
Above
Photo: (left to right) Dean Alfano, Mr. Ossie Davis, Dr.
Dominick P. DePaola, and NYU's Senior Vice
President for Health, Dr. Robert Berne |
Nearly
3,000 guests turned out on May 16 to celebrate the academic achievements
of over 400 candidates for the D.D.S. degree, the A.A.S. degree in
dental hygiene, the B.S. degree in dental health education, the M.S.
degree in clinical research, the M.S. degree in biomaterials, and
certificates in the postgraduate dental specialties.
Dr. Dominick P. DePaola, President and CEO of The Forsyth Institute,
received the David B. Kriser Medal, NYUCD’s highest honor, in
recognition of lifetime contributions to the public good. Dr. DePaola
delivered a rousing keynote address in which he called on the graduates
to connect to a larger purpose and to the global community, focus
on the importance of lifelong learning and dreaming, and commit to
the primacy of ethics and integrity in all their endeavors.
An added highlight of the event was the presentation of the Strusser
Award for outstanding public health contributions to Ossie Davis,
the celebrated actor, writer, producer, and director. Mr. Davis was
honored for his powerful activism on behalf of MESAB, a collaborative
partnership of South Africans and Americans dedicated to improving
the health of South Africa’s Black majority by training Black
medical and dental professionals.
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