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Morality, Justice, and Passion Weave a Common Thread in the Call to Action for Graduates “We are the wealthiest nation on earth. The fact that we still do not choose to ensure healthy children, a healthy start for all of our children, is simply wrong and foolish,” stated Marian Wright Edelman, J.D., Founder and President of the Children’s Defense Fund and the School of Public Health’s 2006 Commencement speaker. With a child born into poverty every 36 seconds and a child neglected or abused every 35 seconds, Mrs. Edelman told the 123 graduates, their families, faculty and staff gathered in Battell Chapel on May 22, that she believes “our global and our nation’s moral compass and our nation’s priorities need resetting.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer believed that the test of the morality of a society is how it treats its children. “We flunk Bonhoeffer’s test every hour of every day,” said Mrs. Edelman.
In her speech illustrating the hardships facing children in America, Mrs. Edelman informed the audience that 9 million children, whose parents work and “follow the system” are without healthcare. “Wealth,” Mrs. Edelman stated, “should not dictate good health.” “It is time for every child in this country and their parents, in fact every American to have a national health coverage and mental health coverage system.” She discussed the victims of Hurricane Katrina, hopeful that we can rebuild, and recounted a conversation she had with a little boy asking what he would want the American people to know. He said, “Tell them we need hope.” Addressing the graduates Mrs. Edelman said, “We can do better in America to make sure that our children are safe and that they are hopeful.” Edelman concluded her speech with an anecdote about Sojourner Truth, the antislavery advocate. A white man told Truth that her efforts meant no more to him than a flea bite did. She replied that she would keep the man “scratching.” In that spirit, Mrs. Edelman said: We need big changes. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make very big dogs uncomfortable. And I hope everyone in this audience is determined that you are going to be a flea for justice, for children, for healthcare for all Americans. Believe it. You can do it. Brian P. Leaderer, Ph.D., M.P.H., Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology, Interim Dean of Public Health and Interim Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health urged this year’s graduates to be leaders “from the smallest neighborhood clinic to the largest of the NIH’s [National Institutes of Health] institutes. Your work will, directly or indirectly, improve people’s lives.” Citing that they will “find an abundance of challenges,” he said, “no matter what path you take, hold on to the ideals that brought you here, and move forward with confidence and courage.”
Aliya Jiwani, a student in the Division of Health Policy and Administration, gave the student address. She told her fellow graduates, “question everything...notions, ideas and even the most popular theories of the day.” And above all else, she encouraged her peers to "follow your passion - whatever it may be.” Several departmental awards were presented at the ceremony. The Award for Excellence in Teaching was conferred upon Trace Kershaw, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology and in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Program. He thanked the graduates not only for the award, but for their passion, their humor and their hard work. Dean’s Prizes for Outstanding M.P.H. Thesis were given to Heather Brown for Molecular Epidemiology of Circadian Genes and Breast Cancer, Jessica Clague for A Case Control Study of the d2 Dopamine Receptor Gene and Nicotine Dependence Among Bladder Cancer Patients, and Ann Liu for Environmental Determinants of West Nile Virus Activity in Connecticut. The Henry J. Chauncey Jr. Inspiration Award was given to Katrina Van Gerpen and the Cortlandt Van Rensselaer Creed Award was presented to Erica Jackson. Christine Malino received the Wilbur G. Downs International Health Prize for her thesis entitled, Social Capital and Hypertension in Rural Haitian Women.
A non-departmental award was given to Gerren Faustini. He was awarded the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) Student Leadership Award. Faustini has served as the EPH ACHE student chapter co-chair and has exhibited leadership and service in the Health Management Program. Dean Leaderer presented the graduates with their diplomas after the presentation of the awards, and recognized EPH’s 5 Ph.D. and 3 M.S. in Biostatistics graduates, who received their degrees from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. - Story by Marcie Foley Commencement 2006 Photo Gallery
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