Roughly 300 members of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences graduating health sciences Class of 2026 gathered at Lisner Auditorium for the annual Health Sciences Graduation Celebration as they prepared to embark on the next phase of their careers amid the rapidly changing health care landscape.
In his welcome, Andrew Artenstein, MD, interim vice president for health affairs and dean, congratulated graduates for their resilience, perseverance, and dedication throughout their education. He noted that they are entering the health professions during a transformative period shaped by advances in artificial intelligence, health informatics, and evolving models of patient care.
“You have proven that you possess the character and skill to meet the challenges of our era and as you transition from students to professionals you are entering a social covenant,” Artenstein said of the class representing 27 different health sciences programs, from laboratory medicine and clinical operations and health care management to physician assistant and physical and occupational therapy.
Artenstein said that covenant carries a profound responsibility whether graduates serve in clinics, classrooms, laboratories, or hospitals. He emphasized the importance of providing empathetic, reliable, expert care while working collaboratively across the health care system.
“As we move toward the future, our missions remain strong and firm: excellence in education; growth in research and innovation; and an unshakable commitment to the communities we serve,” he said. “You are the living legacy of this institution and these missions. Whether you are clinicians, researchers, or educators, your dedication is the truest measure of our success.”
Karen Schlumpf, EdD ’24, MPH ’00, assistant professor of clinical research leadership, presented the Ozgur Ekmekci Interprofessional Leadership Award, named for the late Ozgur Ekmekci, EdD ’05, former interim chair and associate professor of clinical research and leadership. The annual award recognizes students whose work focuses on interprofessional collaboration and scholarship.
This year’s recipients were Doryan E. Redding, who earned a Master of Science in Health Sciences in Biomedical Laboratory Science, and Jacklyn M. Petlicki, who earned a Doctor of Health Science in Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education.
Redding earned recognition for advancing blood banking and laboratory science through her professional work and leadership in the field. At the University of Virginia’s Level 1 trauma center, she provides blood banking services while fostering a workplace culture centered on growth, accountability, and teamwork. She also serves in leadership roles within the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, including co-hosting the organization’s podcast, “Off the Bench.”
Petlicki earned recognition for research focused on communication and support for infertility patients experiencing pregnancy loss. Her doctoral thesis, “Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Care Team Perspectives on Fertility Patients Experiencing Pregnancy Loss,” examined the importance of face-to-face communication and accessible support resources for patients. Faculty and peers praised her collaborative approach and commitment to supporting the achievements of others throughout her doctoral studies.
Tracy Gaston-Heil, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Science in Clinical Research Administration, received this year’s Outstanding Undergraduate Health Sciences Student Award. The award recognizes a graduating student who demonstrates exceptional academic and clinical achievement, teamwork, collaboration, and community service.
Gaston-Heil was selected for her outstanding accomplishments and resilience. She earned a 3.96 GPA while balancing a full-time job in clinical oncology research, single parenthood, and significant personal responsibilities. Inspired by her late husband’s battle with brain cancer and her experience navigating clinical trials, Gaston-Heil developed a commitment to patient-centered research. She later joined the oncology clinic where her husband received treatment, a place where she said she felt “a continued connection to him while rebuilding my life.”
Ultimately, she pursued a degree in clinical research administration at GW, bringing her journey full circle, from caregiver to member of the care team.
“What once felt like loss, fear, and uncertainty,” Gaston-Heil said, “has become purpose and direction, allowing me to support patients and families who find themselves in the same position I was once in.”
Gaston-Heil encouraged graduates to embrace unexpected challenges and recognize how setbacks can shape purpose and service to others. She also thanked her family, colleagues, and GW faculty for supporting her journey.
Lisa Paganotti, PhD, assistant professor of health, human function, and rehabilitation sciences, introduced this year’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award winner, Cory Sessum. Faculty and peers recognized his leadership, mentorship, and willingness to assist classmates with coursework, research, and statistical concepts.
Sessum earned a Doctor of Health Science in Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education, culminating in the dissertation, “Operating Under Pressure: A National Survey of Burnout in Operating Room Nurses and Organizational Support,” which examined burnout among operating room nurses and the role organizational support plays in reducing it.
He previously earned degrees in behavioral neuroscience and clinical neurosciences and holds board certification in neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring. His career has focused on improving health care through clinical practice, operations, and emerging technologies, including helping implement an AI platform for intraoperative cancer detection.
In his remarks, Sessum reflected on the Class of 2026’s responsibility as future leaders in health care and emphasized the importance of evidence-based research, innovation, and compassionate leadership.
“The future of health care will require leaders, clinicians, and educators who are not only highly trained, but also passionate about improving the system, and what better place to begin that journey than the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in the nation’s capital,” he said.
“We have seen a downward shift in the utilization of evidence-based research to drive change, and we must return to putting science first,” he added.
Presenting the charge to graduates this year was a familiar face to many at GW SMHS: Joseph M. Bocchino, EdD, MBA, associate professor of clinical research and leadership. Bocchino served as senior associate dean for health sciences from 2012 to 2016 and as chair of Clinical Research and Leadership for seven years prior to that.
Bocchino encouraged graduates to view commencement as the start of a new chapter defined by purpose, service, and lifelong learning.
“First and foremost,” Bocchino said, “while today feels like the culmination of a life’s work, it’s now just the beginning. You’re starting all over one more time.”
“This time,” he added, “you are a graduate of George Washington University.”
Bocchino praised graduates for the personal commitment, optimism, faith, and tenacity that helped them reach this milestone and encouraged them to carry those qualities throughout their careers.
Reflecting on rapid changes in health care, including advances in artificial intelligence and growing demands for patient-centered care, Bocchino urged graduates to stay grounded in their values and sense of purpose.
“Your charge is to bring all of the gifts that define you, starting with a purpose that gives your life meaning, a purpose that serves others as you have been served by us, a purpose that is guided and heavily influenced by your personal core values.”
