Handed With Love: Five GSDM Alumni Co‑Presenters and Graduates are Joyful for Milestone Celebration
Twenty-one members of the GSDM Class of 2026 will have a special moment with a loved one on the commencement stage, as their diplomas will co-presented by a family member and fellow GSDM alum.
GSDM allows alumni who are immediate family members (parent, grandparent, sibling, or spouse) of a graduate to co-present the diploma alongside the dean or program chair. Five graduates and their alumni co-presenters discussed what they are most looking forward to on the momentous day.
Graduate: Kristina Caradonna CAMED 19 DMD 23 ORTHO 26
Alumni Co-Presenter: Scott Caradonna CAMED 17 DMD 21 ORTHO 24
Kristina Caradonna has been a Boston University student for eight years. She said there is no better way to finish her residency program than having her brother, Scott Caradonna, be her diploma co-presenter.
“For our family, this moment goes beyond my individual achievement—it represents years of shared support, sacrifice, and belief in one another,” Kristina said. “Having Scott present my diploma is a reflection of how every step of this journey has been shaped by the foundation our family has built.”
The day of commencement will be full of mixed emotions for the sibling duo, she said. Having overlapped at BU for six years, they are finding it bittersweet to close this chapter—yet they’re delighted to share one final commencement together.
“Scott and I have been on the same path for as long as I can remember, the same elementary, middle & high school, same college, master’s program, dental school, and now residency,” Kristina said. “It feels so special to get to share this final moment of a shared journey.”
It’s been Kristina’s dream to become an orthodontist since she was in seventh grade. Scott said he has watched his sister relentlessly work towards her goal for years. He can’t wait to celebrate her achievements.
“It means a lot to return to GSDM and co-present Kristina with her diploma,” Scott said. “Getting to welcome her to the orthodontic profession and celebrating her perseverance, resilience, clinical excellence, and years of hard work, fills me with so much joy!”
Graduate: Michael Abou-Ezzi DMD 26
Alumni Co-Presenter: George Abou-Ezzi DMD 90
Since childhood, Michael Abou-Ezzi has said he wanted to be a dentist like his father, George Abou-Ezzi. He says it is still unfathomable that he is graduating from the same dental school as his dad—and even more special that George will be co-presenting his diploma.
“The feeling is surreal; a moment, up until the day, that I have only dreamt of,” Michael said. “The fact that my dad will now be walking alongside me on the stage, turning that dream into a reality, is going to be a memory I cherish for the rest of my life.”
George graduated from GSDM 36 years ago. Being able to be a part of his son’s graduation experience is going to be priceless, he said.
“[Co-presenting] represents a powerful sense of pride and legacy where my past and his future come together in a single handshake,” George said. “The overwhelming feeling of fulfillment will come from watching him carry forward and build upon the foundation that shaped us both.”
The Abou-Ezzi family has even more to be joyful about: Michael Abou-Ezzi’s sister, Monica Abou-Ezzi, is graduating from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine the same day as Michael graduates from GSDM. Michael said the packed day is a true reflection of the family’s collective hard work toward their dream careers.
“Thursday, May 14 has a whole lot of reasons for our family to be celebrating,” Michael said.
Graduate: Connor Hartley DMD 26
Alumni Co-Presenter: Ryan Hartley DMD 24
After losing their parents years apart, Connor Hartley said he and his three siblings stayed close and leaned on one another for love and support. He credits his older brother, Ryan Hartley, and his never wavering guidance as a major reason why the siblings have succeeded in their academic and professional careers.
He said it’s been a long road to commencement—one that would have been impossible without his loved ones.
“The GSDM commencement is a recognition of my achievement, but this hooding ceremony is a recognition of what we overcame and accomplished as a family,” Connor said. “I am proud to share this moment with [Ryan] and my siblings, and I know my parents would be too.”
Ryan said there’s no one more deserving of a doctorate than his brother. He’s tremendously proud to see Connor’s hard work and perseverance pay off.
“Life has dealt more than its fair share of hardship for my family, but we’ve never let one another go through it alone,” Ryan Hartley said. “Navigating life after losing your parents is hard enough, but all while maintaining the rigors of dental school presents an entirely different array of challenges. To see Connor accomplish a lifelong goal and overcome adversity is one of the proudest and most fulfilling moments of my life.”
When Connor moved to Boston for his DMD program, his only nearby family was Ryan and Ryan’s wife Nicole. He said the two gave him the love and support he needed at the start of dental school. It is now the perfect conclusion to his GSDM journey to have Ryan co-present his diploma.
“I started this Boston journey with Ryan, driving from Michigan with him in his overpacked Jeep, and it is only right that he is here with me for the end too,” Connor Hartley said.
Graduate: Cynthia Zebouni ENDO 26
Alumni Co-Presenters: Elie Zebouni PROS 88 DMD 00 and Albert Zebouni PROS 23 DMD 25
It’s rare that a father, son, and daughter all pursue the same career, let alone attend the same higher education institution. The Zebouni family see it as the ultimate family bond.
“Being reunited with my family on stage makes this moment even more special,” Cynthia said. “I feel proud, honored, and grateful. During the hardest parts of the program, I would picture this moment to keep myself going and now that it’s here, it’s incredibly rewarding.”
The family is using Cynthia’s commencement as a moment to pause and reflect on the life-changing experience GSDM gave them. Elie, who co-presented Albert with his degree during the 2025 GSDM commencement, said it’s been wonderful to return to his alma mater to co-present both his children with their diplomas.
“For me, it is a deeply symbolic moment—one that reflects both my own journey and the path my children are now forging,” Elie said. “I am truly a proud father and a proud alumnus of GSDM.”
After having his father co-present his diploma, Albert said it feels surreal to be on the other side of this rite of passage.
“Watching Cynthia experience the same milestone brings back a lot of pride and memories for me,” Albert said. “It’s really special for our family to share this tradition together, and I’m grateful to be part of it again from a different perspective.”
Graduates: Jasmeen Bhambra DMD 26 and Shaan Bhambra DMD 26
Alumni Co-Presenter: John Bhambra DMD 94 ENDO 07
Fraternal twins Jess and Shaan Bhambra attended college separately but reunited at GSDM for their dental education. Their dad, John, said it has been a great four years watching his children attend his alma mater, and he views their commencement day as just the start of a new journey for their family.
“When I graduated from BU GSDM in 1994, I never imagined that one day I would have twins who would choose to follow the same path of dentistry,” John said. “I am incredibly proud and happy that they did. While their journeys to earning their DMD degrees have been unique, we ultimately share the same destination.”
Shaan said his father has been an ultimate support system throughout their DMD program. The twins both watched him graduate from GSDM back in 2007, so it was only fitting to have him co-present their diplomas.
“This is a special moment for our family as Jasmeen and I were in attendance for our father’s [GSDM] commencement,” Shaan said. “It certainly feels full circle having him in attendance for our commencement from the DMD program.”
The twins may be going in different directions for their residency programs, with Shaan continuing at GSDM for an endodontics program and Jasmeen starting an AEGD program at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, but Jasmeen said the family’s shared passion for dentistry will always keep them close.
“Graduating alongside my twin brother after having graduated high school together is a second opportunity to celebrate a big milestone in both our lives,” Jasmeen said. “Going to dental school with my brother has brought us even closer and challenged both of us to improve in many ways.”
Photos provided by participants
To read our full commencement coverage, please visit our Commencement 2026 page.