Rising stars: ATSU’s newest graduates prepare to shape the future of healthcare
Posted: September 25, 2024
A new class of healthcare professionals is stepping into the spotlight, ready to make their mark on the world. These ATSU graduates embody the dedication, resilience, and innovation needed to lead in the ever-evolving and rapidly advancing healthcare field. As they have transformed from student to professional, they carry with them the knowledge, compassion, and values instilled by the University, which will guide them as they shape the future of healthcare. Whether they go on to pioneer new treatments, advocate for underserved communities, or advance healthcare education, these rising stars are poised to illuminate the path forward, inspiring others and making a profound impact on the lives they touch.
ATSU-ASDOH
Friday, May 10
Mesa, Arizona
Program
Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Number of graduates
78
Commencement speaker
Lily T. Garcia, DDS, MS, FACP
Dean, Texas A&M School of Dentistry
“Take a moment to look around you and capture the moment when you and so many others are excited and hopeful for what lies ahead. Make the most of it, be a part of a wonderful community, guard the privilege and respect you earned, and guard this privilege knowing you’re a little bit of humble and a little bit of cautious, because you never want to let it go.”
Joshua Teague
Rutherford, DMD, ’24
on his desire to give back to his community as the first dentist from the Fort Belknap Reservation in north-central Montana, representing the Aaniiih and Nakoda Tribes.
“I’m the first dentist from my reservation, my tribes, and my community, so that’s also an honor to carry that with me. I hope to not be the last, though.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/asdoh-rutherford
Kara Ritterpusch, DMD, ’24
on her passion for dentistry, connecting with patients, and supporting her community.
“I love that dentistry lets you connect with people in a really unique way. It’s one of the only fields in healthcare where you’re able to see patients for their entire lives as long as you’re in the same area. I love building connections, and I love building relationships with my patients, and I feel like that has a really unique way of preventing future problems while solving current ones. I’m looking forward to being able to give back to my community and helping people out whenever I can.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/asdoh-ritterpusch
Thy Tran, DMD, ’24
on why she pursued dental school, how she will be helping vulnerable populations, and her future plans.
“Growing up, my mom had several language barriers, and going to the dentist was very challenging for her. So I think for me, it’s just realizing that I want to be able to eliminate those barriers for people who struggle with that, like when my mom did. In the future, I’ll be pursuing an orthodontics residency program in Chicago.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/asdoh-tran
Alexander Stacy, DMD, ’24
on his excitement to help patients and continue his education in orthodontics.
“I just love helping people, changing their outlook on life. I had messed up teeth when I was younger, and I loved my orthodontist and had a great experience. And then it changed my self-confidence moving forward, so I wanted to be able to do that for others.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/asdoh-stacy
ATSU-MOSDOH
Friday, May 17
Kirksville, Missouri
Program
Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Number of graduates
62
Commencement speaker
Maxine Clark
Founder, Build-A-Bear Workshop
CEO, Clark-Fox Family Foundation
Inspirator, Delmar DivINe
“Dentists are entrepreneurs, especially when you work in your own practice or partner with others. I want to encourage you to look inside at what makes you happy, how you like to be treated, what you love, what makes you smile every day, and what you are passionate about. Listen to your heart.”
Nicole Brubaker, DMD, ’24
on her decision to pursue dentistry and help her community.
“Giving someone’s smile back just makes the world of difference in somebody’s life, so the fact that I will be able to do that back in my community is really important and special to me.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/mosdoh-brubaker
Faisal Khan, DMD, ’24
on his future plans, increasing his skillset, and making a difference for those in need.
“I’m ready to take on the world and help treat other patients, those who are in need. … I had extensive dental work growing up. I had braces for five years, and I had two oral surgeries while I was in middle school. So I always had a problem with self-confidence growing up. I want to be able to have that impact in other people’s lives and change the way they feel about themselves, and just give back to the community and those who need the help.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/mosdoh-khan
Richa Ranpura, DMD, ’24
on what she hopes to accomplish in her career and in her community.
“I’m just hoping to really provide some care for the underserved and put my patients’ needs first, give back to the community.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/mosdoh-ranpura
Hung Bui, DMD, ’24
on his path to dental school and his career path moving forward.
