Twenty-four Graduating Students and Two Faculty Members Join Ranks of National Honor Dental Society OKU
The GSDM Lambda Mu Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society (OKU) held its 5th annual OKU Induction Ceremony on May 10, at the BU Trustee Ballroom. The induction was presided over by Dean Jeffrey Hutter and OKU chapter President Dr. Stephen Polins and Secretary Ms. Catherine Sarkis.
Students inducted into OKU included: Shruti Apte, Jessica Leigh Bogucki, Vera Chernomordik, Mark Paul Cipolla, Evan Ross Cohen, John Joseph Costandi, Shivali Narendra Gohel, Mark William Hartzler, Jun Hyuk Hwang, Sheede Khalil Ciccarese, Fatima Khan, Ryota Kikuchi, Sara Lalani, Jaeseop Lee, Jong Jin Lee, Sarah Naghibi, Shivani Tapan Patel, Chad E. Rebhun, Lillelenny Santana Gutierrez, Robert Logan Schmidt, Kinnar Rameshchandra Shah, Aida Soroori Ebadi, Betty S. Suh, and Kimberley Marie Ung. Faculty inductees were Drs. Pushkar Mehra and Tina Valades.
“As you transition from dental school to take your place within your individual communities, you will be called upon to not only competently manage your patients’ oral health status, but to also fulfill the social contract that you will have with your communities to address unresolved concerns by becoming people of conviction,” said Dr. Polins. “Your recognition here tonight identifies that you have demonstrated the capacity to transform those qualities of courage, judgment, integrity, and dedication from aspiration to achievement, and we are confident that this achievement will continue to guide you to successful and fulfilling personal and professional lives.
Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter added, “As your Dean, I take personal pride in your accomplishment and I extend to each of the twenty-four student inductees and the two honorary faculty inductees my heartfelt congratulations.”
Inductees received OKU stoles to be worn at commencement, certificates, and a symbolic key signifying their election to the prestigious national dental honor society.