Julia Afridi, D.O., medical director for the Integrative Medicine Clinic at Elmhurst Hospital, served as commencement speaker. In her speech, she asked students to recognize how important and essential they are in the new paradigm shift in health care toward integrative medicine.
“While your degrees are not new, the ways [the industry] has been using these degrees are rapidly transforming,” she said. “I am looking forward to the ways you become a catalyst for the transformation of health care.”
Valedictorians from each academic program also gave well-received speeches thanking faculty members and congratulating their fellow classmates. Nadene Johnson, valedictorian of the Master of Science in Acupuncture class, offered tips that have helped her on her journey to becoming a health care practitioner. She encouraged students to reframe failure and to have gratitude for themselves and their accomplishments.
Nicholas Hollendonner, valedictorian for the chiropractic medicine class, discussed utilizing attitude and perspective during life’s struggles. “It is positive thought that will bring us to success,” he said.
In President Joseph Stiefel’s closing remarks, he shared a childhood memory to highlight the importance of trying new things and experiences, like starting the path to a degree in health care. “Education is about more than facts and figures,” he said. “It is learning to tackle all the challenges and obstacles before you on your own.”
Massage Therapy Program Graduates
Maria Valentina Brasseur
Anne Tucker Doar
Jennifer Hernandez
Cassandra Malinowska
Lauren Michelle Musso
Katie Pritchard
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences Graduates
Reema Asfour
Christy L. Decker
Emily Louise Doudlah
Lian Joy Fonacier
BethAnne Hoernes
Monserrat Soto Malonson
Naiomi Zoé Morales Tristani
Shawna Leah Singrin
Jennifer Storch
Master of Science in Acupuncture Graduates
Stephanie A. Catanese
Nadene Johnson
Kylee Erin Koon
Stephanie Michelle Lee
Linzi Ann Saigh-Larsen
Master of Science in Oriental Medicine Graduates
Kerilyn Heyer
Amal Khaled
Hossein Setork
Sarah Wong
Doctor of Chiropractic Graduates
Ariel Janae Israel
Joshua Ryan Burns
Katie Carol Carlin
Argiana Haralampopoulos Danos
Nicholas Hollendonner
Ryan David Hosler
Mary Elizabeth Kikilas
Courtney Gayle Knight
Lauren Elizabeth LeMasters
Jenifer Lynn Mersman
Bradford James Myers
Paul Richard Pammer
Jordan William Pontius
Aliz D. Puskas-Bruno
Allison Terese Norton Romportl
Parisa Samsami
Michael Anthony Scardina
Jennifer Lynn Scherbauer
Melanie Elenora Short
Jennifer Collene Simons
Jennifer Skrabutenas
Jacob J. Suh
Alicia Vulchev
Corey Alan Whitney
Aimee M Wrubel
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Graduates
Brett Appleby
Megan Borreson
Andrea Duvnjak
Kirstin Noel Kraft
Julia Malkowski
Nikita Patel
kristal Richardson
Dina Scannell
Jill Elizabeth Skurnowicz
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