Throughout the weekend’s celebrations, members of the Larner College of Medicine community played key roles in marking the close of the academic year. On Saturday, May 17, master’s and doctoral graduates were hooded during the Graduate College Ceremony at the Robert E. Miller Expo Centre, Champlain Valley Exposition. The following morning, Sunday, May 18, the University Commencement Ceremony on the University Green honored recipients of honorary degrees and University Distinguished Professor titles. Sunday afternoon, the Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony at Ira Allen Chapel recognized UVM’s newest medical degree recipients.

More than 100 Graduates Receive Doctor of Medicine Degrees at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony

On May 19, under cloudy skies, the Larner College of Medicine community celebrated the Class of 2025 as their Commencement Ceremony began. Family and friends of more than 100 medical graduates filled the pews of UVM’s Ira Allen Chapel to honor the new doctors. The event marked the culmination of their medical school journey and the beginning of their next chapter—residency training across the country in a wide range of specialties, including internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and more.

Leading the faculty into the chapel was Faculty Marshal Jillian Sullivan, M.D.’04. Class of 2025 graduate Justin P. Henningsen, M.D., served as student marshal and led his classmates into the ceremony, where Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine, delivered the opening remarks. “The Class of 2025 is special. They applied to medical school during a pandemic, undeterred by the unknown, and committed to becoming a physician—potentially helping to address the illness and suffering of that time. Thankfully, COVID is generally under control, and we all can enjoy communal events such as this one. But the pandemic taught us many lessons that we mustn’t forget. The importance of science that provided a vaccine with seemingly miraculous speed. The value of public health professionals, who gave their best guidance in real time, based on the data that changed daily. And the importance of attention to our most vulnerable populations. This class will help the world remember these lessons, and work to improve care for all. As physicians, they will be a trusted source of care, information, and guidance to their patients and community. The world has never needed them more,” he said.

The ceremony also featured remarks from Interim President Patricia Prelock, Ph.D., M.A., and a keynote address by Maureen G. Phipps, M.D.’94, M.P.H., professor emerita of obstetrics and gynecology for the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and chief executive officer of MGP Strategies, LLC. 

“As I reflect on my experiences, I am reminded of the challenges that shaped me, the incredible people who supported me, and the moments that left a lasting impression. I am forever grateful that my journey began here at the University of Vermont, where pursuing excellence is more than a goal—it is a value to uphold. To me, excellence involves meaningful reflection, gaining clarity, demonstrating courage, and leading with compassion. Excellence is not striving for perfection; instead, it is showing up with your best effort every time. It means knowing your values, living them with intention, taking care of yourself so you can care for others, and, at its heart, remaining dedicated to the patients and communities we serve,” Phipps said.

Before the conferral of degrees, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D.’99, offered opening remarks and introduced Class of 2025 student speaker Rachel Thompson, M.D. In her address, Thompson eloquently captured the essence of their medical school journey. “After these last four years, I think we can all agree: time is a teacher. It has taught us resilience, patience, and the ability to adapt. It has shown us that no matter what comes next, we have the best education and training to face it with confidence. My utmost gratitude goes out to the Larner College of Medicine as well as each and every patient for their contributions to this foundation as we embark on our next journey.”

Student Profiles - Class of 2025 graduates awarded their medical degrees at the Larner College of Medicine’s Commencement Ceremony included:

• Kadi Nguyen, Class of 2025 student council leader and Schweitzer Fellow, who grew up in Colorado and enjoys hiking, reading, and cooking her mother’s signature Vietnamese dishes. Her favorite part of medical school has been co-leading the Spartans Advance Program to mentor New American youth in Vermont. Nguyen discovered her passion for psychiatry in the moments where patients felt seen—not just as cases, but as whole people. “I’ve come to believe that healing happens when we make space for both strength and vulnerability, for both individuality and connection. Psychiatry offers the rare privilege of sitting with someone in that space.” Nguyen, shaped by her own experience as a first-generation Vietnamese American, will begin her psychiatry residency at Brigham and Women’s/Harvard Medical School this summer.
• Annabelle Feist, a transplant to Williston, Vermont, who discovered her passion for medicine on snowy slopes as a ski patroller while a student at Williams College. What began as a love for mountain rescue evolved into a deep commitment to service, leading her to pursue both a career in medicine and a commission in the United States Army. “Ski patrol taught me how to stay calm under pressure and put others first—skills that I carry with me every day in the hospital and in uniform.” She joined the Army for the opportunities it provides to help those who defend our country and as a gateway to practicing global medicine. As she embarks on a surgical residency at the University of Alabama–Birmingham, she looks forward to combining her clinical training with her military and global health work to care for those in greatest need—both at home and abroad.
• Greg Williams, who grew up in Duxbury, Massachusetts, before attending Amherst College, where he studied biology and was a wide receiver on the varsity football team. Once he had tried out a few medical positions, such as a clinical role as a counselor for first responders and volunteering in the supply chain at a rural hospital in Haiti, Williams found the most rewarding aspect of health care was working with patients. Eager to learn more about the systems he would eventually be a part of, he earned an M.P.H. from Dartmouth College while ski patrolling at Killington on the side. “After learning about the Health Professions Scholarship Program offered by the Army, I jumped at the opportunity to serve my country, knowing that there would be many opportunities to develop leadership skills as an officer while also gaining expertise in austere medicine and global health,” said Williams. Continuing his journey as a physician, he will join Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Cavazos, Texas, as an emergency medicine resident.

