GSDM celebrates Class of 2021 with mix of virtual and in-person events
While the Class of 2021’s final year at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine was a challenging one, the clear theme throughout numerous Commencement Week events is that nothing can take away from what the students and residents of this class have achieved.
“It is also necessary for me to urge you not to let one year define all the years. I ask that you focus on what you have learned, on how much you have grown, and on the good friends and colleagues you have made during your time here,” said Dean ad interim Catalado Leone during his opening remarks for the school’s virtual convocation. “The school has endeavored to cultivate in you a mindset that embraces innovation and continuous improvement. Lean in to this mindset, for it will ensure that you remain ever curious, ever learning – that you will never cease aspiring to learn more, to do more, and to be more for your patients, your community, and your profession, while not forgetting that the same is also true for your families and yourselves.
Like their time at dental school, the celebrations for the Class of 2021 were unique: Commencement week events were a mixture of Zoom meetings, virtual celebrations and an in-person event.
GSDM Convocation
On Sunday, May 16, members of the GSDM community and their loved ones logged online to watch the school’s convocation, a prerecorded ceremony that was livestreamed on the BU website.
“Your time at GSDM has been incredible,” Leone said. “We have been truly enriched by your presence. You leave us as you came in—intelligent, talented and dedicated individuals—and with considerably more knowledge, skills, and values than on day one.”
Luljeta Isedisha, valedictorian of the DMD Advanced Standing Class of 2021, said that while the ceremony looked different, it was in no way less exciting than in previous years.
“While the celebrations may be smaller, the enthusiasm is greater,” Isedisha said. “Our achievements are in no way diminished, but are rather amplified by the resilience we have shown over the last year.”
Julia Geaumont, the valedictorian of the DMD Class of 2021, used her speech as an opportunity to thank members of the GSDM community, from the staff to the faculty to her fellow classmates.
“Together we made it through—and for that, we should be thankful,” Geaumont said.
During the ceremony, Dr. Afsheen Lakhani, clinical associate professor of general dentistry at GSDM and a group practice leader in the predoctoral Patient Treatment Center, and Dr. Karen Harnett, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine, were presented with the 2021 Spencer N. Frankl Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award, which was established in 1996, is awarded annually to faculty members who excel as teachers, scholars, and mentors.
The keynote speaker for this year’s ceremony was Dr. Cherae Farmer-Dixon DPH 14, who currently serves as the dean of the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tenn. Farmer-Dixon shared five life lessons to aid students as they entered their professional career, urging them to be open to continued learning, to acknowledge those who helped them along the way, reflect on the positives and negatives of dental school, to handle challenges as they arise as each challenge defines who they become as a person, and to know their “PCR” — purpose, commitment and result.
“Today’s demonstration of your successes, and a job well done, are not the end of a chapter, but a continuation of a journey of life-learning,” Farmer-Dixon said.
University-wide Commencement
On Sunday, May 16, graduating students also had the opportunity to participate in the All-University Commencement, which took place on Nickerson Field. The ceremony, which was socially –distanced and open to graduating students only, was live-streamed for friends and family. A number of GSDM students and residents took advantage of the opportunity to join the in-person event – with many of them then crossing the city after the ceremony to take photos in their regalia in front of the dental school in their regalia.
A Toast to the Class of 2021
In addition to the University-wide commencement and school convocation, GSDM held their own informal event, “A Toast to the Class of 2021,” on Friday, May 14. Students, residents, and faculty logged onto Zoom, while family and friends headed to YouTube for a livestream, as members of the GSDM community celebrated the graduating class. Viewers heard from Dean Leone, Gigi Meinecke DMD 88, chair of the GSDM alumni board, and other GSDM senior faculty members.
“When I think of the Class of 2021, five words come to mind—courage, pptimisim, vigilance, integrity, and diligence” Dr. John Guarente, clinical professor of General Dentistry and associate dean for Clinical Affairs, said. “The first letter of each of these five words spells COVID; the definitions of these words define how this class managed dental school during a pandemic.”
Members of the DMD and DMD graduating class also had an opportunity to take a walk down memory lane with a slideshow of photos from their time at GSDM.
Senior Awards Ceremony
Kicking off Commencement week was the Senior Awards Ceremony, which took place virtually on Monday, May 10. The event, which premiered on YouTube, celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2021. Awards were presented by members of the faculty and honored guests. In total, 60 awards were presented to members of the graduating class. Additionally, three faculty and two staff members received recognition from the GSDM student body for their dedication to the school and students.
Other virtual events
In addition to the senior awards ceremony, students who served as teaching assistants, students who held leadership positions in student organizations, and students who served as admissions ambassadors were recognized during a variety of virtual events, all of which can be accessed on GSDM’s YouTube channel.