner BVSc, MSc, MPH, MRCVS

Graciella Souza McBrearty, BA, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Systematic Review of How effective were the Mitigations in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic for most states in the United States.
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Marni E. Russell, BS, Grand Canyon University
Capstone Experience: Extreme Heat – The Effect on the Population and Proposed Solutions
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Melissa Serrano Burns, BS, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
Capstone Experience: The COVID 19 Pandemic’s Effect on the Biological Drug Development Timeline and the Implications for Future Biological Drugs
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Stephanie A. Slagle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: A Systemic Review of the Policies and Procedures of Disease Prevention and Emergency Preparedness in Early Care Settings in Pennsylvania
Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD

Jeffrey David Toony, BFA, Webster University
Capstone Experience: XR/VR/AR and the gamification of efficient emergency management training and planning
Adviser: Jennifer Osetek, MHS, PhD

Master of Public Health

Miewan Ahmed, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Needs Assessment of Behavioral and Mental Health Providers Serving Local Refugee and Immigrant Communities
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Christopher Almeda, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Assessing and Strengthening the Emotional Intelligence of Future Generations
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Victoria Baumert, BA, Albright College
Capstone Experience: Why do Parents Not Vaccinate Their Children For HPV?: Observing Trends in Responses from HPV Vaccine-Hesitant Parents
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Halle Becker, BS, Messiah University
Capstone Experience: Healthcare in the Home – How to meet the Healthcare Needs of Sex Trafficked Survivors in a Long-term Care Home Setting
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Eunita Chandarat, BS, West Chester University
Capstone Experience: The Association between Levels of Relational Intimacy, among Older Adults and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Incidence in Pennsylvania and Surrounding States
Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, CRNP, MPH

Nicholas Dennis, BA, Millersville University
Capstone Experience: Rates of falls and fall-related injuries in renters versus homeowners over 65 years old
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Rebecca Derbes-Bobersky, BS, Lebanon Valley College
Capstone Experience: Sustaining Basic Hygiene and Non-Food Supplies within Penn State Community Food Pantries
Adviser: Kathleen Sturgeon, PhD

Kaedryn A. DiGuglielmo, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Addressing Root Causes of Food Insecurity in Lebanon County
Adviser: Laura Carrel, PhD

Shalinie Dowlatram, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: The Pain of Gun Violence: Pilot Study and Grant Application for Assessing the Long-term Health Outcomes for Survivors of Gun Violence
Adviser: Jane Schubart, MBA, MS, PhD

Kaitlyn Marie Durant, BS, West Chester University

Capstone Experience: Diabetes Prevention Among Mifflin County, Pennsylvania Youth
Adviser: Betsy Aumiller, D.Ed

Elizabeth Easterling, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Grant Proposal: Addressing Health Literacy in Older Adults Living in Juniata County, Pennsylvania
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Riley Anne Eisler, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Outcomes Associated with the use of Prescription Stimulants in Obesity Treatment: A Systematic Review
Adviser: Melissa Butt, DrPH

Kate Ferguson, BS, Wittenberg University
Capstone Experience: Exploring Connections between Allied Health Professionals and Non-clinical Staff Education, Preparedness, and Comfort while Caring for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Venus R. Grella, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Predictors for Emergency Department Utilization Among those with Autism Spectrum Disorder 0 to 21 Years Old
Adviser: Vonn Walter, PhD

Dung (Young) Ho, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: What is the Relationship between Prenatal Sleep Disorders and Postpartum Anxiety in Mothers during COVID in the US?
Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD

Taylor Keckler, BS, Messiah College
Capstone Experience: Evaluating the impact of the Lebanon Bicycle Recycle on the physical health and habits of community members in Lebanon, PA.
Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

Elysse Mellott, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: The Revision and Reimplementation of the School Immunization Catch Up Program in Pennsylvania
Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

Jordan Sellers, BA, Franklin & Marshall College
Capstone Experience: National Comparison of Veterans and Non-Veterans Medical Center Patient Satisfaction Ratings: An HCAHPS Survey Data Analysis
Adviser: Michelle, LaClair, MPH, CHES

Jocelyn Simmers, BSW, California University of Pennsylvania
Capstone Experience: Social Determinants of Health in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Joelle Williamson, BS, Messiah College
Capstone Experience: TTR Amyloidosis Education and Outreach Program
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Alice Zhang, BS, Duke University
Capstone Experience: Not just for Snacks: Vending Machines as an Innovative Method for Overdose Prevention
Adviser: Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD

Integrated Undergraduate Accelerated Master Of Public Health

Laura Bockoff, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Pain Disorders
Adviser: Carolyn Bernstein, MD

Olivia Jeannette Bognanni, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: A Review of Effective Communication Strategies for Health Promotion During Emerging Infectious Diseases; from a Global Health Perspective
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Erin E. Cavanaugh, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on prenatal care utilization among pregnant women in central Pennsylvania
Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD

Dana Doyle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Stories to Prevent (StoP) Covid-19 among Expecting and Postpartum Mothers
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Juliette Entenman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Social Determinants Associated with Opioid Use Behaviors in Rural/Urban American Adults
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Monioluwa Evelyn Erinle, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Targeting Comorbid Depression Within Adolescents Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Olivia R. Filandro, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Do Student Athletes Receive Adequate Follow-up Care Post Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)?
Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD 

Victoria Francois, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: An Evaluation Plan for Penn State College of Medicine Diversity Pathway Programs
Adviser: Inginia Genao, MD

Britney Goldsman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Total Drug Spending for High-Cost, High-Need Adults in the United States From 2011-2020
Adviser: Wenke Hwang, PhD

