Celebrating Achievement: Highlights from USU's 2024 Commencement

The Commencement of the Uniformed Services University's Class of 2024 through photos captured of a day of honor and celebration.

A doctoral hood is bestowed by Navy Cmdr. Lauren Suszan, RNA Program Director and Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Albright, Site Director at Wright-Patterson AFB, upon Air Force Maj. Amanda Gayle Higdon, RNA student graduate, who graduated from USU’s Graduate School of Nursing with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
A doctoral hood is bestowed by Navy Cmdr. Lauren Suszan, RNA Program Director and Air 
Force Lt. Col. Mark Albright, Site Director at Wright-Patterson AFB, upon Air Force Maj. 
Amanda Gayle Higdon, RNA student graduate, who graduated from USU’s Graduate School 
of Nursing with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)

June 3, 2024 by USU External Affairs

The Uniformed Services University's 2024 Commencement was a day filled with pride, joy, and a sense of accomplishment. Graduates, faculty, and families gathered to celebrate years of hard work and dedication. The ceremony featured inspiring speeches from distinguished guests, emotional moments as graduates received their diplomas, and jubilant celebrations capturing the spirit of the day. Here are some of the highlights from this memorable event.

ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff delivered the USU Commencement address. Woodruff spoke of his firsthand experience as a recipient of care from the Military Health System following his 2016 life-threatening injuries in Iraq. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)
ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff delivered the USU Commencement address.  Woodruff spoke of
his firsthand experience as a recipient of care from the Military Health System following his 2016
life-threatening injuries in Iraq. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program graduate Army Capt. Joseph Hargrave is congratulated by Graduate School of Nursing Dean Dr. Carol Romano for earning his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. (Photo by MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program graduate Army Capt. Joseph Hargrave is congratulated
by Graduate School of Nursing Dean Dr. Carol Romano for earning his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
(Photo by MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)

Army Maj. Allison Sternberg, program director for the Pharmacy Technician Training Program at METC (left) and USU Assistant Dean for Student and Faculty Development, Mr. Byron Bland (right), serve as faculty marshals for USU’s College of Allied Health Sciences. For the time, a CAHS graduate participated in the USU Commencement ceremony, representing the more than 4,000 CAHS graduates to date. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
Army Maj. Allison Sternberg, program director for the Pharmacy Technician
Training Program at METC (left) and USU Assistant Dean for Student and
Faculty Development, Mr. Byron Bland (right), serve as faculty marshals for
USU’s College of Allied Health Sciences. For the time, a CAHS graduate
participated in the USU Commencement ceremony, representing the
more than 4,000 CAHS graduates to date. (Photo by Tom Balfour)


USU’s Brigade Color Guard plays an integral role in adding to the pomp and circumstance of the annual USU Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
USU’s Brigade Color Guard plays an integral role in adding to the pomp and circumstance of the annual USU
Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Army Capt. (Dr.) Joseph Caraway is congratulated by USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Board of Regents Chair Dr. Nancy Dickey, and the Honorable Lester Martinez-Lopez, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, after receiving his diploma. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)
Army Capt. (Dr.) Joseph Caraway is congratulated by USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Board of Regents
Chair Dr. Nancy Dickey, and the Honorable Lester Martinez-Lopez, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs, after receiving his diploma. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)

Navy Hospital Corpsman First Class Ashley Person leads the graduation procession as this year’s mace bearer. Person was chosen for the honor as the USU 2023 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
Navy Hospital Corpsman First Class Ashley Person leads the graduation procession as this year’s
mace bearer. Person was chosen for the honor as the USU 2023 Non-Commissioned Officer of the
Year. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

USU’s Department of Family Medicine faculty pose for a group photo at the USU Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
USU’s Department of Family Medicine faculty pose for a group photo at the USU Commencement ceremony.
(Photo by Tom Balfour)    

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. John Santorum poses with his diploma after being awarded a Master of Science in Public Health degree from USU. (Photo by SGT Khari Bridges, U.S. Army)
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. John Santorum poses with his diploma after being awarded a Master of Science in
Public Health degree from USU. (Photo by SGT Khari Bridges, U.S. Army)

Associate Dean for Graduate Education Dr. Saibal Dey is recognized as the 2024 recipient of USU’s prestigious Carol Johns Medal. Dey was selected by the faculty as the faculty member whose accomplishments further the welfare and excellence of the USU faculty. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
Associate Dean for Graduate Education Dr. Saibal Dey is recognized as the
2024 recipient of USU’s prestigious Carol Johns Medal. Dey was selected by
the faculty as the faculty member whose accomplishments further the
welfare and excellence of the USU faculty. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Robert Miller, Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force, administers his last commissioning oath of USU’s Air Force graduates. Miller, a USU class of 1989 alumnus, is retiring later this year. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)
Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Robert Miller, Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force, administers his last commissioning oath of
USU’s Air Force graduates. Miller, a USU class of 1989 alumnus, is retiring later this year. (Photo by Tom
Balfour, USU)

USU professor of Medicine, Dr. William Kelly, receives his Master of Health Professions Education hood from Dr. Louis Pangaro (left) and Dr. Steven Durning (right). (Photo by Tom Balfour)
USU professor of Medicine, Dr. William Kelly, receives his Master of Health Professions Education hood from
Dr. Louis Pangaro (left) and Dr. Steven Durning (right). (Photo by Tom Balfour)

A Graduate School of Nursing graduate’s family documents his achievements with a family selfie following the 2024 Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Tom Balfour)
A Graduate School of Nursing graduate’s family documents his achievements with a family selfie following the
2024 Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Navy Lt. (Dr.) Patricia Theard receives two doctoral hoods from Air Force Col. (Dr.) Pamela Williams (left) and Dr. Andrew Snow (right) as one of USU’s three Class of 2024 MD/PhD graduates. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)
Navy Lt. (Dr.) Patricia Theard receives two doctoral hoods from Air Force Col. (Dr.) Pamela Williams (left) and
Dr. Andrew Snow (right) as one of USU’s three Class of 2024 MD/PhD graduates. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)

U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Anuj Kamabalyal, takes the commissioning oath after receiving his diploma and being promoted from ensign to lieutenant. The oath was administered by Rear Adm. Denise Hinton, Deputy Surgeon General of the United States. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)
U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Anuj Kamabalyal, takes the commissioning oath after receiving his diploma and
being promoted from ensign to lieutenant. The oath was administered by Rear Adm. Denise Hinton, Deputy
Surgeon General of the United States. (Photo by Tom Balfour, USU)

USU Graduate School of Nursing Dean Dr. Carol Romano presents Air Force Capt. Joni Roberts her Doctor of Nursing Practice diploma. Roberts is a graduate of USU’s Registered Nurse Anesthesia Program. (Photo by MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)
USU Graduate School of Nursing Dean Dr. Carol Romano presents Air Force Capt. Joni Roberts her Doctor of
Nursing Practice diploma. Roberts is a graduate of USU’s Registered Nurse Anesthesia Program. (Photo by
MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)

USU graduate Lam Thuy Vi Tran Ho receives her PhD in Emerging Infectious Diseases diploma from School of Medicine Dean Dr. Eric Elster. (Photo by MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)
USU graduate Lam Thuy Vi Tran Ho receives her PhD in Emerging Infectious Diseases diploma from School
of Medicine Dean Dr. Eric Elster. (Photo by MC2 Brennen Easter, USN)