MABS Spring Commencement 2023

SPRING COMMENCEMENT for The Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences Bluefield University B luefield , V irginia

Saturday May 13, 2023 10:00 a.m.

Be Thou My Vision

Irish Folk Melody

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always; Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art. High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’ns Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

COMMENCEMENT

Prelude

Ms. Alandra Blume University Accompanist , Piano

* Processional

Pomp and Circumstance by Sir Edward Elgar

Ms. Alandra Blume

* Invocation

Dr. Emily A. Lambert Professor of Biology Dean, College of Sciences

*Scripture Reading

Dr. Meghan Wilson Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Welcome and Introductions

Dr. David W. Olive President

Greetings from the Board of Trustees

Rev. Craig F. Stout Secretary, Board of Trustees

Student Graduate Addresses

Mr. Tyron Bailey Ms. Laurel Romano

*Commencement Hymn

Be Thou My Vision Irish Folk Melody

led by Dr. Mark Milberger Assistant Professor of Music and Worship Arts Ms. Alandra Blume, Accompanist Dr. Delmas Bolin Professor, Sports & Family Medicine Virginia Campus Dean, College of Sciences Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Commencement Address

Presentation of Graduates

Dr. Michael Salmeier Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Brian W. Hill Director, Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences

Conferral of Degrees

Dr. David W. Olive

Alumni Induction

Mrs. Sherelle Morgan, MBA ‘21 Director of Alumni Relations

*Alma Mater

led by Dr. Mark Milberger

Zambus/Stovall

* Benediction

Dr. Ward Stevens Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences

* † Recessional

Triumphal March by Alfred Hollins

Ms. Alandra Blume

* Please stand *†Please remain standing at your seat until after the Recessional.

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Dr. Delmas Bolin Professor, Sports & Family Medicine

Dr. Del Bolin graduated from the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign with a PhD in Biochemistry and a Medical Degree. He completed a Family Medicine Residency through Michigan State University and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, training under the doctors for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL), Penguins (NHL), and Panthers (DI). Before coming to Virginia, he was a co-director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at UPMC - St Margaret’s Hospital. In addition to Sports Medicine, he is board certified in Sleep Medicine and is one of 8 MDs in the United States to teach osteopathic manual techniques. Since 2002 he has been a Professor of Family and Sports Medicine at the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg. While his passion is teaching, he has served as team physician and medical consultant for Virginia Tech, Radford, Roanoke College, Salem High School, and the Salem Red Sox baseball team. He maintains a private practice in Salem, Virginia, where he continues to mentor numerous undergraduates, medical students, residents, and sports medicine fellows.

CANDIDATES FOR MASTER OF ARTS IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Mohamed Almoustafa Abbaker Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mahya Abedi-Jafari Dessiry Valencia Eugenio Virginia Beach, Virginia Samuel Redmond Fairman

Rockville, Maryland Tobias Kim Addis Danville, Virginia Olalade Muyibat Akinboyede Columbus, Ohio Abigail Akyeampong Brooklyn, New York Tyron Bailey Painter, Virginia Megan Nicole Baily Hilliard, Ohio Sundeep Singh Bhanot Greenville, South Carolina Khadija Bhatti Salisbury, Maryland Caroline Elizabeth Bingham Fredericksburg, Virginia Romina Boortalary Vienna, Virginia Amber Cambridge Miami, Florida Macy E. Carleton Chicopee, Massachussetts Jackson Alexander Clayton Ringgold, Virginia Rachelle L'Janai Cook Woodbridge, Virginia

Berryville, Virginia Mariyam Farooqi Prosper, Texas

Jordan Fleming Sheffield, Alabama Spencer Franklin Kilgore, Texas Kayla Marie Fraser Leesburg, Georgia Malia Kaitlyn Gacutan Honolulu, Hawaii Atul Venkat Ganta Durham, North Carolina Neha Garg Jacksonville, Florida Fallon Mckensie Gelsleichter Panama City, Florida Emanuel R. Giampocaro Bluefield, Virginia Kaleb Hunter Griggs Pickens, South Carolina Nyla Jewell Gulley Clintwood, Virginia Rimsha Mahnaz Haque Norfolk, Virginia Jessica Rose Harding Clemont, Florida Sabryna LaVerne Haynes Orangeburg, South Carolina Nathan Hellem Manassas, Virginia Hannah Ulrich Hollingsworth Jacksonville, Alabama