Alexandra Harvey, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Systematic Review of Internalized Weight Bias among Adolescents
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Ashley Regina Hibbs, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Impact of SES & Healthcare Accessibility on HIV Prevention Efforts in Substance Abuse Facilities in the Rural US
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Rachel Jacobs, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Mixed Methods Research: Qualitative Analysis of Challenges Faced by People with Immunosuppression due to Lupus during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Gavin Kerr, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Knowledge of Emergency Medical Services by Physicians Directly in Contact with the Emergency Service System
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Jenny Lee, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Implementation Plan to Improve the Internship Program at SimiTree Healthcare Consulting
Adviser: Donalee Unal, MD

Noah Fredrick Morando, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Mental Health in Young Adults Following the COVID-19 Pandemic Intervention
Adviser: Cindy Reed

Sydney Neuman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Is the Urinalysis Necessary in Adult Patients with Abdominal Pain and No Urinary Symptoms: A Retrospective Chart Review
Adviser: Michelle LaClair, MPH, CHES

Madison Pennie, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Corporate & Nongovernmental Donation Partnerships in Disaster: A Case Study Analysis
Adviser: Damian Morales, MPH

Skylar Pulver, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Association Between Self-reported STI Symptoms and Stillbirth in Sub-Saharan Africa using Nationally Representative Surveys
Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, MPH, CRNP

Lyndsay Stakem, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Identifying Challenges and Addressing Opportunities for Improved Care for Maternal and Child Health in Uganda
Adviser: Julie Lentes, MPH

Kathryn Van Scyoc, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Global Health Burden of Burn Pits on U.S. Military Personnel
Adviser: Julie Lentes, MPH

Jason Haoxu Wang, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: Young Adults’ Body Satisfaction: From Childhood Obesity to Current and Future Behavior
Adviser: Melissa Bopp, PhD

Master of Science

Alana Artura Benn, BS, Howard University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Testing Chandelier Cell Abnormalities in the 16P11.2 Microdeletion Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Adviser: Anirban Paul, PhD
Continued Education: Neuroscience PhD Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Sarah Carey, BS, State University of New York at Fredonia
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Implicating CXCL10 and CXCL13 Signaling in T Cell Trafficking to the CNS during Polyomavirus Infection
Adviser: Aron Lukacher, MD, PhD
Employment: Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh

Caroline Chang, BS, DVM, North Carolina State University
Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
Thesis: The Role of Glutathione Peroxidase 3 in Ovarian Cancer
Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM

Jack Cimino, BS, Dickinson College
Major: Neuroscience
Thesis: Agonist-induced D1 Receptor Mediation of Spatial and Temporal Working Memory
Adviser: Yang Yang, PhD
Continued Education: SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

Rachel L. Griffin, BS, DVM, Michigan State University
Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
Thesis: Transcription Factor SOX2 as an Indicator of Progression in Early-Stage Bladder Cancer
Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM
Employment: Michigan State University

Kristina Rogers, BS, University of Pittsburgh
Major: Anatomy
Thesis: Does Smoking Buffer against Stress-induced Reduction in Cognitive Performance?
Adviser: Andrea Hobkirk, PhD

Ashley N. Varley, BS, DVM, Delaware Valley College & Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Major: Laboratory Animal Medicine
Thesis: Neurodevelopmental Changes of the Brain-gut Acid in the Valproic Acid Induced Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
Adviser: Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM

Doctor of Public Health

Tarek B. Eshak, MD, Cairo University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: Retention in Care Among People Living with HIV: The Syndemic Effect of Substance Abuse, Depression, and Diabetes and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dissertation Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD
Postdoctoral training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Eileen S. Flores, BA, Barnard College, Columbia University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: Skin Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Hispanics in the Pennsylvania State Cancer Institute Catchment Area: A Mixed Method Study
Dissertation Adviser: Shelley Bluethmann, PhD

Kyungha Kim, BE, Handong Global University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: “The Opioid Epidemic Among Pregnant Women: Treatments For Opioid Use Disorder And Their Association with Pregnancy and Maternal Outcomes”
Dissertation Adviser: Douglas Leslie, PhD Postdoctoral training: University of Maryland, Baltimore

Savanna Gates Ledford, BS, MS, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Johns Hopkins University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: COVID-19 and Cancer in Pennsylvania: Behaviors, Advocacy, and Mortality
Dissertation Adviser: Eugene Lengerich, VMD
Postdoctoral training: Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Fellowship, Little Rock, Ar.

Douwné Müller, BS, Shippensburg University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: Hepatitis B Vaccination Barriers among Adults, aged 19 to 59, with Diagnosed Diabetes
Dissertation Adviser: Jessica Yingst, DrPH

Cheryl Richardson, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: Exploring the role of healthcare staff education and experience on comfort level when providing care to individuals with intellectual disabilities
Dissertation Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, CRNP
Postdoctoral Employment: Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

Sangeeta Gopal Saxena, MBBS, Delhi University
Major: Public Health
Dissertation: Promoting Equity among International Medical Graduates
Dissertation Adviser: Kristin Sznajder, PhD
Postdoctoral Employment: Coastal Carolina University, Conway, S.C.

Doctor of Philosophy

Radha Dhingra, MD, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Hospital
Major: Epidemiology
Dissertation: Understanding the Bi-directional Relationship Between Mental Illness and Cardiovascular Disease
Dissertation Adviser: Duanping Liao, MD, PhD

Ashna Dhoonmoon, BS, BA, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Modulation of the Replication Stress Response by the mono-ADP-Ribosyltransferase PARP1
Dissertation Adviser: George-Lucian Moldovan, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Adam J. Fike, BA, Arcadia University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Transcriptional Regulation of B Cell Responses in Protection and Autoimmunity
Dissertation Adviser: Ziaur Rahman, MD, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Bristol Meyers Squibb, Princeton, N.J.

