Celebrating our 2014 graduates
Are you counting down the days until graduation? Our M.D. and Ph.D. students will celebrate the completion of their programs with a commencement ceremony, May 27 at 7 p.m. in the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.
Commencement speaker
Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute, Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University, will speak at Baylor College of Medicine’s 2014 commencement.
He is world-renowned professor of economics, leader in sustainable development, senior UN advisor, bestselling author, and syndicated columnist. He has twice been named among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders.
He also serves as special advisor to United Nations Secretary General on the Millennium Development Goals.
Dr. Sachs will receive an honorary degree from the College.
Honorary degrees and awards
Other honorary degrees will be awarded to:
- Dr. Peter Palese. Dr Palese is an internationally recognized microbiologist who pioneered the field of reverse genetics for negative-strand RNA viruses. He serves as Chair of Microbiology and Professor of Medicine at the Mount Sinai Hospital.
- Lester Smith. Smith is a tremendous advocate for the College and one of our most generous donors. He has served on the Board since 2004. He has raised community awareness of our bladder, prostate and breast cancer research and treatment programs with spirited events and successful fundraising campaigns. In 2007, Lester and his wife, Sue, donated $30 million to Baylor’s breast care center which was renamed for them. They also support prostate cancer research and the Lester and Sue Smith Urology Clinic.
- Adam Walmus. Walmus was appointed Director of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 2009. He has served in several VA facilities during his more than 30-year career, beginning in Houston in 1981 and then moving to VA medical centers in Dublin, Ga. and New Orleans, La. followed by a position at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services position in Washington. He was recognized by the VA Secretary with the VA Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2010 and the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award in 2011. He is a remarkable supporter of our patient care, education and research programs at the VA and is a strong advocate for Veterans.
A Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Dr. Frank Kretzer in recognition of his contributions to Baylor.
After Baylor
Wonder where our students head next? See the results from Match Day held in March. Be sure to check back with Momentum for more coverage of the 2014 commencement.
Miss last year’s commencement? See a run down of the festivities.
