UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-WORCESTER AWARDS 160 DEGREES AT 33rd COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES JUNE 4
June 4, 2006
WORCESTER, Mass.- The University of Massachusetts--Worcester today awarded 160 degrees, including two honorary degrees, at its 33rd commencement exercises held at Mechanics Hall. Graduates of the three schools that make up UMass Worcester-the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Graduate School of Nursing-were inspired by keynote speaker Catherine DeAngelis, MD, MPH, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association, whose own career has included roles as a registered nurse, an early advocate of nurse practitioners, an epidemiological researcher, an academic, and a practicing physician.
Dr. DeAngelis was recently recognized by the National Library of Medicine in its "Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians" exhibition-now on display in the UMMS Lamar Soutter library-that celebrates the lives and careers of some of America's extraordinary women physicians from the 19th century to the present day. In her current role as editor-in-chief of JAMA, DeAngelis has made a special effort to publish substantive scientific articles on women's health issues. A prolific writer, she has authored or edited 11 books on pediatrics and medical education and has published hundreds of original articles, chapters, editorials, and abstracts. Much of her recent writing focuses on conflicts of interest in medicine, on women in medicine, and on medical education.
UMass Worcester Chancellor and Dean of the Medical School Aaron Lazare, MD, presided over the commencement ceremonies at which were presented 93 doctor of medicine degrees, including one MD/PhD; 25 doctor of philosophy degrees; and, in nursing, 32 master of science degrees, four post-master's certificates and four doctor of philosophy degrees. Honorary degrees were awarded to Barbara R. Greenberg, a community leader in Central Massachusetts, and Paul La Camera, who with his wife Mimi established the UMass Medical School Parents Association.
A civic-minded and generous community leader, Greenberg has volunteered her time and talent for decades to many Worcester organizations, including the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Temple Emmanuel and Girls, Inc. In 1975, upon the death of her first husband, she embraced a new role as a business leader, assuming the positions of President and Treasurer of Winter Hill Frozen Foods, a family-owned company. She would later serve on Winter Hill's Board of Directors for 15 years.
Greenberg's service to the University of Massachusetts Medical School began when she became a member of the University of Massachusetts Hospital Management Board. Her support and critical insight were particularly invaluable during the merger of UMass Medical School's clinical system with Memorial Hospital in 1998, and the subsequent establishment of UMass Memorial Health Care. Since that time, Greenberg has continued to be a vital force for UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial as a member of the UMass Memorial Foundation Board of Directors. Appointed Chair in 2003, Greenberg has touted the expertise of the institution's educators, investigators, and clinicians to others. Further, she has led by example through the establishment, with her husband Nathan, of the Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in Biomedical Research at the Medical School, held by Professor Elliot J. Androphy, MD.
La Camera, General Manager of WBUR-AM, began his close relationship with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1993 when his son Peter was a first-year student; that year, he and his wife established the UMass Medical School Parents Association, a vital organization that helps to smooth the path through medical school for other parents and their children by creating an outlet for them to share common experiences, meet with faculty and staff, and engage in fund-raising opportunities for academic initiatives. La Camera also was instrumental in securing funding from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation to establish a $250,000 endowment for the William Randolph Hearst Young Investigator on Aging Award at UMass Medical School. A 1966 graduate of Boston University's College of Communications, La Camera worked at WCVB-TV for some 30 years, most recently serving as the station's president and CEO before joining WBUR-AM in September 2005.
Class speakers were Tobin Abraham (School of Medicine); Destin Heilman (Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences); and Patricia A. MacCulloch (Graduate School of Nursing). Degree recipients are listed alphabetically by town on the following pages.
School of Medicine: Doctor of Medicine (93)
Acton Allison Paroskie
Allston David M. Finkelstein, Mikael Xiang Lee
Andover Eve Leah Klein, Kiran Veena Raman
Arlington Leo Francis Doherty III, Kerry Jeanne Murphy, Anand N. Shridharani
Belchertown Eugene James Boss
Belmont Laura Elizabeth Bothwell, Julie Geary Rissmiller
Boston Nathan Jacob Aranson, Henry Chou, Lina Cassandra Vawter
Boxborough Tara Neubert Kumaraswami
Brockton Atizazul Hassan Mansoor
Brookline Jacob Raemer Brodsky