“For me, dentistry wasn’t my first goal. … Over time, I found out I want to help people, I want to be in the healthcare field, I love working with my hands, and I love art, too. In a way, I feel like I’m an artist in dentistry. … For the community I serve, I want to be able to help the people, especially those in the marginalized community.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/mosdoh-bui
ATSU-KCOM
Saturday, May 18
Kirksville, Missouri
Programs
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MS)
Number of graduates
169
Commencement speaker
Jennifer McArthur, DO, ’93
Associate Member, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department
of Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children’s Hospital
“From the moment you started osteopathic training, the first moment you stepped in this medical school, your faculty taught you about the importance of the patient as a whole person. You have learned the importance of looking at healthcare as holistic and treating a person as a whole person, not just a disease.”
James Liu, DO, ’24
on being a first-generation immigrant, the first doctor in his family, and a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures.
“As a first-generation student, I’m big into mentorship. I want to get into academia. I really want to give back and serve because I was once that little kid that didn’t know what was next. I want to be that mentor I never had growing up.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/kcom-liu
Erin Fortner, DO, ’24
on her decision to pursue medical school and next steps.
“I actually had a previous career as an attorney, a lawyer. I was a Special Victims Unit prosecutor, and some things happened in my life, professionally and personally, that made me want to kind of go from more of that side of things to being a healer and a helper.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/kcom-fortner
Ellie Glasner, DO, ’24, and Jacintha Thomas, DO, ’24
on their future plans and giving back to their communities.
“I hope to give back to the community I’m from, Fargo, North Dakota. They helped me become a doctor and gave me opportunities to get into this career, so I hope I can go back and serve the people of that community.”
–Dr. Ellie Glasner
“I’m from Iowa City, from the Midwest. I love the community. They’ve always been supportive, given me great opportunities, and I’d love to go back and train under those doctors that helped take care of me and my family growing up.”
–Dr. Jacintha Thomas
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/kcom-glasner-thomas
ATSU-CGHS
Friday, May 24
Mesa, Arizona
Programs
Master of Education in Health Professions (MEd)
Master of Health Administration (MHA)
Master of Health Sciences (MHSc)
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Master of Science in Kinesiology (MSK)
Doctor of Education in Health Professions (EdD)
Doctor of Health Administration (DHA)
Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Number of graduates
243
Commencement speaker
Alan Morgan, MPA
CEO, National Rural Health Association
Member, ATSU Board of Trustees
“This, beginning right now for each of you, is the place where health system redesign begins. I cannot strongly enough encourage each of you to share this perspective. A perspective and a reality in where each of you going forward is driving health system innovation in the face of challenge.”
Breanna Adkins, EdD, ’24
on how her degree helped her obtain a full-time faculty position and better prepare her students in occupational therapy.
“I feel that I’ve been able to really give my students a more unique learning experience, more evidence-based learning experience, making sure I’m providing the best student assessment methods that align with the research. It led me into my dissertation topic, which was the occupational therapy education assessment practices, something that hasn’t really been explored too much in my field. I’m excited
that this degree is going to help me continue to explore that research area.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/cghs-adkins
Michael Bodeen, DHSc, ’24
on why he pursued this degree, how this program is elevating his teaching, and what he plans to do in the future.
“I wish that all medical students would have an element of what is given in this program, because it would widen their world a lot more and make them think a little bit differently. … What’s being taught here is now being embedded in that population, and hopefully, it will have a domino effect that goes beyond me.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/cghs-bodeen
Kelly Halligan, MPH, ’24
on why she pursued the Master of Public Health-Dental Emphasis program and how this degree will help her career.
“I wanted an opportunity to excel in my own workplace. During the pandemic, I looked at how things were going in public health and thought, we can do better. … This degree will give me the opportunity to advance in my own workplace organization. I also started my own business during the pandemic, during this program, so I hope I can grow my business as well.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/cghs-halligan
Krista Cox, MHSc, ’24, and Nichole Gale, MHSc, ’24
on how their degrees are advancing their careers.
“I am an occupational therapy assistant, and when I started the program, I was a staff member for the school that I work for. … I am now faculty. It has helped me immensely, and I feel like I’m more present and able to connect with our students more because of the experience.”
