{"id":1183,"date":"2019-12-27T14:15:51","date_gmt":"2019-12-27T19:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/?page_id=1183"},"modified":"2025-08-15T16:05:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T20:05:54","slug":"convocation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/convocation\/","title":{"rendered":"Convocation"},"content":{"rendered":"

History<\/h2>\n

A Convocation in honor of the entering classes has been held at the beginning of each academic year since 1985. The dual theme of convocation is the importance of viewing medicine and dentistry as vocations of service to others, and the need for physicians and dentists to maintain their interest and activity beyond the health care sciences to assure a sense of balance and perspective in their personal and professional lives.<\/p>\n

The convocation is named in honor of Joseph M. Healey Jr., J.D., Professor of Health Law and Ethics. Professor Healey was a major contributor to many of the University\u2019s most cherished traditions, chief among them was his role in creating and chairing the annual Convocation ceremony. His untimely death in 1993 represented the loss of a significant spiritual leader at UConn. Professor Healey's positive influence on the ethical and professional conduct of countless students and colleagues has been immeasurable.<\/p>\n

Convocation Planning<\/h2>\n

The Convocation planning is coordinated through the Student Affairs and Activities Office and involves input from the Associate Deans for Students Affairs from both the medical and dental schools and the second year students who are acting as orientation coordinators. The immediate past and current presidents of Medical Dental Student Government (MDSG) are given the responsibility of serving as master of ceremonies and providing the student address. All second year medical and dental students are offered the opportunity to choose and perform the artistic\/musical interludes.<\/p>\n

Convocation Program<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Welcome from the Master of Ceremonies. The immediate past president of the Medical Dental Student Government (MDSG) serves as the master of ceremonies.<\/li>\n
  2. Artistic Interludes. In keeping with a classical approach to the ceremony, an integral component of convocation is performances by students. The artists are always students, predominantly from the second-year classes. The interludes have consisted of readings of original poetry, instrumental and vocal music, and dance. The artistry demonstrated by the students reinforces the theme of balance between personal and professional roles.<\/li>\n
  3. Welcome from the Administration. The Dean of the School of Medicine and the Dean of the School of Dental Medicine welcome the students on behalf of the administration and share views of the convocation themes. The deans\u2019 presence during the proceedings adds to the solemnity and importance of the ceremony.<\/li>\n
  4. Welcome from the Faculty. Alternating by year between the medical and dental schools the address is given by the most recent Kaiser Permanente Teaching Award winner, an award given each May for excellence in teaching in the clinical sciences. Selecting a faculty award winner reinforces the message that \"teaching-as-service\" is a critical professional obligation which should be acknowledged.<\/li>\n
  5. Student Address. The current president of Medical Dental Student Government (MDSG) gives an address focusing on balancing professional school with other essential roles \u2013 as a son\/daughter, spouse\/partner, etc.<\/li>\n
  6. Keynote Speaker. Alternating by year between the schools, the tradition is to ask a graduate of the medical or dental school to be the featured speaker. The themes are once again balance and service.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2025 Convocation Ceremony<\/h3>\n

    August 11, 2025
    \n9 a.m.
    \nKeller Auditorium<\/p>\n

    Watch the 2025 Convocation<\/a>
    \n    Watch the 2024 Convocation<\/a>
    \n    Watch the 2023 Convocation<\/a>
    \n    Watch the 2022 Convocation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    Guest Speaker 2025<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>
    \"photo

    David Fried, D.M.D.
    \nClass of 1986
    \nUConn School of Dental Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    2020 Virtual Ceremony<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Recent Guest Speakers<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Deborah

    Deborah Feldman, M.D.
    \nClass of 1994
    \nUConn School of Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Christina

    Christina Santos-Tomas, D.M.D.
    \nClass of 2004
    \nUConn School of Dental Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Alise

    Alise Frallicciardi, M.D.
    \nClass of 2008
    \nUConn School of Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2021<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Christine

    Christine L. Tierney, D.M.D.
    \nClass of 1986
    \nUConn School of Dental Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"David

    David Lam, M.D.
    \nClass of 2018
    \nUConn School of Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Andrea

    Andrea Fallon, D.M.D.
    \nClass of 2008
    \nUConn School of Dental Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Janice

    Janice Hartnett, M.D.
    \nClass of 2002
    \nUConn School of Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Christian

    Christian Grant Brockenberry, D.M.D.
    \nClass of 2010
    \nUConn School of Dental Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    2016<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    \"Ken

    Ken Yanagisawa, M.D., FACS
    \nClass of 1988
    \nUConn School of Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div><\/div>

    Past Student Speakers<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Benjamin Abt
    \nSelorm Adzaku
    \nMahmoud Almady
    \nAmi Amini
    \nAshley Amini
    \nMark Anestis
    \nStefanie Aquilina
    \nGreg Armstrong
    \nLinda Arnold
    \nAaron Baggish
    \nAdam Bartholomeo
    \nCheyenne Beach
    \nMiriam Bergman
    \nCarl Berliner
    \nChristopher Bessette
    \nJeffrey Blasius
    \nSarah Jane Borch
    \nLisa Brailey
    \nVernon Burke
    \nBrendan Campbell<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    David Carter
    \nMary Cearley
    \nLeila Chahine
    \nKevin Clark
    \nJoy Cocchiola
    \nAdam Cohen
    \nDavid Cordes
    \nCarmelina D\u2019Arro
    \nSusan Diaz
    \nSarah Dry
    \nCathy Dukasz
    \nKirsten Ek
    \nDavid Fantarella
    \nJonathan Feldman
    \nSarah Fleet
    \nColleen Fogarty
    \nCavelle Gallant
    \nChristopher Gibson
    \nKathaleen Gravel<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Christopher Hanrahan
    \nSumeet Kadian
    \nAlaina Kessler
    \nPeter Khang
    \nTodd Kiskaddon
    \nSharon Langshur
    \nRohit Makol
    \nMeg McNamara
    \nMirna Mohanraj
    \nUju Momah
    \nChristopher Morosky
    \nKathleen N. Mueller
    \nJohn Nano
    \nTimothy O\u2019Brien
    \nJoshua Osborne
    \nAdrian Pacheco
    \nKelly Palchik
    \nShivam Patel
    \nPatrick Pollak
    \nAndrew Putnam<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Donna Randall
    \nKristen Russomanno
    \nGregory Rutkowski
    \nEric Sassu
    \nKierstin Savastano
    \nRachel Schultz
    \nMiriam Sedrak
    \nChristine Shapter
    \nPerry Smith
    \nDave Sobanski
    \nTarryn Strating
    \nAlexis Wasserman
    \nKathleen White
    \nKathryn Wilhelms
    \nEmily Wilkins
    \nDavid Woods
    \nMichael Woods<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    History A Convocation in honor of the entering classes has been held at the beginning of each academic year since 1985. The dual theme of convocation is the importance of viewing medicine and dentistry as vocations of service to others, and the need for physicians and dentists to maintain their interest and activity beyond the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-11 11:59:08","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1183"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1183"}],"version-history":[{"count":95,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2805,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1183\/revisions\/2805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/student-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}