Student Voices Inspire at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine MPH/MS Awards Ceremony

On June 12, 2025, the MPH/MS Awards Ceremony at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine celebrated the accomplishments of the graduating class and three students: John P. Ross (Accelerated Residential MPH), Victoria Callahan (Online/Hybrid MPH), and Yihan Zhang (MS in Epidemiology), took the stage as this year’s student speakers. Their reflections offered a powerful reminder of the human-centered mission of public health and the enduring impact of the Dartmouth experience.

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John P. Ross, MA, MPH, began his address with a moral call:

“People attempt to access health care because they are striving for life, and this is an expression of their hope. Any policy that curtails this striving by seeking to limit access is unethical. That’s where we come in, wherever our careers may take us.”

Ross, who completed the accelerated MPH program, spoke passionately about the ethical responsibility shared by public health professionals. He urged his peers to view terms like "access" and "quality" not as buzzwords, but as fundamental rights worth defending.

Reflecting on his time at Dartmouth, Ross shared how the program shaped his understanding of clinical practice:

“The graduate program in public health at Geisel has prepared me for a career in medicine by situating clinical practice within the broader context of population health. This bird's eye perspective, along with the wisdom from the faculty at The Dartmouth Institute, many with decades of experience in Dartmouth’s unique niche of medical care epidemiology, has matured my understanding of how clinical decisions influence population health and how policies guide clinical practice. This lens contributes invaluably to my holistic professional formation.”

Ross's remarks illustrated the impact of Geisel’s curriculum in cultivating not just knowledge, but purpose.

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Victoria Callahan, graduating from the Online/Hybrid MPH program, reflects: 

“Public health persists. As long as people exist, so will the need to care for them. It's a unique type of job security, anchored not in certainty, but in the unwavering relevance of the work.”

Callahan’s words captured the enduring necessity of the field, reminding the audience that public health is not a temporary pursuit. Her journey through Dartmouth’s online program was marked by a deep sense of connection and gratitude.

“Throughout my time at Dartmouth, I’ve always felt deeply supported by mentors, peers, and the community as a whole. It’s a place that has consistently embodied comfort and family, and I’ll always cherish the sense of belonging it gave me.”

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Representing the QBS program, which includes Epidemiology, Health Data Science, and Medical Informatics, Yihan Zhang spoke to the power of perseverance:

“Good conditions don't always guarantee success, and difficult conditions don't necessarily mean failure. No matter how many missed opportunities or rainy days we’ve faced before, our time to shine will come.”

Zhang’s message centered hope and determination. It acknowledged the challenges of rigorous academic training and the confidence to face them. Reflecting on his experience at Dartmouth, Zhang shared:

“Dartmouth pushed me to raise the bar while proving I never had to do it alone. Keep your standards high, guard your time, and most of all, keep the conversations going.”

His words resonated with fellow graduates as a testament to personal resilience and the strength found in community.

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The speeches of Ross, Callahan, and Zhang revealed a shared foundation of empathy, insight, and commitment to impact. Their words served not only as reflections but as calls to action, urging fellow graduates to apply their education to confront disparities, improve systems, and defend the wellbeing of every patient and population.

As the Geisel community celebrated these and our other accomplished graduates, we were comforted that the future of healthcare is in compassionate, capable hands. 

 

Written by: Mia Soucy

POSTED 6/17/2025 AT 04:13 PM IN #Graduation #mph #MS #2025