NEOMED celebrates 270 new graduates at Commencement ceremony

NEOMED returned to E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron Saturday, May 3, 2025, for its 45th Commencement ceremony. It was a day to celebrate the years of commitment and dedication of the 270 graduates as they crossed the stage to receive their M.D., Pharm.D. and other advanced degrees to enter the healthcare professions. NEOMED President John Langell, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., presided over the ceremony.

Two graduates were also honored with a military pinning ceremony, and were presented by NEOMED provost and senior vice president, Forrest Faison III, M.D., who is the retired vice admiral of the Medical Corps for the U.S. Navy. Military graduates include Yaritza Torres of the Navy and Jurgen Trujillo of the Army. 

Of the 270 graduates, 147 received their M.D. from the College of Medicine, 50 received their Pharm.D. from the College of Pharmacy, while the College of Graduate Studies conferred 79 degrees and three certificates. Six students earned dual degrees.

Frank Papay, M.D., chairman of dermatology and plastic surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and a 1984 graduate of NEOMED, addressed the graduates as keynote speaker.

“Some days, your patients will forget your name” said Dr. Papay. “But they will remember how you made them feel. They will remember the nurse who held their hand, the team that brought them through. Those are the moments that will define your career and carry your life’s legacy across generations.”

NEOMED also honored Dr. Papay, who led the surgical team on the first full face transplant in the U.S., with an honorary degree. Scott Becker, publisher and founder of Becker’s Healthcare, was also the recipient of an honorary degree from NEOMED.