HSPH graduates told to be leaders, trailblazers, change-makers

Addressing graduates at the 2013 Commencement Ceremony on May 30, HSPH Dean Julio Frenk spoke of how, in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, HSPH faculty, alumni, and students contributed “to what is now recognized as an extraordinary example of crisis response.”

That response, Frenk said, came from “impeccable preparation.” He said he hopes the preparation the graduates received at HSPH “kicks in” in the same way that training kicked in for first responders to the Marathon tragedy. “Whether your goal is to combat infectious diseases, reform health systems, or respond to emergencies, preparation is essential to success,” he said.

At the ceremony, held on a hot and humid afternoon before an overflow crowd in a tent in Kresge courtyard, 558 degrees were awarded: 31 Doctors of Philosophy, 2 Doctors of Public Health, 69 Doctors of Science, 280 Masters of Public Health, 167 Masters of Science, and 9 Masters of Arts. Graduates came from 74 countries and from 30 U.S. states. More than 56 percent of the graduates were women. At a festive reception the evening before Commencement, awards were presented to 13 students, nine faculty, and two staff members.