Hooding and Community Celebration held in honor of the Class of 2021

The Class of 2021 celebrated their achievements at the Hooding and Community Celebration in front of Winnie Davis Hall on the Health Sciences Campus on Saturday, May 15, 2021.

This is the eighth year of the Community Celebration, but this marks the first year a Hooding Ceremony has taken place at the Athens campus.  Forty students, along with their friends and family, gathered for this momentous occasion.

The ceremony began with a processional led by Campus Dean Michelle Nuss along with the Medical Partnership faculty. Nuss provided the welcoming remarks to the attendees and served as the host of the event.

Medical Partnership Campus Associate Dean for Medical Education, Dr. Scott Richardson, provided the keynote address at the ceremony. He was selected by the Class of 2021 for this honor and provided sound advice for the graduates.

Members from the class were then hooded by Dr. Suzanne Lester and Dr. Molly Bond. Some students were hooded by family members.

Campus Associate Dean for Student & Multicultural Affairs Dr. John Francis presented four awards during the ceremony—Dr. Ehi Ediale and Dr. Sherayar Orakzai received the Amarachi Anukam Community Service Award, Dr. Ediale also received Physicians’ Physician, Dr. Ellen House was named Educator of the Year, and Dr. Lester received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award for faculty and Dr. Orakzai received the award for the students.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from class president, Dr. Quinn Peragine and the presentation of the class gift from Dr. Kelsey Garcia.

Following graduation, the Medical College of Georgia students attending the Medical Partnership campus will be going to 18 different states plus Washington D.C. in 17 different specialties. Sixty-five percent will stay in the southeastern United States, and forty-six percent will attend primary care residencies.