Mason S. Corley Pineville, Louisiana Peter T. Demos Jr. Springfield, Massachusettes Priyal Desai Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Constantine Nicholas Hrysikos Spartanburg, South Carolina Taylor Hutto Camden, South Carolina Aliza Ishrat Centreville, Virginia Nicholas Juan Jurado Cary, North Carolina Jawad Khan Dallas, Texas Rehan Khan Dallas, Texas Aayush Kharel Haymarket, Virginia Shannon Brigitte Kirkland Nashville, Tennessee Peter Kotsiviras Largo, Florida

Fadi Samir Mamari Allentown, Pennsylvania Joann Mathew McKinney, Texas Tyler McCormick Aldie, Virginia Kaitlyn Halle McGinley Macungie, Pennsylvania Taylor Nicole Melton Blacksburg, Virginia Taylor Jordan Mingle Collegeville, Pennsylvania Tayler E. Moore St. Louis, Missouri Hannah Nicole Moran Salem, Virginia Olivia Maria Mott Dayton, Maryland Matthew W. Nardone Virginia Beach, Virginia Emma Ann Padgett Clover, South Carolina Heli Patel Houston, Texas Kajal Mahendra Patel Loxley, Alabama Levi Phillips Franklin, North Carolina Madeline Rose Potter Radford, Virginia Emily Katherine Purser Slidell, Louisiana Atiya Qillawala Leesburg, Virginia Syed Shujauddin Qureshi Gilberts, Illinois Farheen Abdul Rasheed Great Mills, Maryland

Karthika Krishnan Rockville, Maryland Keerti Sri Kurapati Novi, Michigan Greta L. La Fave Wilmington, North Carolina Evan Mark Lagerberg Chesterfield, New Hampshire Michelle Lee Johns Creek, Georgia Carson R. Lewis Edwardsville, Illinois Christine Lewis Fairfax, Virginia Brandon Zhengkan Lu Alpharetta, Georgia Lessy Lwea Charlotte, North Carolina Jaeer H. Macfield Grand Rapids, Michigan

Shantanu Krishna Rastogi Norfolk, Virginia Narmeen Rasul Roanoke, Virginia Patricia Carlette Reed Shreveport, Louisiana

Corey Michael Kibwe Sydnor Hampton, Virginia Rimsha Talibi

Yorktown, Virginia Kashfaa Tasmim

West Palm Beach, Florida Marco Gabriel Taveras Spartanburg, South Carolina Jayla Lavelle Taylor Radford, Virginia Sherine Thomas Lisle, Illinois Nicholas Michael Torre Roanoke, Virginia Dearborn Heights, Michigan Michelle Leigh Van Horn Burke, Virginia Pranav Varrey Westminster, Maryland Saiqa Nawaz Warriach Woodbridge, Virginia Robert Noah Westbrook Edgefield, South Carolina Tamara L. Williams Camden, Arkansas Phillip Xavier Willis Chicago, Illinois Connie D. Torres Queens, New York Said Turfe

Jonathan Richardson Montgomery, Alabama

Jazmin Lara Rio Temecula, California Christopher Shawn Robinson Spartanburg, South Carolina Hunter Robinson Gadsden, Alabama Fernanda Robles Warminster, Pennsylvania Laurel Alexandria Romano Bluefield, Virginia Blake Mario Rondon Dillsburg, Pennsylvania Binuk Buddhima Samarasinghe Roanoke, Virginia Madison Paige Sandall Chesapeake, Virginia Tyler Schneider Greenwood, South Carolina Katlin Mae Schultz Cullman, Alabama

Cameron Blaire Loria Baton Rouge, Louisiana Priya Suresh Shah McKinney, Texas Omolola Shoaga Abeokuta, Ogun State Angela Gloria Simpson Gainesville, Virginia Skylar Tate Sorrow Greenwood, South Carolina

Veronica Woodring Forest Hill, Maryland Maryam Zahid Bowie, Maryland Helen C. Zak Charlottesville, Virginia

