OKU Honors Graduates at 2017 Awards Dinner

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2017 Inductees into the GSDM Lambda Mu Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society

The Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Lambda Mu Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society (OKU) held its ninth annual OKU Induction Ceremony and Dinner on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, in the Boston University Metcalf Trustee Ballroom. The induction was presided over by Dr. Stephen Polins; GSDM OKU Chapter President and Professor in the Department of General Dentistry; and Dr. Catherine Sarkis, GSDM OKU Chapter Secretary and Assistant Dean for Admissions.

The following DMD 17 and DMD Advanced Standing (AS) 17 students were inducted into OKU: Shilpa Agarwarl; Rebekah Gould Anderson; Divya Reddy Anugu; John Taylor Barrett; Farnaz Bayani; Shahin Bayani; Mahdieh Beheshti; Heidi Alyssa Borenstein; Jelena Cavric; Jing Guo; Sally Ann Jacob; Babak Javidi; Bajeet Kaur Khaira; Jaegak Kim; Megan McDougall; Michelle Nikkita Muwanguzi; Linda Thanh Nguyen; Sofyan Sayfo; Maedeh Sedaghati; Joanna Song; Michael Danger Whitcomb; and Min Zhu.

Students are selected for this honor based on their academic achievement, demonstration of exemplary traits of character, and potential qualities of future professional growth. Three GSDM faculty members—Dr. Serge Dibart; Professor and Chair of the Periodontology Department, and Director of the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Periodontics; Dr. Margaret Errante; Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of General Dentistry, Assistant Dean for Business Development, and Director of the Dental Health Center; and Dr. Steven Mollica; Clinical Instructor in the Department of General Dentistry-were also inducted as honorary members. Faculty are selected for this honor based on their contributions to the profession.

Dr. Polins began the induction ceremony and delivered remarks to those in attendance.

“Each of you is here tonight because of the success you have demonstrated, and, by virtue of that success, you have validated that you possess the criteria essential for induction into this prestigious National Dental Honor Society,” said Dr. Polins. “In addition to scholarship, you have demonstrated exemplary traits of character, and qualities for future professional growth and attainment through act and deed.”

Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter then delivered his opening remarks.

“You are the best of the best and I know that I speak for the entire faculty, staff and alumni of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine when I say that we feel privileged and deeply gratified that you made the decision to attend our School and while doing so set a standard of excellence for all of your classmates and future students to emulate,” said Dean Hutter.

Dean Hutter also made special mention of Dr. Catherine Sarkis, who will be stepping down as Assistant Dean of Admission effective June 30, 2017. Her years of dedication to our School and recruiting the highest caliber of students has made GSDM what it is today. “Our student inductees this evening are a true testament to the outstanding job she and her team in the Office of Admissions have done,” said Dean Hutter.

Dr. Polins, Ms. Sarkis, and Dean Hutter then presented the awards.

As Dr. Polins read their names, Dean Hutter and Assistant Dean Sarkis presented to each of the new members of the Lambda Mu Chapter of OKU a certificate of induction, an OKU symbolic key and an OKU stole signifying their election to the prestigious national dental honor society.

Upon conclusion of the Ceremony, the new inductees were joined by their families, faculty, staff and friends to a dinner in their honor.

Photos from the induction ceremony are available on Flickr.