–Krista Cox
“A lot of my mentors that I look up to in the dental hygiene world have master’s degrees, and I thought that would be a great first step in doing what I really want to do, which is teach CE courses.”
–Nichole Gale
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/cghs-cox-gale
ATSU-SOMA
Friday, May 24
Mesa, Arizona
Program
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Number of graduates
150
Commencement speaker
Danielle Barnett-Trapp, DO, ’11
Clinical Associate Professor, Midwestern University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Member, ATSU Board of Trustees
“As you step forward from this day, you enter a world of unpredictable challenges. In today’s healthcare environment burnout is rampant. It’s not a matter of if you’re going to experience it, it’s when. When the times get tough, when the emotional burden gets too hard to carry, remind yourself of the journey to get to this day. Recall that grit, that resilience, that perseverance, and remember your why.”
Tahmin Akiha-Hassan, DO, ’24
on her future plans and what she wants to achieve as a physician.
“What I really want to become is a good doctor that’s conscious of the people that she’s treating. I want to be a doctor that’s there for the community, and I want to be, at the end of the day, somebody that can treat children. My goal is now going into residency with my heart open, my mind open, ready to learn and take what ATSU-SOMA has given me and hopefully flourish.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/soma-akiha-hassan
Ron Tang, DO, ’24
on his decision to pursue osteopathic medicine and make the greatest impact for his patients.
“I wanted to become a doctor because first I was very interested in just athletics and sports and just helping the athlete get to the next level, but I knew I could really make an impact further than that, not just athletes, the most vulnerable populations.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/soma-tang
Fatima Faisal, DO, ’24
on achieving her lifelong goal of becoming a psychiatrist and her next steps.
“I matched at SUNY, upstate in Syracuse, New York, and so I am going to be a psychiatrist and hopefully go from there to become a child and adolescent psychiatrist. So there’s more to the journey, but I’m really excited to be here.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/soma-faisal
William Haynes, DO, ’24
on his path to medical school and his excitement to help patients and clinicians.
“I actually liked art in high school and English, and never thought I was going to do medicine, but it was really some anatomy classes and other science classes in college that piqued the interest. I worked in
dermatology for a few years after college and found that I really liked patient care, but now I’ll be going into radiology, which is kind of the polar opposite of dermatology.”
To view the full video, go to atsu.edu/soma-haynes
ATSU-ASHS
Friday, June 7
Mesa, Arizona
Number of graduates
Distance learning
140
Residential
134
Programs
Distance learning
Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT)
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBMS)
Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT)
Post-Professional Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
Postprofessional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Residential
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)
Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Nicole Babiarz, MS, ’24
on being a member of the first speech-language pathology class and her future plans.
“It was really awesome just to be able to be that first class at A.T. Still University, and kind of pave the way for it, the other classes that will be coming through the same program. I actually have a clinical fellowship at South Mountain Post Acute, and I will be completing my year there in the medical setting.”
To view Babiarz’s full video, go to atsu.edu/ashs-babiarz
Eva Guerrero, MS, ’24
on advocating for the speech community and continuing her education in speech-language pathology.
“I was a speech-language pathologist assistant for six years. … I wanted to continue to show what speech-language pathology is all about. It’s not just speaking. It’s also cognition. It’s swallowing. So I wanted to help more people that could use more services.”
To view Guerrero’s full video, go to atsu.edu/ashs-guerrero
Philans Ankrah, DPT, ’24
on choosing ATSU and how the program has helped him in his clinics.
“In the Cayman Islands, we don’t have a lot of DPTs. I’ve always been looking for more challenges to keep getting better and better, so that I can practice and give the best to my patients. … Based on ATSU’s evidence-based practice model, where they always ensure we use high-quality evidence to support whatever we practice, I’ve been able to add that to my practice.”
–Dr. Philans Ankrah
To view Dr. Ankrah’s full video, go to atsu.edu/ashs-ankrah
Jay Brahmbhatt, DPT, ’24
on his career plans and moving to Houston, Texas.
“I intend to start my own private practice there. I’m in talks right now, hopefully with somebody else
to partner up. And I do want to lend some of my years of expertise toward teaching and some instructional stuff, if possible.”
–Dr. Jay Brahmbhatt
To view Dr. Brahmbhatt’s full video, go to atsu.edu/ashs-brahmbhatt
