College of Health Professions Celebrates Graduates Via Zoom
| The College of Health Professions approached this commencement season with pomp, circumstance and a lot of creativity.
“Figuring out how to honor our graduates when we couldn’t be together was a difficult task,” said Dean Susan Long, Ed.D. “But our faculty and staff were committed to making sure our graduates had a chance to celebrate their achievements. I’m proud of the efforts our programs put forth to make commencement happen for these students.”
Erin McKinney was one of three Dental Hygiene graduates selected for the national honors society Signa Phi Alpha. The program announced the honor during an online ceremony.
Seven programs in the college had students graduating in May. Each of those programs received videos from Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, and Provost Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., congratulating the graduates on their accomplishments.
The Departments of Dental Hygiene, Genetic Counseling, Physical Therapy, Respiratory Care and the Dietetic Internship program took to Zoom to honor their graduates. The Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology and the Department of Ophthalmic Technologies are planning celebrations for later in the summer, while the Department of Diagnostic Medical Sonography recognized its students with a gift.
Both Genetic Counseling and Physical Therapy were determined to have their hooding ceremonies with each department using a heaping dose of creativity to make it happen.
The College of Health Professions’ Genetic Counseling program recognized their graduates with a virtual hooding ceremony.
Genetic Counseling turned to Photoshop, taking a photo from last year’s in-person ceremony and replacing the student in the shot with the faces of this year’s graduates.
“We wanted our students to experience as much of the traditional hooding ceremony as possible,” said Noelle R. Danylchuk, M.S., L.C.G.C., assistant professor and director of the Genetic Counseling program. “So the photo shows them standing on a stage right after being hooded by me and Tiffany Lepard Tassin, M.S., C.G.C., the assistant program director.
“We had hoped to have the students wear their hoods during the Zoom ceremony, but unfortunately, the regalia didn’t arrive in time. Still, I think we made it a memorable experience for our graduates.”
The Physical Therapy program used skeletons to stand in for the graduates. A skeleton with each student’s graduation photo taped to it was wheeled across the floor as the student’s name was called. Then John Jefferson, Ph.D., P.T., and Angel Holland, P.T., D.P.T., Ed.D., hooded the skeleton as other faculty in full academic regalia applauded.
Students from the Dietetic Internship program recognized outstanding preceptors during their Zoom ceremony.
“Our students greatly appreciated the effort and creativity we put forth in our Zoom celebration,” said Jefferson, chair of the department. “We wanted them to see how much we appreciated all of their hard work for the past three years. I think our ceremony achieved that.”
The Dietetic Internship program took a moment to recognize 14 outstanding preceptors, with each student talking about the person they selected as their Distinguished Mentor.
Tom Jones, M.Ed., chairman of the Department of Respiratory Care, awards the Faculty Gold Key award to Caitlin Turner during the program’s Zoom celebration.
Many programs, including Dental Hygiene and Cardio-Respiratory Care, used their Zoom ceremonies to hand out awards to exemplary graduates.
“Our faculty had three main objectives for the convocation: 1) make it meaningful and intimate, 2) include elements of a traditional graduation to give our students that feel and 3) balance the traditional with a relaxed non-rushed agenda,” said Tom Jones, M.Ed., RRT, CPFT, chairman of the Department of Respiratory Care. “We wanted to make this a special event for our students, and honoring their achievements played a big part.”