Rebecca Fleeman, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Conveyed by Apolipoprotein E ε4: Immunometabolism and the Brain-Body Connection
Dissertation Adviser: Elizabeth Proctor, PhD Postdoctorate Employment: Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries

Chenqi Fu, BS, Fudan University
Major: Biostatistics
Dissertation: Bayesian Predictive Hypothesis Testing and Model Averaging
Dissertation Adviser: Shouhao Zhou, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA

Zhuangzhuang Geng, BS, China Pharmaceutical University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Regulatory Function of AUTS2 on Vital Signaling Pathways during Brain Development
Dissertation Adviser: Zhonghua Gao, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Nour Hawila, BS, American University of Beirut
Major: Biostatistics
Dissertation: Confidence Intervals for Noninferiority Testing, Bayesian joint Modeling of Interrater and Intrarater Reliability, Topics in Biostatistical Modeling and Statistics Education
Dissertation Adviser: Arthur Berg, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Bristol Myers Squibb 

Ian R. Hayman, BS, The University of Idaho
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Initial Infection and Intercellular Spread of Epstein-Barr Virus in Stratified Epithelium
Dissertation Adviser: Clare Sample, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle

Christine Hehnly, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Infections from Paenibacillus Thiaminolyticus with a Type IV Pilus causes Neonatal Sepsis and Subsequent Infant Postinfectious Hydrocephalus in Uganda
Dissertation Adviser: James Broach, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston

Xupeng Hong, BAGR, Shanghai Ocean University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Determinants of HBV Host Tropism and Roles of HBV Precore/Core Proteins
Dissertation Adviser: Jianming Hu, MD, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: The Rockefeller University, New York

Ryan Hylton, BS, Washington State University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Cofilactin Bundling in Neurodevelopment and Degeneration
Dissertation Adviser: Matthew Swulius, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany

Brandon LaFever, BS, Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Effects of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Nasal Inflammation on the Olfactory Neural Circuit
Dissertation Adviser: Fumiaki Imamura, PhD
Postdoctorate Education: Emergency Medical Technician and Physician Assistant

Menglu Liang, BM, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Major: Biostatistics
Dissertation: Modeling and Dynamic Prediction for Recurrent Time-to-event Data with Competing Risks
Dissertation Adviser: Ming Wang, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: University of Maryland, College Park, Md.

Wenxue Lin, BS, Dalian Medical University
Major: Epidemiology
Dissertation: Effect of Menthol Flavor in Cigarettes on Addiction and Toxicant Exposure
Dissertation Adviser: Joshua E. Muscat, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Temple University, Philadelphia

Xiaoming Liu, BA, Rutgers University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Mechanisms of Resistance to Anti-GD2 Immunotherapy in Neuroblastoma
Dissertation Adviser: Hong-Gang Wang, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Sonata Therapeutics, Watertown, Ma.

Barbara Manfredi, BS, MS, University of Parma
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Effects of Schweinfurthin Analogue 5’-Methylschweinfurthin G in Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines
Dissertation Adviser: Raymond Hohl, MD, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Oakland University, Mich.

Greer McKendrick, BS, College of Charleston
Major: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Pharmacological and Neurocircuit Regulation of Opioid-Context Associations
Dissertation Adviser: Nicholas Graziane, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Johns Hopkins, Baltimore

Darren Mehay, BA, Indiana University
Major: Anatomy
Dissertation: Angiotensin-(1-7) and Neural Mechanisms Controlling Energy Balance
Dissertation Adviser: Amy C. Arnold, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

Asvelt J. Nduwumwami, BA, Williams College
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Regulatory Role of Sphingolipid Metabolites in Immunogenic Cancer Cell Death
Dissertation Adviser: Jong Yun, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas

Mary Piscura, BS, The Ohio State University
Major: Anatomy
Dissertation: Mechanisms and Efficacy of Non-Opioid Alternatives for the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Pain in Mice
Dissertation Adviser: Daniel Morgan, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn, Ala.

David Rasicci, BS, University of California, Santa Barbara
Major: Anatomy
Dissertation: Cardiac Myosin Dysfunction in Genetic Cardiomyopathies and Ischemic Heart Failure
Dissertation Adviser: Christopher Yengo, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, W. Va.

Anna Livvia Ricci, BS, University of Utah
Major: Anatomy
Dissertation: Association of Synchronized Oscillations of Sleep with Brain Maturation and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Dissertation Adviser: Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vt.

Tanay Thakar, B.Tech, University of Pune, India
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Assessing the Role of Gap Avoidance Mechanisms and Nucleosome Assembly Pathways as Guardians of DNA Replication Fork Stability
Dissertation Adviser: George Lucian Moldovan, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York

Joshua Walston, BA, The Pennsylvania State University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Epstein-Barr virus Glycoproteins BDLF2 and BMRF2 are Important for Efficient Infection and Spread in Oral Epithelia
Dissertation Adviser: Clare E. Sample, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh

Xi Wang, BS, Nankai University, China
Major: Biostatistics
Dissertation: Analysis of Crossover Designs with Nonignorable Dropout Dissertation
Adviser: Vernon M. Chinchilli, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Microsoft

Xingyan Wang, BS, Peking University, China
Major: Biostatistics
Dissertation: Statistical Methods for Aggregating Trans-Ancestry Genome Wide Association Summary Statistics & Its Applications to Nicotine & Alcohol Addiction Phenotypes
Dissertation Adviser: Dajiang J. Liu, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

Natalie Yoshioka, BA, University of Maryland
Major: Anatomy
Dissertation: G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2: A Novel Regulator of Postnatal Skeletal Development
Dissertation Adviser: Fadia Kamal, PharmD, PhD
Postdoctorate Employment: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Yakima, Wash.

Li Zhang, BE, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Major: Epidemiology
Dissertation: Studies of Berries and Health
Dissertation Adviser: Joshua Muscat, PhD and John Richie, PhD

Mi Zhou, MD, China Medical University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Accumulation of Misfolded Proteins in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) impairs the Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Cargo and the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
Dissertation Adviser: Jeffrey Sundstrom, MD, PhD
Postdoctorate Training: Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa.

Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health

Benjamin Alexander Jonik, BS, Duquesne University
Capstone Experience: Demographic Relationships to Patient-Provider Trust and Their Impact on COVID-19 Pandemic Behaviors
Adviser: Casey Pinto, PhD, MPH, NP
Residency: Anesthesiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Abigail Washington, BA, Wheaton College
Capstone Experience: Association of Sarcoidosis Prevalence and Air Pollution
Adviser: Matthew Helm, MD and Melissa Butt, DrPH
Residency: Internal Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Holly Wisnouski, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Capstone Experience: A Meta-Analysis Characterizing the Spatiotemporal Prevalence of Lassa Fever
Adviser: Paddy Ssentongo, PhD
Residency: Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy

Daniel J. Goetschius, BS, MSc, Grove City College; Dublin City University
Major: Molecular Cellular and Integrative Biosciences
Dissertation: Icosahedral Subparticle Extraction & Correlated Classification: Characterizing Heterogeneities in Icosahedral Viruses
Dissertation Adviser: Susan Hafenstein, PhD
Residency: Internal Medicine, UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh

William Davis Haselden, Jr., BS, University of Alabama – Birmingham
Major: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Nitric Oxide Diffusion and Degradation Drive Emergent Cerebrovascular Dynamics
Dissertation Adviser: Patrick Drew, PhD
Residency: Neurological Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa

Martin T. Johnson, BS, Drexel University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Calcium Signaling Pathways in Smooth Muscle Remodeling During Hypertension and Asthma
Dissertation Adviser: Mohamed Trebak, PhD
Residency: Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.

Spencer R. Katz, BS, Yale University
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Silver Linings: Applications of Silver Staining for Micro-CT-based Computational Phenomics
Dissertation Adviser: Keith Cheng, MD, PhD
Residency: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Mallory Peterson, BS, The Pennsylvania State University
Major: Engineering, Science and Mathematics
Dissertation: Leveraging Neural Imaging for the Management of Hydrocephalus
Dissertation Adviser: Steven J. Schiff, MD, PhD
Residency: Neurological Surgery, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.

Carson A. Wills, BS, Haverford College
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Dissertation: Mechanisms of Small Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Chemotherapy-Induced Metastasis
Dissertation Adviser: Hong-Gang Wang, PhD
Residency: Internal Medicine, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Patricia P. Yee, BS, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Major: Neuroscience
Dissertation: The Roles of Tumor-Associated Neutrophils in Glioblastoma Necrosis and Progression
Dissertation Adviser: Wei Li, PhD
Residency: Neurological Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.

Physician assistant program

Alison Bean – University of New Hampshire, BS
Clinical Plans: Outpatient Internal Medicine, Charles River Medical Associates, Framingham, Mass.

Kiersten Betz – Pennsylvania College of Technology, BS
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Family Practice Center, Boiling Springs, Pa.

Joshua Blanchard – Brigham Young University – Idaho, BS Andrew Britton – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Urgent Care, Penn Medicine Lancaster General, Lancaster, Pa.

Karan Dhungel – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine

Julia Frye – The Ohio State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Dermatology, Chicago, Ill.

Joshua Kilic – Florida State University, BA
Clinical Plans: Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hershey, Pa.

Khanh Le – University of North Carolina, BA
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Moses Cone Hospital, Greensboro, N.C.

Carissa Lee – University of California-Los Angeles, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine

Sarah Lombel – Bucknell University, BS
Clinical Plans: Family and Community Medicine, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

Antonio Lopez-de-Alda – University of Texas at Dallas, BS, MS
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Austin, Texas

Rachel Mack – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Neurosurgery, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes Barre, Pa.

Grace Maples – University of Wisconsin, BS
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, North Olympic Healthcare Network, Port Angeles, Wash.

Catherine Meyerhoff – University of Michigan, BS
Clinical Plans: Women’s Health

Bryan Mullen – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Outpatient Neurology, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pa.

Jessica Nussbaum – New York University, BA
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Edwardsville, Ill.

Ryan Parrish – Lafayette College, BA Casey Reid – University of Maryland, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview, Baltimore, Md.

Stefanie Sciacca – Ramapo College of New Jersey, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, N.J.

Andru Smith – University of South Florida, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, UPMC, York, Pa.

Jason Summerlin – University of Central Florida, BA
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Yakima Valley Farm Worker’s Clinic, Salem, Ore.

Steven Swenson – University of Utah, BS
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine, Utah

Alexander Tish – Michigan State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Family Medicine

Madison Travor – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Clinical Plans: Pediatrics, Hershey, Pa.

Dominick Tumacder – Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, BS
Clinical Plans: Neurology Critical Care, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Md.

Annie Wayne – University of California-Davis, BS
Clinical Plans: Emergency Medicine, Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina, Calif.

Eli Weiner – Cornell University, BS
Clinical Plans: Neurology, UW Health, Madison, Wis.

