SPRINGFIELD – Twenty-three southern Illinois residents are among the 72 physicians and one graduate students in the 44th graduating class at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The graduates received their diplomas on Saturday, May 19, in the Sangamon Auditorium at University of Illinois Springfield.
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This year’s commencement speaker was U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Durbin previously spoke at the 1995 commencement as a congressman, when he represented the 20th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives. He also was a volunteer professor of medical humanities at SIU School of Medicine from 1986-97.
During the ceremony, Class of 2018 Chair Jordan Markel, MD, of Bunker Hill delivered remarks on behalf of the graduates. Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, awarded diplomas to the medical students, and Vice Chancellor Meera Komarraju conferred the degrees.
Several students and faculty members received awards. Janet Albers, MD, ’87, professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Paul Checchia, MD, ’93, received the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni for their outstanding contributions to medicine and distinguished service to humankind. Vidyha Prakash, MD, associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Class of 2018 graduate Travis Wieland, MD, received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards, presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
The new SIU physicians will begin residency training in their chosen specialties in July.
SIU Medicine’s mission is to assist the people of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, patient care, research and service to the community. Established in 1970, the medical school is based in Carbondale and Springfield and is specifically oriented to educating new physicians prepared to practice in Illinois communities. Since 1975, 2,820 physicians, plus the 2018 graduates, have earned SIU medical degrees.
View the 2018 commencement at http://bit.ly/siusom2018 or see pictures from the event at http://bit.ly/photos-grad2018.
Graduate portraits can be viewed at http://siumed.zenfolio.com/class2018.
Southern Illinois Graduates:
Daniel Ansbro, son of James and Sanghee Kim-Ansbro of Edwardsville.
Alexandra Barger is the daughter of David and Kelly Barger of Murphysboro.
Kody Bolk is the son of Tim and Carrie Bolk of Carlyle.
Brian Cacioppo is the son of Christopher and Hong Cacioppo of Collinsville.
Atif Cheema is the son Khalid and Durri Javed of Herrin.
Brandon Churchill is the son of Gregory and Deborah Churchill of O’Fallon.
Max Crouse is the son of Mike and Dana Crouse of Carbondale.
Stephanie Dalla Riva is the daughter of Therese Dalla Riva of Edwardsville.
Emily Drone is the daughter of Patrick and Lisa Drone of West Frankfort.
Molly Etling is the daughter of Jim and Pat Etling of Freeburg.
Matt Faller is the son of Greg and Carla Faller of Belleville.
Yuri Fedorovich is the son of Irene Fedorovich of Marion.
Dakota Gilbert is the son of Steve and Becky Gilbert of Pocahontas.
Scott Kilian is the son of Jeff and Susan Kilian of Belleville.
Mollie Laramore is the daughter of Jeffrey and Victoria Laramore of Chester.
Caleb Lusk is the son of Louie and Doris Lusk of Flora.
Jordan Markel is the son of Paul and Shelle Markel of Bunker Hill.
Madison Marvel of Carbondale is the daughter of Mike and Dena Marvel of San Diego.
Ian Ridge is the son of Bryan and Diane Ridge of Flora.
Tasha Sparks Joplin is the spouse of Peter Joplin and the daughter of Rebecca and Jerry Sparks of Newton.
Christopher Trammell is the son of George and Sue Trammell of Marion.
Zachary Urick is the spouse of Jennifer Urick and the son of Stephen and Tracey Urick of Belleville.
Hayden Warner is the son of Ron and Kim Warner of Neoga.
To view more photos of commencement, view the gallery on Zenfolio.
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