On September 18th, 2019, we had the pleasure of celebrating the International MPH 44th Graduation Ceremony.
The 2019 graduating class consisted of 22 graduates from 18 countries. Most attended the ceremony in their national costumes, as it is custom and tradition in the International MPH Graduation Ceremonies. With this graduating class, we now have 901 alumni from 102 countries!
The ceremony opened by Prof. Ronit Calderon-Margalit, Director, IMPH Program. Greetings followed from Prof. Barak Medina, Rector, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Dina Ben-Yehuda, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Mr. Oron Levy, Senior Deputy Director General, Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital; H.E. Ambassador Gil Haskel, Head of MASHAV, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the greetings we heard the graduates sing “Halleluya,” accompanied by Dr. Emman Ajidagba on the piano.
We had the privilege of hearing our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Frank Anthony (Guyana | IMPH 2000), former Minister of Culture, Youth & Sports, Guyana; advocate and legislator for public health, food safety, human rights & child protection; PANCAP Champion of Change for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. Dr. Anthony discussed the benefits of the MPH degree in his career. His talk presented the graduating class with a broad perspective of the multiple uses for their newly-obtained public health skills.
Prof. Ruth Kark, wife and life-partner of Prof. Jeremy Kark z”l, presented the Jeremy D. Kark Legacy Prize for Academic Excellence to Dr. Stella Njeri Kanja of Kenya. Stella also represented the 2019 International MPH graduating class with her colleague Dr. Sailosi Kato Soqo of Fiji, in thanking the IMPH faculty and administrative staff, as well as our generous donors for their support.
Prof. Yehuda Neumark, Director, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, gave his closing remarks which concluded this festive event. A reception was held after the ceremony in honour of our graduates, their guests and alumni attended.