ACADEMIC REGALIA The origins of academic regalia date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, when universities were beginning. The first gowns were patterned after the dress of the cleric and were believed to be a necessity for warmth in unheated buildings. Hoods were designed to serve as head coverings. Caps were not used at that time. The shape of the gown indicates the academic level: bachelor, master, or doctor. Black is the most common color in America, although now many colleges and universities are using one of their colors. The doctor’s robe usually has three velvet stripes on the sleeves, in black or in the color of the discipline of the degree. The colors of the hood indicate the academic discipline and the institution. The colors associated with the different disciplines are as follows:

Accountancy...................................................Drab Anthropology.................................................. Gold Arts............................................................... White Behavioral Science......................................Oyster Biochemistry. ................................................. Gold Business Administration................................Drab Chiropractic.................................................... Grey Commerce. .....................................................Drab Communication........................................Crimson Counseling & Guidance.........................Light Blue Divinity........................................................Scarlet Dramatic Arts..............................................Brown Economics.................................................. Copper Education..............................................Light Blue Engineering................................................ Orange English.......................................................... White Fine Arts......................................................Brown History.......................................................... White Home Economics......................................Maroon Humanities................................................... White Journalism. .............................................. Crimson Jurisprudence. ............................................ Purple Law.............................................................. Purple Letters........................................................... White Library Science........................................... Lemon Literature...................................................... White Medicine..........................................Hunter Green Music.............................................................. Pink Nursing.......................................................Apricot Oratory (Speech)...........................................Silver Philosophy............................................ Ph.D. Blue Physical Education.............................. Sage Green Physical Therapy.............................................Teal Psychology...................................................... Gold Public Administration......................Peacock Blue Public Health..............................................Salmon Physics.................................................Bright Gold Science.................................................Bright Gold Social Work..................................................Citron Speech. ..........................................................Silver Theology......................................................Scarlet Urban Planning................................... Blue-Violet

THE UNIVERSITY GONFALON The Bluefield University Gonfalon is a symbol of our collective responsibility to engage in a Christ-centered community of integrity and learning. Bluefield University’s colors, which compose the University Gonfalon, are blue, white, and red. The University Seal adorns the top of the Gonfalon, and at its base is the symbol of inspiration for the University, which is the University Spire. In this official version, the Spire is left half open to convey the responsibility that each individual, be they student, faculty, staff, or administration, has to do their part to complete the work of learning that has been entrusted to them. THE UNIVERSITY SEAL The University Seal has been in existence since the doors of Bluefield University opened in 1922. Designed by the daughter of Dr. R. A. Lansdell, first President of Bluefield University, it features three Latin words: “Deus,” meaning God, “Patria,” meaning country, and “Lux,” meaning light. The seal has been a beacon of light for those who study, teach, and serve at Bluefield University, as it speaks of the duty to serve God and to be divine light in this country and indeed throughout the world. THE UNIVERSITY MACE Bluefield University ceremonial occasions begin with the entrance of the University Mace, carried by the University senior faculty member and Faculty Marshal. The mace symbolizes the University’s governing authority and is present when the University leadership and faculty are in attendance. The tradition of the mace derives from medieval times in England, when the mace was held by a bodyguard for dignitaries at ceremonial functions. Today, ceremonial maces are used by governing bodies worldwide, including the U.S. House of Representatives and the British Parliament. As an ancient symbol of authority, it reminds us that colleges and universities are custodians both of the enduring traditions of learning and of the power they bestow upon those who come to learn. It is also a reminder that the learning process has not always been comfortable and easy. The Bluefield University Mace is seen regularly at the President’s Convocation, the Honors Convocation, and the Winter and Spring Commencement ceremonies. The Bluefield University Mace is 42 inches in length. The four-sided head-piece displays blue enamel reproductions of the University Seal on antique bronze medals. The mahogany shaft is ringed in brass banners engraved with the University’s four core values: “Christ-centered Learning,” “Academic Excellence,” “Integrity and Mutual Respect,” and “Serves to Transform the World.”

ALUMNI CREED As a member of The Bluefield University Alumni Association, I will take an active role in the life of my University through prayer, advocacy, and gifts of time and resources. Good work ethic, compassion, community involvement, appreciation for others, and faith in God have become a foundation for me as a student. These values give me a hope and a passion to share the Bluefield University mission with others as I journey through each chapter of my life. I will remember the lighted spire on the hill, and may it remain a symbol to guide me all of my days. May God continue to bless the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Bluefield University, and may God bless each of us as we impact our world.