Sarah Yeung – Lehigh University, BS
Clinical Plans: Pediatrics

MD program

Devon R. Ackerman – East Stroudsburg University, BS
Residency: Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Rawan Alhau – Rutgers University, basketball
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Psychiatry

Carolina Inmaculada Alvarez – Vassar College, BA
Residency: Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.: Surgery-General

Kilash Anthraper – Shippensburg University, BS; Millersville University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Jane-Frances Chiemezie Aruma – Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, BS
Residency: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill.: Anesthesiology

Shavini Himansi Athukorala – New York University, BA; Rutgers University, MBS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Ophthalmology

Thomas Martin Barrett – Muhlenberg College, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Pediatrics

Gary Steven Beemer – University of Florida, BS, MS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

Daniel Julius Berger – California Polytechnic State University, BS
Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, Va.: Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine

Makenna N. Brezitski – Wake Forest University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

David Lee Brinton – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Justin Brooke – University of Missouri, BS
Residency: Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, Colo.: Emergency Medicine

Parker Richard Burrows – Weber State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Catherine Marie Caldwell – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Ky.: Neurological Surgery

Olivia C. Calisi – Boston University, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston- Salem, N.C.: Surgery-General

Kathryn Mackenzie Carlisle – Boston College, BA, BA
Residency: Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Michael Charles Carter – Brigham Young University, BS
Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Emergency Medicine

Kimberly Ho-Yun Chan – University of Michigan, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Otolaryngology

Joshua Chen – Temple University, BA
Residency: Inspira Health Network, Mullica Hill, N.J.: Transitional Year

Mckenzee Chiam – Villanova University, BS
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Psychiatry

Brian Joseph Chin – Washington University, BA; The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law School, JD
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Shara Chopra – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, BA
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Dermatology

Jacob Colello – Liberty University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Andrew Scott Cross – Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, BS
Residency: Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

Nicholas Jospeh D’Alonzo – The University of Scranton, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Surgery-General

Yongwook Dan – Northwestern University, BA
Residency: ISMMS Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, N.Y.: Anesthesiology

Joseph Dao – Georgetown University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: UC San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.: Surgery-Preliminary

Matthew Carl Darok – Messiah University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Denali Helen Davis – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, BS
Residency: UPMC Medical Education Pittsburgh, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Kunal Debroy – College of William and Mary, BS
Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Neurology

Anne Elizabeth Fenton Dimmock – Franklin and Marshall College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Martha Dresley Doxsey – University of Massachusetts, BS
Residency: Tufts Medical Center-MA, Boston, Mass.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Elizabeth U. Drda – Lebanon Valley College, BS
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.: Pediatrics

Amanda Blaine Dubbs – Millersville University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

Julia Dunbar – University of Notre Dame, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

Garrett Victor Dunn – Washington and Jefferson College, BA
Residency: University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio: Anesthesiology

Brandon Eden – Muhlenberg College, BS
Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Anesthesiology

Kodi Endres – Indiana University of Pennsylvania, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Alana Ebbitt Ernharth – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Hannah Marie Herbert Faeben – Virginia Commonwealth University, BS
Residency: Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, N.C.: Family Medicine

Noa Fatimah Farou – The University of Texas at Austin, BSA
Residency: Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, S.C.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Zachary Robert Foster – Brigham Young University, BS
Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, N.C.: Anesthesiology

Madelaine Fritsche – James Madison University, BS, BS
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.: Dermatology

Randy Enrique Galan – University of Utah, BS
Residency: UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, Calif.: Family Medicine

Sage Gee – University of Nevada, BS
Residency: University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, Nev.: Psychiatry

Aria Ghahramani – Franklin and Marshall College, BA
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Psychiatry

Sarah Gabrielle Gillespie – University of Virginia, BA
Residency: Christiana Care, Newark, Del.: Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine

Daniel James Goetschius – Grove City College, BS; Westminster Theological Seminary, MAR; Dublin City University, MSc; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Stephanie Golub – University of Maryland, College Park, BS; The Johns Hopkins University, MS
Residency: Maine Medical Center Portland, Maine: Family Medicine

Marina Laura Gonzalez – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Paul Jacob Gottshall – Marquette University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Internal Medicine

Neha Gupta – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: George Washington University, Washington D.C.: Emergency Medicine

Giang I. Ha – University of California, Berkeley, BS, MTM
Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Internal Medicine

William Haselden – University of Alabama, BS, BSE; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa: Neurological Surgery
(Graduated December 2022)

Steven James Hatten Jr. – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Internal Medicine

Stephanie Julia Hawkins – Ursinus College, BS
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

Sarah Marie Hershberger – Marian University, BS, BA
Residency: Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein, Bronx, N.Y.: Family Medicine

Ryan Higgins – Seattle Pacific University, BS
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Neb.: Otolaryngology

Lisa Ho – Stony Brook University, BS
Residency: Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Mass.: Radiology- Diagnostic

Don Hoang – Wright State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd

Maria S. Holstrom Mercader – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Ill.: Emergency Medicine

Travis Hoover – Messiah University, BS
Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Radiation Oncology

Nonyelum Victoria Ibik – Lincoln University, BS
Residency: Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas: Transitional Year

Raisha Haleema Ismail – Williams College, BA
Residency: University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vt.; Internal Medicine

Diane Haeji Jang – Dartmouth College, BA
Residency: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, Wash.: Surgery-Preliminary

Kimberly Ellen Jayne – Trevecca Nazarene University, BS
Residency: Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pa.: Family Medicine

Martin Thomas Johnson – Drexel University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
Residency: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.: Internal Medicine

Benjamin Alexander Jonik – Duquesne University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Katherine Julian – The Ohio State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Col.: Internal Medicine

Alma Jusufagic – University of California, Los Angeles, BS, MPH
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Jennifer Ann Kane – Elon University, BA
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Urology

Spencer Ridgway Katz – Yale University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
Residency: Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics

Noor Kawmi – Assumption University, BA
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Charles Jerome Keith – United States Military Academy, BS
Residency: Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.: Radiology-Diagnostic

Steven King – The College of New Jersey, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Internal Medicine

Kelly Marie Kons- University of Wisconsin, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Bronson Ross Kunzler – Utah State University, BS
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Shelby Alexis Labe – Trinity College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anesthesiology

Makayla Beatrice Lagerman – Bucknell University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

Michael Elden Larsen – University of Utah, BS
Residency: University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah: Pediatrics/Medical Genetics

Charles Chansoo Lee – Cornell University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Plastic Surgery (Integrated)

