Physician Assistant Class of 2021 Receives White Coats During Completion Ceremony

After navigating the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year, the Physician Assistant (PA) Class of 2021 is finally celebrating.

Seventy-five students received their white coats and certificates of completion before taking the Physician Assistant Professional Oath during the PA program’s completion ceremony in the DeSales University Center. The event was also livestreamed with more than 100 people tuning in virtually. 

Father James Greenfield, OSFS ’84, president of DeSales, gave the invocation, calling the class one of the most remarkable PA classes in the history of the University. Dr. Wayne Stuart, director of the PA program, commended students for their resilience and dedication. 

“You, as students, have had to contend with all the changing requirements, canceled experiences, unavailable resources, and quite literally have risked your life to learn the practice of medicine,” Stuart said. “But here you are—ready to complete these two years of education; ready to start the joys and the sorrows of taking care of your own patients.” 

Several students were also singled out as the winners of special awards: Marlea Sprandle M’21 received the Medical Director Award; Courtney Beecher ’20, M’21 received the Clinical Medicine Award; Rachael Hart ’19, M’21 accepted the Dr. Karen Walton Award for Excellence in the Didactic Year; The Fr. Peter Leonard, OSFS, Award for Excellence in the Clinical Year went to Kayla Murawski ’20, M’21; Ayat Damra M’21 and Breanna Perdue M’21 both received the Self-Directed Learner Award; and Emily Jacobson ’20, M’21 accepted the Program Director Award.