The UMKC School of Medicine returned to Kansas City’s Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on May 13 to celebrate the graduating class of 2022, following a two-year absence due to the COVID pandemic.
Almost 150 students participated in the Achievement Ceremony that recognized nearly 100 doctor of medicine graduates and those earning their master’s degrees or graduate certificates in the anesthesia assistant, bioinformatics, health professions education and physician assistant programs.
Two days later, School of Medicine graduating students were part of the more than 2,300 UMKC graduates who participated in the university’s Commencement ceremony at the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium.
During the Achievers Event, School of Medicine Dean Mary Anne Jackson, M.D., ’78, congratulated and sent the class off with encouragement to make difference in the lives of those they will be caring for.
“I know from experience that the investment you make in caring for patients, engaging in research and service will fuel and inspire you throughout your careers,” Jackson said. “The world needs you. Go out and change the world.”
Jackson also recognized Scot Ebbinghaus, M.D., ’79, this year’s recipient of the prestigious E. Grey Dimond, M.D., Take Wing Award. Ebbinghaus, the vice president of clinical research at the pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Merk, said the graduates entering the health care professions have a unique opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of their patients.
“Patients are the center of everything we do,” he said.
2022 Senior Awards and Recognitions
Samar Azzaidani | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Avleen Kaur Bhandal | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Michael Ryan Brancato | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Anna Elizabeth Davis | James F. Stanford, M.D., Patient Advocate Scholarship; Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Kartik Depala | Bette W. Hamilton Memorial Award for Excellence in Immunology
Courtney Dorris | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Lauren Gresham | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Anna Yung-hua Hwang | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Shubhika Jain | Thomas R. Hamilton, M.D., Memorial Award for Excellence in Pathology; Thomas R. Hamilton, M.D., Memorial Award for Excellence in Microbiology; Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Anya Joyo | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Morgan Kensinger | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation; Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Valerie Rita Louise Kirtley | Outstanding Senior Partner
Eshwar Kishore | Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award; Richardson K. Noback Founders’ Award for Clinical Excellence
Caitlyn Marie Kohake | Master of Science in Anesthesia Program Student Ambassador
Vijay Letchuman | Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Award for Research
Milan Ravidev Malhotra | Ratilal S. Shah Medical Scholarship Fund
Laura Katherine Mann | Laura L. Backus Award for Excellence in Pediatrics
LeiLani N. Mansy | Pat D. Do, M.D., Matching Scholarship in Orthopaedics; Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Abigail M. Murphy | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Caroline Grace Olson | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation; Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Dakota James Owens | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Michael Adebowale Oyekan | Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Basic Science Award
Andrew Michael Peterson | Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Award for Research; Lee Langley Award for Academic Excellence; UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Association Endowment Fund: Excellence in Medical Education; Merck Manual
Geethanjali Rajagopal | ACP Senior Student Book Award; Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Casey E. Rose | J. Michael De Ungria, M.D., Humanitarian Award; Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Benjamin Spector, M.D. | Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics Award for Excellence
Elizabeth Hartanti Theng | J. Michael De Ungria, M.D., Humanitarian Award; Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Harry S. Jonas, M.D., Award
Sejla Turnadzic | Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence; Merck Manual
Isabelle Bruner Ulloa | Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics Award for Excellence
Megan Anne Weber | Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence
Jacob T. Williamson | Pat D. Do, M.D., Matching Scholarship in Orthopaedics
Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
Alaya Bodepudi
Kartik Depala
Lauren Gresham
Rishabh Gupta
Shubhika Jain
Varsha Kandadi
Morgan Kensinger
Valerie Rita Louise Kirtley
Vijay Letchuman
Milan Ravidev Malhotra
LeiLani N. Mansy
Caroline Grace Olson
Michael Adebowale Oyekan
Andrew Michael Peterson
Geethanjali M. Rajagopal
Megan Anne Weber
Jacob T. Williamson
Gold Humanism Honor Society
Jessica Anyaso
Kartik Depala
Jason Egberuare
August James
Frank Adam Habib
Varsha Kandadi
Morgan Kensinger
Eshwar Kishore
Shruti Rani Kumar
Jordan Jean Longabaugh
Caroline Grace Olson
Nikhila Pokala
Casey E. Rose
Laraib Sani
Elizabeth Hartanti
Theng Kabir
Antonio Torres
Jacob T. Williamson
Pi Alpha Honor Society
Molly Ray Arand
Samar Azzaidani
Stephanie Kathryn Rieger
