Class of 2015 Bids Farewell

Graduates capture the moment with a selfie stick.

The Rutgers School of Dental Medicine's Class of 2015 made the transition from students to doctors at this month's convocation ceremony, where 107 graduated with DMD degrees. Held at NJPAC in Newark, the event featured advice from  faculty, staff and honored guests, including Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor Dr. Brian Strom and keynote speaker  Dr. Maxine Feinberg, president of the American Dental Association.

During her speech,  Dr. Kim Fenesy, senior associate dean for academic affairs, painted a vivid collective portrait of this year's graduating class and described a few individual members.

• Sixty percent are their family's first generation of doctors and 9 precent are the first generation in the family to go to college.
• For more than half, English is their family's second language.
• Class members range in age from mid-twenties to mid-forties.
• Graduating students from the Internationally Trained DMD program came from twelve different nations: Egypt, India, Iraq, Israel, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Peru, the Phillippines, Russian Federation and the Ukraine.
• As of  graduation time, nine students were engaged, nine celebrated weddings during dental school, six welcomed the birth of a child, and one graduate was a mother of five.
• Members included a former professional photographer, whose work appeared in the New York Times and National Geographic; a champion Irish step dancer; a Division I athlete who ran cross country and track; and a choreographer who specialized in swing, ballroom and Latin dancing.
• Students volunteered at dental care programs around the world, including Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Bolivia. Others participated in RSDM's annual dental missions to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and a Navajo Nation in Arizona.

Below are highlights from other speeches by RSDM students and staff:

Class President, Serah Uddaraju:  "I took it as a sense of pride when Dr. Conte came up to the reception area during our clinical boards, asking what was wrong with our class because he'd never seen so many fellow classmates show up on days they didn't have the exam to help and support each other...As we reach the end of our dental education here...I am brought back to the first exam we ever took as dental students. We all walked in very nervous and sleep deprived and Dr. Stout did her best to allay our fears. She...made us utter those famous words to each other, “I wish you all good luck but I wish myself the best luck of all” But while that may have held true during the competitive nature of dental school, I know that as we step out into the real world, all of us want nothing more than to see each other succeed. So as I stand here today in front of all of you, I’d like to wish each and every one of you the best luck of all!"

Dean Cecile A. Feldman:  "We hope that you have gained a new appreciation for life’s challenges and have learned to cherish each day.   That professionally you strive to be the best, and personally you achieve much happiness.''

Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruitment, Rosa Chaviano Moran: "Your patients will place their trust in you for the treatment of their oral health needs, and you must provide those services with respect and compassion. Professionalism, integrity, ethical and moral values, are core ingredients in our profession. Having the privilege of working on the human body and providing life changing decisions to your patients is a priceless gift."

A more traditional class photo.