In August 2014, the inaugural Class of 2018 came to WMed as a young, promising group of aspiring physicians.
Now, less than four years later, the 48 students are on the cusp of completing their time at WMed and taking the next step as physicians in residency training.
To mark – and celebrate – what is a significant milestone for our students, their families, and the medical school, WMed will host a community open house on Saturday, May 12, at the W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus, 300 Portage Street, in downtown Kalamazoo. The public is welcome and no RSVP is required.
The next day, on Sunday, May 13, students in the Class of 2018 will be honored as they graduate from WMed during a commencement ceremony at WMU’s Miller Auditorium. The event also is open to the public and no RSVP is required.
Community Open House
Without a doubt, the Kalamazoo community has been pivotal to the success of the medical school and our students. With all of that in mind, the community open house will be a chance for WMed leadership, students, faculty, residents, fellows, and staff to celebrate the Class of 2018 and to welcome community members to the W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus.
The event, which is scheduled for 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., will be an opportunity to acknowledge the support and contributions of the community that have buoyed the medical school and will continue to be a key to the institution’s success in the future.
Brief comments are planned for 2:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Self-guided tours of the lower level Simulation Center, first and second floors of the W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus will be available to members of the community.
Graduation
Just like the Community Open House, the graduation of the Class of 2018 will be a chance for the community to join us as we celebrate all that our students have accomplished at WMed and what awaits them as new physicians.
The commencement ceremony is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Miller Auditorium. Doors to Miller will open to the general public at 1:15 p.m.
The slate of speakers for the event will include the medical school’s founding dean, Dr. Hal B. Jenson; Dr. Peter Ziemkowski, associate dean of Student Affairs, and fourth-year student Jacqueline Dauch.
The commencement address will be delivered by Dr. Alan Shapiro, senior medical director of Community Pediatric Programs at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York. The event will mark a return for Dr. Shapiro to Kalamazoo as he was the keynote speaker at the White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2018 in September 2014.
Following the commencement ceremony, attendees will be invited to attend a reception in the Miller Auditorium atrium to cap off what will be a big day for the medical school, our students, their families, and the community.