Cambridge Thomas Fong-Jen Chang, Nicole Brooke Korbly, Michael Douglas Perloff, John Fitzpatrick Sullivan
Canton Brian Duggan Petroni
Chelmsford Melindy M. Ciulla, Jennifer E. Cyrkler
Chicopee Eric Christopher Kosinski
Concord Sharon Phillips Benattabou
Danvers Alemnesh Mesfin Tekle
Dartmouth Michael Robert Kelly
Dorchester Katherine Margaret Berg
Duxbury Meghan Mary O'Brien
Easthampton Mark Stephen Johnson
Fairhaven Keith Douglas Medeiros
Fall River Keith Fragoza
Feeding Hills Rita Prabodh Reshamwala
Foxborough Elizabeth Campbell Mitchell
Hadley Maria Grace Gallo, Tyler Jay West
Jefferson Kenneth E. Johnson
Lexington Matthew Phillip Hill, Andrea Bettacchi Urban
Lincoln Nicholas Wyatt Miller
Longmeadow Bevin Elizabeth Kenney
Lunenberg Theodore R. Hartenstein, Deborah Kelly
Marblehead Kevin Richard Schwartz
Mattapoisett Douglas Robinson Hunt
Medfield Keith Richard Dominick, Robert Jonathan Hyde
Medford Bradley Judson
Methuen Francesca Lynne Beaudoin
Nahant Jason Andrew Silva
Needham Matthew Joseph Hitron, Tanya Dhiren Shah
New Bedford Craig L. Longo, Joseph Stephens McLaughlin, Caitlin O. Saint-Aubin
Newburyport Micah Lanford Hemani
Newton Monica Kapoor, Matthew James Logalbo, David A. Mintzer, Rachel Beth Siegel
Newton Centre Daniel Gorman Kramer
Northampton Courtney Anne Carpenter, Emily Blanche Sagalyn
N. Andover Sheila Leah Arvikar, Laura Jean Sacco
Northborough Emily Kathleen Hogan
North Easton Allison Marie Hargreaves
Osterville Lara Antkowiak
Pittsfield Jeanne Marie Cawse-Lucas
Plymouth Jaisa Samantha Olasky
Princeton Jeffrey David Mailhot
Quincy Sejal Pankaj Patel
Raynham Michael Charles Previti
Revere David Bruce Gilchrist
Roxbury Angie N. Ross
Salem Cecilia Macri Kipnis
Shrewsbury Tobin Mathew Abraham, Brigid Barry McKenna
Somerville Megan Moore Donohue, Suzanne B. Klainer
Southborough Jeffrey R. Tenney*
South Hadley Nancy Tulathimutte
Sudbury Saritha Dhruvakumar
Sutton Brittany Marie Weber
Tewksbury Nicole Renee LeBoeuf
Wellesley Emily Healy Groom
Westford Kathleen M. O'Brien
Westwood Benjamin Powell Christian
Whitman Brett Allan Hassan
Wilmington David Joseph Fish
Woburn Kenneth Joseph Walton
Worcester Jennifer L. Meyer
* Jeffrey R. Tenney will receive both an MD and PhD
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (25)
Amherst Brian T. Bennett
Brookfield Pamela James
Chelmsford Benjamin Haley
Clinton Elizabeth Anne Corey
Pittsfield Vanessa Rose Melanson
Shrewsbury Zhiliang Cheng
Southborough Jeffrey R. Tenney*
Sutton Daniel Walter Young
Watertown Jennifer A. Calvo
Webster Destin Heilman
Westborough Dianne S. Schwarz
Worcester Ritu R. Bradley, Thomas Charles Cronin
Worcester Carey Lynn Medin, Mary Theresa Pickering, Nunciada Salma, Charles Fenton Towne
Piedmont, CA Shalyn Catherine Clute
San Diego, CA Cheng-Rui Li
Tustin, CA Jeffrey Scott Rogers
Lakewood, CO Christopher Graybill
St. Louis, MO Joshua Fischer
Lewisville, TX Seung Wook Oh
Chuoki, Kobe, Japan Nobutaka Saeki
Zurich, Switzerland Susanne Trautmann
*Jeffrey R. Tenney will receive both an MD and PhD
Graduate School of Nursing
Master of Science (32)
Auburn Deirdre Carroll Donahue
Feeding Hills Terri Gardner
Florence Casey L. Fowler
Framingham Elizabeth Ann Wilson
Grafton Kerri A. Ellis, Mary E. Galdauskas
Granby Donna M. Harmon
Holden Cynthia Ann Palmgren
Hopedale Sandra Lee Thorton Leiby, Suzanne Fahey Ragonese
Hudson Patricia A. MacCulloch
Marlborough Michelle Marie Wood Kanavos
Northborough Elizabeth S. Royer, Kathleen E. Brule
Paxton Margaret S. Ahearn
Rutland Susan M. Alix, Melissa Dunn
Shrewsbury Michelle J. Ciszewski
Sturbridge Paula M. Shonak
Wales Ellen M. Rearick
Waltham Gretchen Olsen
Ware Jason A. Lacroix
Watertown Martha Powers
Webster Nichole Marie Mailloux, Katerina Magdalene Lefort
Whitinsville Richard J. Linnell
Winchendon Michelle L. Smith
Worcester Edward Walter Arndt III, Dawn Marie McDougal, Jan Brozovsky, Kathy V. Pulda
Rochester, NH Jennifer E. McEachern
Post Master's Certificate (4)
Ware Kathleen H. Coulombe
Upton Pamela D. Kutzer
W. Springfield Almaneta G. Lee
Lawrence Patricia A. Scala
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (4)
Lakeville Michele DeGrazia, MS, RN
Worcester Katharine O'Dell, RN, CNM
Spencer Mary T. Reed, MS, RN
Middletown, CT Barbara Aronson, MS, RN
The University of Massachusetts Worcester was created in l962 by an act of the Massachusetts legislature to enable state residents to study medicine at an affordable cost, and to increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in underserved areas of the state. The School of Medicine accepted its first class of 16 students in 1970 and now accepts 100 students per class. Today, the 67-acre campus is comprised of the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (opened in 1979), and the Graduate School of Nursing (opened in 1986). The Medical School has consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the country for primary care, and this year was ranked fourth among the 125 schools nationwide. One of the fastest growing academic health centers in the country, UMMS attracts more than $174 million in research funding annually and is on the leading edge of medical research into human disease and treatment.
Contact: Alison Duffy
508-856-2000; ummsnews@umassmed.edu