WesternU CHS-Northwest Commencement 2026: Find your calling
Western University of Health Sciences celebrated 33 Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates at its first Commencement ceremony of 2026 in Lebanon, Oregon. This graduating class helped shape the DPT-Oregon program and is poised to change lives as they take their first step into a world grateful that they found their life’s calling.
WesternU is holding two Commencement ceremonies in Lebanon on May 15, 2026, and will continue the festivities with eight Commencement ceremonies in Pomona, California May 18-20, 2026, conferring degrees on more than 1,000 graduates.
This DPT Class of 2026 started the program at the same time College of Health Sciences-Northwest Site Dean Jonathan Perry, PhD, MSc, and his leadership team assumed their administrative roles.
“So, these graduates have seen firsthand the challenges and the joys of establishing our own unique culture at DPT-Oregon. They have never shied away from giving us feedback. And, honestly, it is that feedback that has shaped the way we do things,” Perry said. “On behalf of the DPT faculty and staff, we owe the Class of 2026 a debt of gratitude for that. Graduates, you should feel proud of the role that you have played in improving this program.
“This speech is called the Dean’s Charge. So, I charge you to go forth and heal people. Do it with professionalism. Do it with heart. Do it with a solid foundation of evidence,” Perry added. “We have given you what we know. Now that knowledge and those skills live inside of you. Pass them on.”
CHS-Northwest graduate Stephanie Lowe, DPT ’26, was selected by her classmates to represent them as the graduate speaker. She participated in student government all three years, she created structured communications systems for her cohort, including regular newsletters, reminders and updates, she became known for consistently checking in on her peers to offer support, and she volunteered for several charitable events, including the Strawberry Festival, Special Olympics and the Rural Health Care Equity Fair, Perry said.
Lowe told her classmates she is grateful to sit by their side the past three years, and she looks forward to watching their journey in their careers and lives after graduation.
“While we live in a time where staying informed and educated may feel like a burden and a stressor, health care, technology, and society is going to continue to evolve regardless,” Lowe said. “So I want to remind you that as clinicians we heal with our hands, our minds, and our hearts, and I implore you to be an active part of the evolution and go on to advocate, not only for your patients but for yourselves, for our profession, and for the health care system as a whole. If the last three years have taught us anything, it’s that we have the tenacity and the drive, and as our professors would put it, the outspoken nature to make it better.”
WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA, encouraged the graduates to remain lifelong learners, to be courageous in their convictions, humble in their service, and steadfast in their commitment to justice and human dignity.
“Let your knowledge be matched by your compassion and let your ambition be guided by your integrity,” Farias-Eisner said. “And today, you are not merely a graduate. You step forward fully into your calling.”
CHS-Northwest graduate Joshua Clark, DPT ’26, said his friends in health care urged him to enter a profession with lots of patient interaction because of his outgoing nature. He fell in love with physical therapy because of the one-on-one patient interaction that often takes place. Completing the DPT program and learning more about the profession was fantastic and even more rewarding than he ever imagined.
“I truly know this is the correct career for me and it’s not just a wasted three years where I worry about burning out and switching careers. I can tell that this is something I not only enjoy, but something that is going to keep giving me life and keep giving me the opportunity to be content and happy with the career I that I chose for the rest of my life.”
A special moment for each graduate is when their selected loved ones walk on stage and place the academic hood on their shoulders. CHS-Northwest graduate Tatpicha Rungpanarat, DPT ’26, invited her mom, Kattaliya Rungpanarat, and her grandma, Siriphan Roongpanarat, to hood her.
Tatpicha moved to the U.S. from Thailand at age 9, living with host families and family friends to build a better life.
“My mom is my biggest supporter. She set a goal for me: become something great. That’s all she asked,” Rungpanarat said. “I feel like this is a moment of giving back, allowing her to become a hooder, and for her it’s also a big moment that my grandma gets to be part of that journey along with her and I. While my mom is my biggest supporter, my grandma is my mom’s biggest supporter. It’s like living the full circle of family.”
CHS-Northwest student Hazel Vera, DPT ’26, is a first-generation college graduate and the first in her family to become a doctor. She was inspired to become a physical therapist following a devastating health crisis – she had an arteriovenous malformation and suffered a stroke at age 15. She loved playing basketball, but the stroke paralyzed the right side of her body.
“I thought my life was completely over. I felt like I had no meaning in life. My physical therapist inspired me that not only can you overcome an injury and be yourself again, but you can also inspire others to continue living and have something to look forward to,” Vera said. “From that point on, I decided I wanted to be a physical therapist once I made my full recovery. So I feel like being a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I’m proud of the 15-year-old in me that was very sad and didn’t think life was worth living. And now I have a purpose to continue to help others.”