At the conclusion of the Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony, Dean Page led the Class of 2025 medical graduates in reciting “The Oath,” the college’s adapted version of the 1964 Oath of Lasagna (full text of the Oath is available in the program via the link below).

View the program for the 2025 UVM Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony

View photos from the 2025 Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony

Graduate College Commencement Ceremony Includes Larner-Affiliated Advanced Degree Graduates

At Saturday’s Graduate College Commencement, Dean Holger Hoock, D.Phil., welcomed guests, followed by a reflection from UVM Interim President Patricia A. Prelock, Ph.D., M.A. The outgoing president of the Graduate Student Senate, Cara M. Simone, M.A., also provided remarks. Dean Richard Page was on stage to shake the hands of the Larner-affiliated graduates and several Larner faculty members acted as hooders or were in the audience.

Among the pool of graduates receiving their advanced degrees were the following students affiliated with the Larner College of Medicine:

• Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. - Amanda Fastiggi, Kiera Malone, Emily Nelson, Nathaniel Shannon, Anne Snyder, Marcus Weinman
• Clinical and Translational Science Ph.D. - Rebecca Ouellette-Morton
• Master of Medical Science M.M.S. - Cecilia Acheampong, Liv Bacon, Meaghan Devine, Ka’Jayla Gallspie, Tiera Hameed, Selena Henry, Britney Howard, Jordan Hunter, Cade Jimenez, Adela Peco, Madison Poorman, Courtney Schraeder, Sakile Stephenson, Berkley Thompson, Samuel Yang
• Master of Public Health M.P.H. - Raiel Barlow, Keelan Boisvert, Rebecca Brady, Eileen Brickell, Jacob Brookman, Mandy Chapman, Samantha Collins, Madeleine Colton, Kristen Dougherty, Isabell Fleuette, Tara Fuller, Kyle Gadoury, Sadie Gaffin, Makayla Hone, Nadia Huber, Jessica Loflin, Anna Olson, Catherine Pellegrini, Rose Petitti, Sophia Piffard, Katherine Sinz, Kylie Williams
• Microbiology and Molecular Genetics M.S. - Sarah Jaffrani, Keegan Smith
• Neuroscience Graduate Program Ph.D. - Nicholas Fontaine
• Pathology M.S. - Alex Muskat
• Pharmacology M.S. - Hunter St. Pierre

Student Profiles - Larner-affiliated Class of 2025 graduates awarded their graduate degrees at the Graduate College’s Commencement Ceremony included:

• Nicholas Fontaine, Ph.D., a Connecticut native in the Neuroscience Graduate Program, a multidisciplinary course of study that has more than 50 faculty mentors across nine departments and four colleges. His favorite part of graduate school was interacting with a diverse set of people and spreading his love for science through teaching. “Advances in scientific knowledge will not meet their full potential unless they are presented in an approachable and understandable manner for everyone, regardless of background,” he said. Fontaine, who enjoys cooking, reading, playing disc golf, and spending time with his cat, is planning to stay in the Burlington area in a scientific strategy communication career that allows him to continue his passion for science communication.
• Samantha Collins, M.P.H., a Golden Key and Delta Omega National Honor Society inductee, representing the master of public health Class of 2025. Originally from California’s Eastern Sierra region, Collins discovered her home away from home in the Green Mountains. Starting her career in health care as a summer Yosemite Search and Rescue intern, she realized her passion for patient-centered care—regardless of the setting. Seeking in-hospital experience, she became a technician at UVM’s Level I Trauma Center. She then enrolled in UVM’s master of public health program. “When addressing any issue in health care, we have a social responsibility to go directly to the source of impact—our patients,” she said. As an incoming Larner College of Medicine medical student, Collins is eager to continue her education in Vermont—deepening her connection to the state’s rural communities, learning from them, and ultimately serving them as both a physician and a public health professional.
• Sara Jaffrani, M.S., an accelerated master’s graduate in microbiology and molecular genetics, who grew up in central Louisiana and enjoys reading, hiking, and antiquing. At UVM, she immersed herself in experimental research investigating how host cellular proteins influence influenza replication and infection. Her commitment to science earned her the Distinguished Undergraduate Student Research Award and opportunities to present her work at the Student Research Conference and the American Society of Virology conference. “I believe that science reaches beyond boundaries, offering knowledge with everyone, and sparks continuous innovation and the transformative change that shapes our future.” Jaffrani will continue her research as a laboratory technician in the lab of Assistant Professor Emily Bruce, Ph.D., while applying to graduate schools.

Videos and more information about all of UVM’s Commencement Ceremonies