The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health held a Convocation ceremony celebrating the success of more than 124 graduates from the Tucson and Phoenix campuses. Dr. Mark Smolinski delivered the commencement speech.
Class of 2012 (Graduate Students)
Dr. Iman Hakim, dean and professor of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, presided over the college’s 12th Convocation conferring degrees upon undergraduate and graduate students on May 11 at Tucson Temple of Music and Arts.
Keynote speaker Mark Smolinski, MD, MPH, director of Global Health Threats for the Skoll Global Threats Fund, and an alumnus of the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, spoke before graduates and their families, imparting three lessons through illustrative stories from the impressionable, incorrigible and “dare to cross the line” stages of his career.
Those pearls of wisdom included the realization that all public health is local and he challenged graduates to be agents of change no matter how small. Dr. Smolinski stressed that the new frontier of public health surveillance is the power of data resulting from direct engagement with massive numbers of people. Two way, real time, population wide communication can be used to conquer all emerging infectious disease. He urged students to embrace technology to ensure that all people are protected, respected and their voices heard.
Fifty-one graduates received a bachelor of science degree with a major in public health; 69 received master of public health degrees; two received a master of science in biostatistics; one received a master of science in environmental health sciences degree; one received a doctor of public health degree with a concentration in maternal and child health; and one received a doctorate in epidemiology.
Margaret Collier received the award for Outstanding Senior Student (undergraduate); Martin Celaya received the Outstanding MPH Student Award; and Beth Phillips received the Student Life Award.
Fifteen students received Recognition of Academic Excellence at the undergraduate level. Cum Laude: Ambereen Ameer, Jennifer Capeloto, Margaret Collier, Meredith Lisse, Sarah Nagaratum, Lindsay Rovner, Nicole Teran, Zachary Tolley, Richard Wong; Magna Cum Laude: Amanda Berg, Melanie Hosbein, Elaina Livingston, Meghan Menke, Lindsey Nelson; and Summa Cum Laude: Ellen Ouellette.
The Delta Omega Award went to seven students: Martin Celaya, Xiao Cheng, Kenneth Matthew Fornoff, Michelle Gamber, Catherine Golenko, Margaret Kurzuis-Spencer, and Elizabeth Phillips.
During the ceremony, Dean Hakim presented the Awards for Excellence in Research, Teaching, and Community Engaged Scholarship and Practice to the following members of the College of Public Health: Paloma Beamer, PhD, assistant professor of Environmental Health Sciences, received the Excellence in Research Award; Rebecca Drummond, MA, program director for Family Wellness, received the Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship and Practice Award; and Nicolette Teufel-Shone, PhD, associate professor, received the Excellence in Teaching award.
