Joy. Relief. Gratefulness. Accomplishment. Normalcy.
These were some of the feelings expressed by graduates of the 91大神, Baltimore (UMB), who overcame the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to complete their studies and earn their degrees during a commencement ceremony May 19 that featured a keynote speech from Anthony Fauci, MD.
Graduating student Nivedita Hegdekar, PhD, MSL, introduced keynote speaker Dr. Anthony Fauci at UMB鈥檚 commencement ceremony May 19.
The graduates, many of whom had to pivot to virtual learning in 2020 because of the pandemic, were attending the first in-person Universitywide commencement in three years.
鈥淚 feel a sense of relief because it鈥檚 an accomplishment that I鈥檝e made it this far, and I鈥檝e worked very hard. But I also feel ready,鈥� said Rachael Morrissey, JD, who will go on to clerk for a judge in Maryland. 鈥淚 feel ready to get out there and do what I鈥檝e been trained and taught and have studied to do.鈥�
Tsedeke Ketema, PharmD, an immigrant from Ethiopia who has been in the United States for 11 years, was grateful for the support he found at UMB.
鈥淭his nation has helped me, as have so many families, so many friends, so many faculty members,鈥� said Ketema, who took part in the University鈥檚 efforts to vaccinate the community against COVID-19.
Of course, many of the graduates鈥� thoughts turned to the pandemic.
鈥淚 started in 2019 and made it three-quarters of the way through the semester. Then the pandemic started, and we all had to go online,鈥� Morrissey said. 鈥淭he pandemic has been hard. It鈥檚 really meaningful to be here in person today because we鈥檝e been through a lot as a community.鈥�
Kathy Thang, DNP, agreed.
鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 normal again. We鈥檙e finally back to how it used to be,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 refreshing and exciting.鈥�
Collin Muhler, DDS, said he had been concerned that the Class of 2022 wouldn鈥檛 be able to have an in-person ceremony.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long road,鈥� said Muhler, who will be joining his father鈥檚 dental practice in Timonium. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad that we鈥檙e actually here. It feels normal for once.鈥�
Jennifer Drechsler, MD, appreciated having the graduates of UMB鈥檚 six professional schools and the Graduate School together in one ceremony.
鈥淚t was nice to have this interprofessional graduation. It鈥檚 just nice to see all of the different departments get together,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat was really inspirational for me.鈥�
The students were excited to hear Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president who earned a reputation as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Doctor鈥� during the pandemic because of his calm advice to the public. Fauci urged the graduates to be perpetual students, work to eliminate the country鈥檚 health inequities that came to the forefront during the pandemic, and serve their communities.
鈥淚 thought it was incredible,鈥� Josephine Hoepker, MS, said of his speech. 鈥淚 think the most important thing is to always be a service to your community and to help out as much as you can. So that really stuck with me: Always be there for the community.鈥�
Drechsler also appreciated Fauci鈥檚 advice.
鈥淗e talked about how we鈥檙e always continual learners, and that really spoke to me as a student in medicine. It鈥檚 my responsibility to keep learning new and innovative technologies, diagnoses, treatment plans, and to continue growing,鈥� Drechsler said. 鈥淗is speech gave a lot of good advice to us for our future.鈥�
Ultimately, the day was one of celebration and reflection for the graduates and their families.
鈥淚t鈥檚 overwhelming because I haven鈥檛 taken a moment to stop and reflect on everything,鈥� Morrissey said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 what today is about.鈥�
