Photo: Eli Burakian D'00
On a balmy early summer afternoon on June 7, Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine celebrated the academic achievements of 84 students who earned their Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science (MS) degrees at its 2024 Health Sciences Education Class Day.
The annual Class Day ceremony, in which students donned their hoodies and received their diplomas, was held on the lawn of Dartmouth's Life Sciences Center for the Class of 1978. The landmark event was an opportunity for the graduates and their families and friends to reflect on their educational journey and the special relationships they have built as part of the Dartmouth community.
Geisel Associate Dean for Health Sciences Craig Westling (DrPH, MPH ’09, MS) welcomed everyone to the ceremony, which also featured keynote addresses from Irene Dankwa-Mullan (MED ’97, MPH) and student speakers Max Portnoy (MPH ’24) and Shontay Delalue (MPH ’24, PhD).
“Graduates, the world needs you now more than ever,” Westling said. “We want you to apply what you've learned about framing difficult questions, choosing appropriate research methods, interpreting results with healthy skepticism, and communicating your ideas in ways that lead to real change.”
Dankwa Mullan, who has held a variety of leadership roles, including Chief Health Officer at Marti Health and Advisory Board Member at Geisel, shared his family's story and how his ancestors' resilience, determination and social responsibility have profoundly impacted his life and the lives of generations of Black Africans in Ghana, West Africa.
“As you move forward, keep in mind the wisdom and strength of those who came before you,” Dankwa Mullan told the students. “Honor their legacy by striving for greatness and making a difference in the world. Your education has empowered you to elevate ignored voices, shift paradigms, and think globally. It is not just a path to opportunity, it is a powerful catalyst for social change.”
Photo: Eli Burakian D'00
Portnoy, a student speaker in Geisel's residential MPH/MS program, urged his classmates to continue to forge ahead with the same energy and passion they had when they arrived at Dartmouth.
“As future public health leaders, we know there is nothing we have to give to others more than the opportunity to live healthy lives,” Portnoy said. “We are now embarking on a new chapter in our lives, and the beautiful thing about public health is that the next chapter will be different for all of us.”
Dellal, a student speaker in Geisel’s Hybrid MPH program who also serves as Dartmouth’s senior vice president and senior diversity officer, spoke about the important role the Native American community played in the founding of Dartmouth and the school’s long-standing recommitment to educating Native American youth.
“We tell this history because it helps define our future,” she said. “Earning an Ivy League or Dartmouth degree is a privilege that many of us would not have had the opportunity to participate in without the vision and fortitude of those who chose to be on the right side of history.”
“A public health degree gives us the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives and communities and contribute to being on the right side of history in our own way,” Dellal said.
The Class Day ceremony also recognised the achievements of students including:
Henry Masters Award
Home: Catherine Giordano
Hybrid: Amy Bianco
Karen Ashley Leadership Award
Housing: Manasvini Ranganathan
Hybrid: Jay Campisi
Excellence in Teaching Award
Housing: Daniel Lucey, MD, MPH
Hybrid: Robin Larson, MD, MPH
Social Justice Award
Residents: Lauren Bartras, Rosemina Bazeghi, Filipa Carvalho, Zachary Christensen, Sydney Cochran, Jasmine Denney, Paityn Edwards, Katherine Giordano, Ella Harper Seale, Shee Herlihy, Isabella Conn, Nawal McCray, Ivan Marufo, Mae Maxwell, Paula Medina Diaz, Yakut Mezgeldi, Karim Mina, Erin Morris,Ananya Pani, Max Portnoy, Nilima Prasad, Mona Pudasaini, Tajirian Rahman, Alondra Ramos, Manasvini Ranganathan, Rhea Sachdeva, Abhishek Saxena, Laila Andalusi Seraj, Mina Shahinfar, Samad Siddiqui, Trisha Singh, Aman Sinha, Katie Spode, Jenna Spero, Sharanya Subramaniam, Noel Tufts, Anji Chew
Hybrids: Matthew Anton, Jacia Ballenger, Amy Bianco, Katherine Bjerregaard, Jay Campisi, Shontai Dellal, Victoria Garcia, Chelsea Hoffman, Erin Jenkins, Kaitlyn Johnson, Karina Liebeknecht, Adrienne Rodiz, Emily Mesek, Franziska Mbonlu, Ina Podgornaya, Nicole Rapvogel, Sarah Rodriguez, Sophia Shaw, Marissa Singer Rosenberg, Sophia Chang Stauffer, Daniel Spraggan, Peter Tatum, Raymond Tear, Nora Vedder, Jonathan Weatherly.
John E. Wennberg Award
Aravind Ponnukumathi, MD
Independent Internship Awards (and Projects)
Jasmine Denny – Strategic evaluation of rare disease medicines and innovative technologies through health economics and outcomes research at Alchemy Health
Katherine Giordano – Comparative Community Engagement Studio, working with the Hopscotch research team at Dartmouth College on a quality improvement initiative to enhance cognitive self-management programs for people with epilepsy
Max Portnoy – A Historical Perspective on Vaccination Declines in US Primary Care (Co-authored with the Center for Professionalism and Value)
Manasvini Ranganathan – The Hospital Equitable Distribution Project, in partnership with the Lown Institute, evaluates state-level community benefit policies for nonprofits.
Integrated Learning Experience Award
Catherine Giordano, Paula Medina, Aravind Ponnukumathi, Alondra Ramose, Mina Shahinfar, Trisha Singh
Practical Awards (and Projects)
Victoria Garcia – Advancing health equity in digital health implementation, developing artificial intelligence courses for clinical and public health programs
Peter Guan – Office Ergonomics Programs for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders
Inna Podgornaya – A framework to improve digital health literacy for healthcare professionals regarding health equity data
Sara Rodriguez – Advancing best practices for intersex data collection in U.S. health care
Eri Shindo – Strengthening breastfeeding care after mid-term abortion or fetal loss, a qualitative study
Marissa Singer Rosenberg – A rapid realist review and descriptive evaluation of current medical school curricula toward the implementation of critical consciousness education
Delta Omega Induction
Residents: Jasmine Denny, Kevin Matuszewski, Yakut Mezgerdi, Alondra Ramos, Aman Sinha, Katie Spode
Hybrid: Kang Hee-eun, Craig Klinger, Franziska Mbonlu, Ina Podgornaya, Nicole Rapvogel, Sara Rodriguez, Eri Shindo, Rachel Spallone
Student Speakers
Home: Max Portnoy
Hybrid: Dr. Shawnte Delarue
Class Marshal
Home: Catherine Giordano
Hybrid: Jonathan Weatherly
You can watch a video of the event below.