Morgan Elizabeth Lehman – University of Pittsburgh, BS
Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston- Salem, N.C.: Internal Medicine

Brooke Pero Lichak – Lehigh University, BS
Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Pediatrics

Christine Lin – Cornell University, BS
Residency: UPMC Medical Education, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Radiology-Diagnostic

Jeffrey Lorenz – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Otolaryngology

Victoria Elaine Malone – Lebanon Valley College, BS
Residency: Wellspan Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, Pa.: Family Medicine

Brandon Martinazzi- Juniata College, BS
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

Carly M. Maucione- Rutgers University, BA
Residency: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.: Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical

Elise M. McNulty – Princeton University, BS; The Johns Hopkins University, MHS
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Pediatrics

Rea Mittal – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Childrens National Medical Center, Washington, D.C.: Child Neurology

Puneet Modgil – The Ohio State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Rebecca Ann Morgis – Albright College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.: Pediatrics

Drew Dalton Mullins – Swarthmore College, BA
Residency: UPMC St. Margaret, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Family Medicine

Frederick Mun – Carnegie Mellon University, BA, BS
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Orthopaedic Surgery

Leah Musser – University of Pittsburgh, BS
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Neurology

Zakary S. Newberry – University of Maryland, Baltimore County, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

Uyen Phuong Nguyen – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala.: Surgery-General

Robert H. Nordell, IV – University of Iowa, BS
Residency: Tower Health/Reading Hospital, West Reading, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

Wendy Osei-Bonsu – College of Saint Benedict, BA
Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.: Neurology

Megha Patel – McGill University, BS; McMaster University, MSGH
Residency: Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.: Pediatrics

Rutu R. Patel – The College of New Jersey, BS
Residency: Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, N.J.: Psychiatry

Jordan Elise Pearson – Houghton College, BS
Residency: University of Rochester/Strong Memorial, Rochester, N.Y.: Anesthesiology

Lindsey Peck – Duke University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: St. Lukes Hospital, Bethlehem, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Mallory R. Peterson – The Pennsylvania State University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey, Pa.: Neurological Surgery

Blaine Michael Prichard – The Pennsylvania State University, BS; University of Pittsburgh, BS
Residency: University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, N.Y.: Family Medicine

Olga Prokunina – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BS
Residency: Brown University /Butler Hospital, Providence, R.I.: Psychiatry

Anna Marie Ptasinski – Lafayette College, BS
Residency: Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Orthopaedic Surgery

Muhammed A. Rahim – Rutgers University, BA
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

Roberto Ramirez-Rivera – The Johns Hopkins University, BS
Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Family Medicine

Nina Razavi – Saint Louis University, BS
Residency: Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Alyson Rich – University of Michigan, BS
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio: Neurology

Monica Rizk – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BS, BA
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Medicine-Preliminary

Meghan E. Robbins – Boston University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, Conn.

Catherine Marie Roberts – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: UPMC Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Pa.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Savreen Kaur Saran – University of California, Berkeley, BA
Residency: UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, Calif.: Family Medicine

Alyssa R. Scott – Muhlenberg College, BS; University of North Carolina, MPH
Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.: Internal Medicine

Stephen Petros Sekoulopoulos – Valparaiso University, BS, BA; Indiana University School of Medicine, MS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Urology

Mariam A. Shalaby – University of Pittsburgh, BS
Residency: ISMMS Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, N.Y.: Psychiatry

Rebecca Claire Smith – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, BS
Residency: Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine: Psychiatry

Natasha Sood – University of Pittsburgh, BS; Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, MPH; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass.: Anesthesiology

Lilly Su – The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Stanford Health Care, Stanford, Calif.: Pediatrics

Haorui Sun – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: New York Presbytery Hospital – Columbia University Medical Center, New York, N.Y.: Family Medicine

Cyril “Simo” Tankam – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Medical degree awarded posthumously

Morris Kobina Taylor – Messiah University, BSc
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Family Medicine

Amy Thompson – United States Military Academy, BS
Residency: William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas: Orthopaedic Surgery

Garrett Thompson – University of New Hampshire, BS; University of Sheffield, MPH
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Emergency Medicine

Alyssa Wang Tuan – University of Florida, BS, BS, MPH
Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.: Internal Medicine

Jacqueline Tucker – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, MEd
Residency: University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minn.: Otolaryngology

Valerie Jeanette Urban – Connecticut College, BA
Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Pediatrics

Baadal Ajay Vachhani – Muhlenberg College, BS
Residency: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston- Salem, N.C.: Psychiatry

John Walsh – Miami University, BS, BS
Residency: Ohio Health-Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio: Family Medicine

Melody Wang – University of California, Los Angeles, BS
Residency: Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.: Family Medicine

Abigail Washington – Wheaton College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Dermatology

Benjamin W. Watt – Saint Vincent College, BS
Residency: Lawndale Christian Health Center, Chicago, Ill.: Family Medicine

Sarah Rebecca Weber – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Ophthalmology

Carson Alice Wills – Haverford College, BS; The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PhD
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Holly Nicole Wisnousky – Coe College, BA; The Pennsylvania State University, MPH
Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Emergency Medicine

Lisa Marie Witmer – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Ashley Wong – The Pennsylvania State University, BS, MEd
Residency: George Washington University, Washington D.C.: Internal Medicine

Megan Lynn Wood – Iona University, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, MEd
Residency: Stony Brook Teaching Hospital, Stony Brook, N.Y.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Emma Wu – University of California, San Diego, BS, MS
Residency: UC San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.: Anesthesiology

Akshata Yalvigi
Residency: Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn.: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Jay William Yang – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.: Radiology-Diagnostic

Habib Yazgi – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.: Internal Medicine

Patricia Pei Hsuan Yee – University of Michigan, BS; The Pennsylvania State University, PhD
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.: Neurological Surgery

Lisa Renae Yoder – Allegheny College, BS
Residency: University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Anesthesiology

Zeva Michal Young – The Pennsylvania State University, BS
Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo.: Pediatrics

Zahra Zhu – New York University, BA
Residency: New York Presbytery Hospital – Columbia University Medical Center, New York, N.Y.: Child Neurology

Monica Marie Zukowski – University of Pittsburgh, BS
Residency: Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Surgery-General

  • Thumbnail of cover of program for the 53rd Commencement, Penn State College of Medicine, Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 1 p.m.

