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DMU Graduates Over 400 Health Care Professionals During its 125th Commencement Ceremony

West Des Moines, IA (06/03/2025) — Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences awarded graduate degrees in medicine and health sciences to over 400 new health care professionals at its 125th Commencement Ceremony on May 30, 2025.

The event celebrated the achievements of the DMU Class of 2025, including many dual degree students and the first graduates from the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program, Tanner Wetzel, D.O.'27, Ph.D.'25, and Elizabeth McConnaha, Ph.D.'25. The ceremony began with the singing of the National Anthem by students Elizabeth Bonillo-Ruth, D.O.'25, Kira Burdman, D.O.'25, Christelle Eliacin, D.O.'25, Spencer Ericksen, D.O.'25, Remington Schmidt, D.O.'25 and Marin Ehler, D.P.T'25.

A graduate medical education is never easy, especially when the world is recovering from a global pandemic. These students stuck to their goals of becoming health care professionals and will be the ones to lead tomorrow's health care challenges.

"Graduates, you know the future will present challenges, uncertainties and hardships because you lived it, including starting medical school as the world was recovering from a worldwide pandemic," says Angela L. Walker Franklin, Ph.D., CEO and president of DMU. "Yet you held fast to your goal of becoming medical and health sciences professionals. You have chosen to step up to careers of service, knowing you will need to advocate for your patients, discover new scientific knowledge, help make communities and populations healthier and find ways to improve our nation's health care system."

DMU graduates were encouraged by keynote speaker Teresa Hubka, D.O.'89, FACOOG (dist.), FACOG, CS, president of the American Osteopathic Association, to always strive for excellence in everything they do. "As you leave the halls of Des Moines University, you are ambassadors of compassion, champions of healing and beacons of hope in a world that is in desperate need of healing and transformation," Hubka said. "Go forth in the world and carry with you the wisdom of your education, the compassion of your hearts and the courage of your convictions."

Military Commissioning Ceremony

Nine graduates were honored and officially transitioned as commissioned officers in the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force at a ceremony held on Thursday, May 29. The following students will go on to serve as military and medical professionals:

  • Captain Savannah Bahls, D.O.'25 - Air Force
  • Captain Jared Eddy, D.P.M.'25 - Air Force
  • Lieutenant Erin Hoehnke, D.O.'25 - Navy
  • Captain Emily Hong, D.O.'25 - Army
  • Lieutenant Lauren Lauterbach, D.O.'25 - Navy
  • Captain Nicholas Romano, D.O.'25 - Air Force
  • Captain Hanna Tarleton, D.O.'25 - Air Force
  • Captain Remington Schmidt, D.O.'25 - Army
  • Captain William Zocher, D.O.'25 - Air Force

Grand Family Inductees

Of the graduates, 14 were inducted into the Grand Family Society at a ceremony immediately following commencement. The Grand Family Society recognizes graduates who have family members who also received a degree from DMU. The society honors generational alumni for their engagement and support - offering networking opportunities and other ways for Grands to stay connected with DMU through exclusive programs and events. These inductees included:

  • Aafreen Khatoon, D.P.M.'25
  • Megan D'mello, M.S.P.A.S.'25
  • Jackie Williams, D.P.M'25
  • Joshua Turek, D.O.'25
  • Rebecca M. Taylor, D.O.'25
  • Noah Brennan, D.P.M.'25
  • Ashley Nettleton, D.O.'25, M.H.A.'25
  • Spencer M. Ericksen, D.O.'25
  • Leighton Lommel, D.P.T.'25
  • Gregory V. Collins, D.O.'25
  • Katheryn E. Ross, D.O.'25
  • Austin C. Hollingsworth, D.P.M.'25
  • Brian B. Dankle, D.O.'25
  • Danielle Funaro, D.O.'25
  • Talia Rowe, D.P.T.'25

Award Ceremonies

On Thursday, May 29, the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, the Department of Physical Therapy and the College of Osteopathic Medicine held their Spring 2025 Award Ceremonies. Over 190 students were recognized for awards and/or inducted into honor societies of their fields.

Located in West Des Moines, part of Iowa's capital metro, Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences offers 10 graduate-level professional degree programs in anatomy, biomedical sciences, health care administration, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' scores on national examinations, pass rates on board certifications and match rates for medical residency programs are consistently higher than national averages and rates at peer institutions.

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