UCSF’s Class of 2017 on Lessons Learned Inside, Outside of Classroom
The journey of pursuing an advanced degree at UC San Francisco can be a long one, marked with challenges, triumphs and comraderie.
The Class of 2017 has experienced these inside the classroom, but many of their learnings didn’t stop there. For many on our diverse class, getting to graduation also meant overcoming language barriers, juggling a new family and balancing personal passions. From mentors, to fellow students to the greater community of San Francisco, our commencing students had a rich variety of sources that contributed to their UCSF experience.
An overarching theme from members of this year’s graduating class that we spoke to is that their experiences at UCSF pushed the boundaries of what they thought they would be able to do, and it ended up making them stronger people, ready to move on to what lies ahead.
See our graduates celebrating a major milestone in their careers:
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UCSF School of Medicine students prepare for their commencement ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall on May 15. Read more about the graduating class. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy meets with students before his keynote speech at the School of Medicine commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Eric Low and Maria Hitraya-Low walk on stage with their young son during the School of Medicine commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Andre Campbell (right), MD, gives the Gold-Headed Cane Award to Walid Hamud-Ahmed, who has been honored by his classmates as being the most representative of a true physician. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
School of Medicine graduate Amlu Natesan stands with her classmates in the Davies Symphony Hall auditorium. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Michael Freeman and Angela Suen kiss Freeman's 100-year-old grandfather after the School of Medicine commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Adrienne Mekoba celebrates during the UCSF School of Pharmacy commencement ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall on Friday, May 19. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
UCSF School of Pharmacy graduate Olivia Nathan and her family celebrate after the commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
School of Pharmacy Dean B. Joseph Guglielmo (far right), PharmD, and Pharmacy Alumni Association President Brian Komoto (center), PharmD, award Gabriel Wong the Bowl of Hygeia Award for community service during school's commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Sean Moshrefi and fellow graduates attend the UCSF School of Pharmacy 2017 commencement ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Jaspreet Khairas (left) shakes hands with Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, during the UCSF School of Pharmacy’s commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Dalga Surofchy and his son receive a hood from School of Pharmacy Dean B. Joseph Guglielmo, PharmD, during the school’s commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
A graduate wears a cap reading “Yes, we did!” during the UCSF School of Nursing commencement ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on May 26. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Brenna Esparza celebrates on stage during the UCSF School of Nursing 2017 commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Faith Mwiti waves to the audience during the School of Nursing commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
School of Nursing graduate Michael Patrick Sweeney walks into Davies Symphony Hall for the school’s commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Hamza Abid (right) receives a hug at the School of Nursing commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Naomi Schapiro (left), RN, PhD, PNP, talks with School of Nursing graduate Nicole Halpert after the UCSF School of Nursing 2017 commencement. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Emily Weaver and Scott Puracchio mingle and take photos with family and friends after the UCSF Graduate Division’s commencement ceremony on June 7 at the Nourse Theater in San Francisco. Photo by Susan Merrell
Jamil Devers and Alicia Terwilliger take a selfie before the Graduate Division’s commencement ceremony. Photo by Susan Merrell
Jamil Devers celebrates with friends and family in the audience as he walks on stage to receive his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, at the Nourse Theater in downtown San Francisco. Photo by Susan Merrell
Shuvo Roy, PhD, hugs Zohora Iqbal, a graduate student in the joint UCSF/UC Berkeley Graduate Program in Bioengineering, during the Graduate Division commencement ceremony. Photo by Susan Merrell
UCSF Graduate Division students (from left) Misty Montoya, Roger Chang and Robert Weber prepare for the Graduate Division commencement ceremony. Photo by Susan Merrell
UCSF School of Dentistry grads don decorated caps for their commencement ceremony at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco on June 14. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
School of Dentistry keynote speaker Jeffory Eaton, DDS, sings a duet with Mona Nejad during the commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Mehreen Khan, DDS, is hooded during the UCSF School of Dentistry 2017 commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
School of Dentistry graduate Brittany N. Vacura hugs Sophia Saeed, DMD, during the commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Eliza Tran (left) and Cassie Truong (right) await the start of the UCSF School of Dentistry 2017 commencement ceremony at the Herbst Theatre. Photo by Elisabeth Fall
Maria Naanaa, DDS, celebrates after the UCSF School of Dentistry 2017 commencement ceremony. Photo by Elisabeth Fall