Commencement 2017: Greenberg, McKnight to give keynote addresses

By Lin Lofley

Dr. Raymond S. Greenberg
Dr. Raymond S. Greenberg

Dr. Raymond S. Greenberg, the UT System’s Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, and Dr. Steven McKnight, Professor of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, will deliver the keynote addresses at Commencement exercises for UT Southwestern Medical School and UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, respectively.

The Medical School will hold its exercises on Sunday, June 4, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, with the 228 members of the Class of 2017 in attendance with families and friends. The traditional Hooding Ceremony for the graduates will take place on campus at 11 a.m. that day in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium.

The 96 graduates of the Graduate School will take part in their ceremonies in the Gooch Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 1.

Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, President of UT Southwestern, will confer degrees on all of the graduates.

Dr. Greenberg joined the UT System in 2013 after 13 years as President of the Medical University of South Carolina. He provides oversight and guidance for the six UT System health institutions, which have an aggregate annual operating budget of more than $11 billion.

He earned his medical degree from Duke University, has a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University, and holds a doctorate in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina.

He will address the graduates, their families, and friends on the topic: The Good Doctor.

Dr. Steven McKnight
Dr. Steven McKnight

Dr. McKnight – an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences – led the Department of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern for 21 years. He earned his undergraduate degree from UT Austin and his doctorate from the University of Virginia, both degrees in biology.

Marshals for the Medical School exercises will be Dr. Mark Agostini, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics; Dr. Mary Jane Pearson, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Dr. Dennis Burns, Professor of Pathology. Also serving as marshals will be the three Associate Deans for Student Affairs: Dr. Angela Mihalic, Professor of Pediatrics; Dr. James Wagner, Professor of Internal Medicine; and Dr. Blake Barker, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine.

Dr. John T. Carlo, President of the Dallas County Medical Society, will administer the Physician’s Oath.

During Commencement, a Southwestern Medical Foundation representative will present the Ho Din Award to Dr. Lauren Kolski. The Ho Din is the top award given to a graduating medical student and is the most senior student award presented at UT Southwestern, dating back to 1943.

Graduate School marshals will include Dr. Deirdre L. Brekken, Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs and Assistant Professor of Pharmacology; Dr. Natalie C. Lundsteen, Director of Graduate Career Development and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry; Dr. Stuart E. Ravnik, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Assistant Professor of Cell Biology; Dr. Lisa P. Gardner, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, and Assistant Professor of Pharmacology; and Dr. Nancy E. Street, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Assistant Professor of Microbiology.

Dr. Burns holds the Jane B. and Edwin P. Jenevein, M.D. Chair in Pathology.

Dr. McKnight holds the Distinguished Chair in Basic Biomedical Research.

Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science.

Medical School Student Awards