This Week@WesternU, June 3-7, 2019
Commencement 2019
Two governors, 104 graduates highlight WesternU-Oregon Commencement
Two Oregon governors provided encouragement and inspiration to the 104 graduates of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest Class of 2019.
The ceremony concluded Western University of Health Sciences’ 2019 Commencement exercises, presided over by President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD. WesternU awarded 1,071 degrees to graduates of nine colleges, raising the University’s alumni total to 16,469.
The WesternU Commencement ceremony in Lebanon, Oregon brought together current Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the first female governor in the state’s history, Gov. Barbara Roberts.
Click here to read the full story and to view a photo gallery.
Click here to watch the ceremony on YouTube.
WesternU celebrates nearly 1,000 graduates at Commencement in Pasadena, California
Relief. Excitement. Joy. The graduates of Western University of Health Sciences embraced a gamut of emotions and are ready to seize the moment and make a difference in the lives they touch.
WesternU held five Commencement ceremonies for its nine colleges May 22-24, 2019 in Pasadena, California, presided over by President Daniel R. Wilson, MD, PhD. Nearly 1,000 graduates received diplomas at the ceremonies.
Click here to read the full story and to view the photo galleries.
From the College of Veterinary Medicine:
WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine Dean honored as a distinguished alumnus by Tuskegee University
Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, received the Distinguished Veterinary Alumni Award at the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine Spring Commencement May 4, 2019. Dr. Nelson graduated with his DVM degree from Tuskegee Institute in 1979.
“I feel as if I’ve never left Tuskegee,” Nelson said. “I’m an active alum and I’ve always been appreciative of the opportunity.”
Dr. Nelson applied to veterinary school in a different era than today’s candidates. Women were actively discouraged from entering the profession and minorities were discouraged or blocked from applying save for some notable exceptions, he said.
“The racial norms were much different, particularly in the Deep South,” Nelson said. “I could not apply to every school. One school that I applied to actually called me when they received my application to remind me there was a ‘special school’ just for me, and they wanted to make sure I knew about that school because they weren’t going to allow me to apply to them.”
Dr. Nelson said being honored as an alumnus means even more to him because he appreciates that Tuskegee provided him opportunities that other institutions did not.
“I have a special place in my heart for Tuskegee because they were there for me, and I feel that Tuskegee is the safety net for minorities, if you will,” Nelson said. “The talk of the town right now, the political atmosphere that we’re going through now, reminds us of the threat of taking 10 steps backward and reminds us of the importance of having that safety net even though things have changed.”
Click here to read the full story.
Pershing Square Paw Crawl
College of Veterinary Medicine alumna Erin Goodwin, DVM ’09, is organizing a free pet care event featuring free rabies and distemper vaccines, a dog adoption fair and music and food. The Pershing Square Paw Crawl will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8 in Pershing Square Park, 532 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90013. Click here for more information.
From the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific:
Gift of Literacy Day
COMP-Northwest hosted Lebanon’s Gift of Literacy Day on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 for the school district’s first-grade classes. More than 350 first-grade students received backpacks containing the story book that they picked out at the beginning of the school year, and had lunch provide by the Lebanon Fire Department. Many faculty, staff and students along with community volunteers participated in this event to encourage early literacy and the love of reading for our community youth. Click here to view photos and a video on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/westernucompnorthwest/posts/2298888970156910?__tn__=-R
