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Members of the PA Class of 2026 gather on Aug. 21 after the Valediction for one last formal photo together. Image by Bryan Clifton

UAMS Physician Assistant Class of 2026 Celebrated at Valediction Ceremony

Aug. 28, 2026 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Physician Assistant (PA) Program’s Class of 2026 students celebrated the completion of their degrees in a valediction ceremony.

Recognizing graduates for their academic success, community service and commitment to patient care, the Aug. 21 ceremony also marked a goodbye to 37 graduates as they finished their studies in the 28-month curriculum of the program and prepared to begin their careers.

Edward Williams, DMSc, PA-C, chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies in the UAMS College of Health Professions and the program’s director, welcomed graduates, families, faculty, and supporters to the event.

“These students will always have a home here at UAMS and our program, no matter where their journey takes them,” he said

Williams listed the achievements required to complete the program. As a class, the students completed more than 58 examinations, six Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), 48 hours of laboratory instruction, more than 2,300 hours of clinical patient care, and over 3,000 board-preparation questions. Together, they also raised a record-breaking $15,308 for the Arkansas Foodbank’s efforts to feed children facing hunger.

He praised both the graduates and the support from their friends and families that helped them reach the milestone.

“All of you that are here today, family, friends, loved ones, you helped them, you supported them. You encouraged them over the past 28 months to get to where they are today. And they could not have done it without you,” Williams said.

Susan Long, Ed.D., dean of the UAMS College of Health Professions, congratulated the graduates and reflected on the growth of the physician assistant profession in Arkansas.

The Class of 2026 is the 12th graduating class of the UAMS PA program. Long noted that the program has now produced more than 400 graduates since enrolling its first class in 2015.

“This is fantastic growth and has helped make a significant impact on the access to healthcare for Arkansans and across the nation,” Long said.

She also recognized Williams and the PA faculty for their leadership in advancing legislation that strengthened PA practice in Arkansas, including Medicaid recognition, improved practice efficiency, and participation in the national PA Licensure Compact.

Maggie Grappe, president of Class of 2026, spoke about the challenges, sacrifices, and friendships that defined the students’ experiences.

It included long days in the classroom, demanding clinical rotations, countless exams, and significant life events that continued outside the walls of the program. Grappe said that classmates supported one another through milestones, hardships, and personal losses while remaining focused on their goal of becoming healthcare providers.

“The people in this cohort did not back down in the face of adversity. They grew, they leaned on the people next to them, and they persevered,” she said.

More than half of the class already has secured employment in specialties including orthopedics, cardiology, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, general surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, plastic surgery, and dermatology. While most graduates plan to remain in Arkansas, others will begin practicing in Texas, Louisiana, California, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

“Today is not just the end of an incredible journey, it is the beginning of an even greater one,” Grappe said. “May you continue to lead with empathy, practice with compassion, and never lose sight of the privilege it is to care for others.”

The keynote address was delivered by Erica Malone, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAMS Department of Neuroscience. Selected by the graduating class, Malone said her experience teaching the students during their first semester anatomy course and witnessing their transformation into healthcare professionals was a positive one.

She said it was amazing to watch students gain confidence, overcome obstacles, and support one another through the challenges of the program.

“You showed me what resilience looks like. You showed me what excellence looks like, and you showed me what it looks like to continue moving forward in the face of hardship and struggle,” Malone said. “You have already overcome things that once seemed impossible. You have already proven that you can learn, adapt, struggle, recover, and succeed.”

Following the presentation of the long white coats, faculty and students presented awards recognizing exceptional achievement.

The Academic Excellence Award for the students with the highest grade-point averages was presented to Maggie Grappe, Sarah Hillman, and Jada Mack.

Additional student awards included:

• Humanitarian Spirit Award: Riley Klober

• Broad Spectrum Award: Jada Mack

• Faculty Gold Key Award: Maggie Grappe

Students in turn recognized faculty and clinical educators who made significant contributions to their education:

• Clinical Instructor of the Year: Tommy Love, M.D.

• Didactic Instructor of the Year: Dia Watson, PA-C

• Faculty Instructor of the Year: Melissa Halverson, Pharm.D., MPH