    Commencement program

    View the order of ceremonies, keynote speaker information and awards information by clicking the respective tabs. See graduate lists below.

    Printed program

    Download a PDF of the printed commencement program here.

  • Order of ceremonies

    Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education, The Pennsylvania State University, Levon Esters, PhD, presiding

    Prelude

    Ethan Lee, Pianist, Physician Assistant Class of 2024
    Triumphal March from the Opera “Aida” (Verdi)

    Academic Processional

    Dwight Davis, MD
    College of Medicine Marshall
    Professor, Department of Medicine
    Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute

    Welcome

    Levon Esters, PhD
    Dean of the Graduate School
    Vice Provost for Graduate Education
    The Pennsylvania State University

    National Anthem

    Alyssa Tuan
    Medical Student Class of 2023

    Invocation

    The Rev. David B. Simmons, DMin, BCC
    Director of Pastoral Services

    Welcome

    Kevin Black, MD
    Interim Dean, Penn State College of Medicine

    Commencement Address

    Ala Stanford, MD, FAAP, FACS
    Former Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    Authorization to Confer Degrees

    Abraham Amorós
    Board of Trustees
    The Pennsylvania State University

    Graduate Student Speech

    Spencer Katz
    Graduate Program 2023 Class Representative

    Graduate Student Oath

    (Read the full oath here)

    Leslie J. Parent, MD
    Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
    Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Research
    Professor of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology

    Conferring of Graduate Degrees

    Levon Esters, PhD

    Ralph Keil, PhD
    College of Medicine Assistant Marshall, Graduate Program
    Chair, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

    Patricia Mclaughlin, DEd
    College of Medicine Hooder, Graduate Program
    Professor Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
    Director, Graduate Program in Anatomy
    Distinguished Educator

    Physician Assistant Student Speech

    Alison Bean
    Physician Assistant 2023 Class Representative

    Physician Assistant Professional Oath

    (Read the full oath here)

    Larissa Whitney, DBA, MHS, PA-C
    Director, Physician Assistant Program
    Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

    Conferring of Physician Assistant Degrees

    Levon Esters, PhD

    Kevin Black, MD

    David Richard, MD, FAAFP
    Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
    Vice Chair of Education, Department of Family and Community Medicine Medical Director, Physician Assistant Program
    Distinguished Educator
    Penn State College of Medicine

    Larissa Whitney, DBA, MHS, PA-C
    College of Medicine Hooder, Physician Assistant Program

    Sarah Lewis, MHS
    College of Medicine Hooder, Physician Assistant Program
    Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
    Academic Director, Physician Assistant Program

    Medical Degree Student Speech

    Puneet Modgil
    Medical Degree 2023 Class Representative

    The Oath of Modern Hippocrates

    (Read the full oath here)

    Erica Friedman, MD, FACP
    Vice Dean for Educational Affairs
    Professor of Medicine

    Conferring of Medical Degrees

    Levon Esters, PhD

    Dean Black

    Emmanuelle Williams, MD
    College of Medicine Assistant Marshal, Medical Degree Program
    Associate Dean for Student Affairs
    Associate Professor of Medicine

    Justen Aprile, MD
    College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
    Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Humanities

    Katharine Dalke, MD MBE
    College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
    Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Humanities Director of the Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education

    Brandon Peterson, MD
    College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
    Assistant Professor of Medicine
    Director of Phase III UME-GME Transition

    Mark B. Stephens, MD, MS, FAAFP
    Captain (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy
    College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
    Associate Dean for Medical Education, University Park Curriculum

    Greetings from the Alumni Society

    Rachel Fogel, MD
    President, Penn State College of Medicine Alumni Society
    Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Harrisburg University

    Special Greetings

    Dean Black

    Benediction

    The Rev. Simmons

    Recessional

    Ethan Lee
    Trumpet Voluntary (Clark)
    (Audience remains seated.)

  • Commencement address

    Head-and-shoulders portrait of Ala Stanford, MD

    Ala Stanford, MD, former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Director

    Ala Stanford, MD

    Former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    Regional Director

    Dr. Ala Stanford is a national leader in health equity and a health care policy advisor. She is a trusted messenger and an advocate for vulnerable populations in the United States and globally. Dr. Stanford recently served as the Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of the Mid-Atlantic, appointed by President Joseph Biden overseeing the health and well being of all Americans. A practicing physician for over 20 years, Dr. Stanford is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both pediatric and adult general surgery. She serves as a medical and health correspondent for national media outlets. Dr. Stanford gained international recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic using the infrastructure of her pediatric surgery practice to create a grassroots organization focused on education, testing, contact tracing and vaccination in communities devoid of access to care and resources. Her focus on those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 saved lives. The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium directly served over 100,000 and countless others through the reach of their work. Dr. Stanford subsequently opened a Center for Health Equity in a Philadelphia zip code community with the lowest life expectancy; providing expert health care and improving health outcomes. She has received many accolades, a few notable include 2023 STATNews Status List Changemaker in health and medicine, Named Most Influential Women in 2021 & 2022 by Forbes Magazine, 2021 Top 10 CNNHero, 2021 Fortune Magazine: World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, 2021 George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award, the City of Philadelphia Commissioned a street in her name and in April 2023 Dr. Stanford delivered a TEDTalk at the University of Pennsylvania on the subject of medicine and social justice. Simon & Schuster will share her memoir and roadmap for achieving health equity in 2024. Dr. Stanford is a wife and mother to three teenagers.

