Three days of celebrations will lead up to the moments when graduates of the School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Graduate School of Nursing receive their degrees at UMass Medical School’s 42nd Commencement on Sunday, May 31.
Pre-commencement festivities begin Thursday, May 28, at 3 p.m., when the GSBS hosts its annual celebration of student achievement in the Albert Sherman Center Cube. Graduating doctoral students will be honored with awards for academic achievement, mentoring, service and scholarship, followed by a reception for students and faculty.
On Friday, May 29, the Graduate School of Nursing and School of Medicine follow suit with their respective alumni and recognition breakfasts.
The GSN breakfast begins at 8 a.m. in the Albert Sherman Center First Floor Multi-Purpose Room. It will bring together alumni—many of whom work for the GSN and UMMS clinical partner UMass Memorial Health Care—with their newest colleagues who will join them as advanced practice clinicians, educators and executives.
Beginning at 9 a.m. in the Faculty Conference Room, the School of Medicine Class of 2015 will be welcomed as new members of the UMass Medical School Alumni Association. Awards will also be presented at the SOM Alumni Breakfast for outstanding achievements as physicians in training.
On Saturday evening a private dinner for honorary degree recipients will be held. Photos and highlights of the event will be posted on UMassMedNow (www.umassmed.edu/news) the next day.
Also on Saturday night, graduates of the three schools and their friends and families, as well as all members of the extended UMMS community, are invited to join in a Campus Celebration featuring live music and dancing. Hors d’oeuvres, drinks and dessert will be served at the party, which will take place in the Albert Sherman Center First Floor Multi-Purpose Room from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Commencement Day will kick off on Sunday morning with a complimentary brunch for faculty, graduates and guests. Buffet service will be available in both the Faculty Conference Room and Albert Sherman Center Café from 9:30 to 11 a.m., with seating available inside and outside as weather permits.
General seating for Commencement in the tent on the Campus Green will begin at 11 a.m., with the processional march beginning at 11:45 a.m. The formal Commencement exercises will start promptly at noon.
Honorary degrees are being awarded in recognition of the research and drug development advocacy work of Rett Syndrome Research Trust co-founder Monica Coenraads and the academic and health care leadership of Institute of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau, MD.
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| Institute of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau, MD | |
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| Rett Syndrome Research Trust co-founder Monica Coenraads with her daughter Chelsea |
Dr. Dzau, who will deliver the keynote address, is a preeminent academic health care leader who envisions academic health sciences centers like UMass Medical School as leaders in the transformation of medicine through innovation, translation and globalization. Also a cardiologist who has conducted groundbreaking res
