Graduation At Last

The Keck School of Medicine program of Nurse Anesthesia has graduated the class of 2006 this past Saturday. I am so proud to be a part of this class of winners and overcomes. We have all struggled with difficulties to one degree or another but this past Saturday we all stand together as graduates. What a blast that is!
The program for the graduating class took place at the Town and Gown on the University of Southern California main campus in East Lost Angeles. We were privileged to have Elizabeth Visco from the University of Washington as our Key Note speaker. Her credentials are too long to discuss. She was wonderful.

Awards to faculty went to Robert Naruse, M.D. as faculty of the year and Tracy Valdez, CRNA as clinical instructor of the year. Dana Grogan received a well-deserved recognition for her didactic instruction. Lifetime achievement awards from the Nurse Anesthesia program at the University of Southern California were awarded to Janette Peter and Dr. Vladimir Zelman. Student awards went to Robert Olson for Leadership as well as the Agatha Hodgins award while the other leadership award went to Karyn Embrey and the scholarship recognition went to David Godden.

After the festivities at the Town and Gown we all went our separate ways to celebrate with family and friends. Douglas Brannan and his family and I spent the evening together with our families at a little Greek restraraunt in Manhattan Beach. Douglas has been a great friend and fellow traveler on this road with me.

To view all of the pictures you can go to the flickr web site here. Follow along with me on this journey to see how this graduating class of 2006 soldiers on.