  • Dean’s awards

    As part of its Commencement 2023 celebration, Penn State College of Medicine will recognize several graduates from the medical student, physician assistant, MD/PhD and graduate programs who did outstanding work in their academic and clinical careers.

    See 2023 award recipients here

Thumbnail of cover of program for the 53rd Commencement, Penn State College of Medicine, Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 1 p.m.

Commencement program

View the order of ceremonies, keynote speaker information and awards information by clicking the respective tabs. See graduate lists below.

Printed program

Download a PDF of the printed commencement program here.

Order of ceremonies

Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education, The Pennsylvania State University, Levon Esters, PhD, presiding

Prelude

Ethan Lee, Pianist, Physician Assistant Class of 2024
Triumphal March from the Opera “Aida” (Verdi)

Academic Processional

Dwight Davis, MD
College of Medicine Marshall
Professor, Department of Medicine
Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute

Welcome

Levon Esters, PhD
Dean of the Graduate School
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
The Pennsylvania State University

National Anthem

Alyssa Tuan
Medical Student Class of 2023

Invocation

The Rev. David B. Simmons, DMin, BCC
Director of Pastoral Services

Welcome

Kevin Black, MD
Interim Dean, Penn State College of Medicine

Commencement Address

Ala Stanford, MD, FAAP, FACS
Former Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Authorization to Confer Degrees

Abraham Amorós
Board of Trustees
The Pennsylvania State University

Graduate Student Speech

Spencer Katz
Graduate Program 2023 Class Representative

Graduate Student Oath

(Read the full oath here)

Leslie J. Parent, MD
Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Research
Professor of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology

Conferring of Graduate Degrees

Levon Esters, PhD

Ralph Keil, PhD
College of Medicine Assistant Marshall, Graduate Program
Chair, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

Patricia Mclaughlin, DEd
College of Medicine Hooder, Graduate Program
Professor Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
Director, Graduate Program in Anatomy
Distinguished Educator

Physician Assistant Student Speech

Alison Bean
Physician Assistant 2023 Class Representative

Physician Assistant Professional Oath

(Read the full oath here)

Larissa Whitney, DBA, MHS, PA-C
Director, Physician Assistant Program
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Conferring of Physician Assistant Degrees

Levon Esters, PhD

Kevin Black, MD

David Richard, MD, FAAFP
Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Vice Chair of Education, Department of Family and Community Medicine Medical Director, Physician Assistant Program
Distinguished Educator
Penn State College of Medicine

Larissa Whitney, DBA, MHS, PA-C
College of Medicine Hooder, Physician Assistant Program

Sarah Lewis, MHS
College of Medicine Hooder, Physician Assistant Program
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Academic Director, Physician Assistant Program

Medical Degree Student Speech

Puneet Modgil
Medical Degree 2023 Class Representative

The Oath of Modern Hippocrates

(Read the full oath here)

Erica Friedman, MD, FACP
Vice Dean for Educational Affairs
Professor of Medicine

Conferring of Medical Degrees

Levon Esters, PhD

Dean Black

Emmanuelle Williams, MD
College of Medicine Assistant Marshal, Medical Degree Program
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Associate Professor of Medicine

Justen Aprile, MD
College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Humanities

Katharine Dalke, MD MBE
College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Humanities Director of the Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education

Brandon Peterson, MD
College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director of Phase III UME-GME Transition

Mark B. Stephens, MD, MS, FAAFP
Captain (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy
College of Medicine Hooder, Medical Degree Program
Associate Dean for Medical Education, University Park Curriculum

Greetings from the Alumni Society

Rachel Fogel, MD
President, Penn State College of Medicine Alumni Society
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Harrisburg University

Special Greetings

Dean Black

Benediction

The Rev. Simmons

Recessional

Ethan Lee
Trumpet Voluntary (Clark)
(Audience remains seated.)

Commencement address

Head-and-shoulders portrait of Ala Stanford, MD

Ala Stanford, MD, former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Director

Ala Stanford, MD

Former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Regional Director

Dr. Ala Stanford is a national leader in health equity and a health care policy advisor. She is a trusted messenger and an advocate for vulnerable populations in the United States and globally. Dr. Stanford recently served as the Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of the Mid-Atlantic, appointed by President Joseph Biden overseeing the health and well being of all Americans. A practicing physician for over 20 years, Dr. Stanford is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both pediatric and adult general surgery. She serves as a medical and health correspondent for national media outlets. Dr. Stanford gained international recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic using the infrastructure of her pediatric surgery practice to create a grassroots organization focused on education, testing, contact tracing and vaccination in communities devoid of access to care and resources. Her focus on those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 saved lives. The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium directly served over 100,000 and countless others through the reach of their work. Dr. Stanford subsequently opened a Center for Health Equity in a Philadelphia zip code community with the lowest life expectancy; providing expert health care and improving health outcomes. She has received many accolades, a few notable include 2023 STATNews Status List Changemaker in health and medicine, Named Most Influential Women in 2021 & 2022 by Forbes Magazine, 2021 Top 10 CNNHero, 2021 Fortune Magazine: World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, 2021 George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award, the City of Philadelphia Commissioned a street in her name and in April 2023 Dr. Stanford delivered a TEDTalk at the University of Pennsylvania on the subject of medicine and social justice. Simon & Schuster will share her memoir and roadmap for achieving health equity in 2024. Dr. Stanford is a wife and mother to three teenagers.

Dean’s awards

As part of its Commencement 2023 celebration, Penn State College of Medicine will recognize several graduates from the medical student, physician assistant, MD/PhD and graduate programs who did outstanding work in their academic and clinical careers.

See 2023 award recipients here