In December, Baylor College of Medicine’s School of Health Professions gathered in Cullen Auditorium at main Baylor to celebrate students, faculty, preceptors and alumni during the 2025 Awards Ceremony – a spirited prelude to a weekend of commencement activities.

School of Health Professions Dean Todd Reinhart led the ceremony where a slate of teaching, clinical excellence, leadership and research honors were presented. Students showcased scholarly work, including master’s papers and doctoral projects on topics ranging from tropical medicine and community health to perioperative pain management, pediatric rehabilitation and advanced orthotics / prosthetics biomechanics.

Three graduating students were recognized by Baylor’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs with Alumni Association Lehmann Outstanding Student Awards, each receiving a $500 scholarship honoring Dr. Robert P. Lehmann:

• Olivia Conn — Doctor of Nursing Practice (Nurse Anesthesia)
• Fanni Merczel — Orthotics and Prosthetics
• Sydney Lavigne — Physician Assistant

Students from the classes of 2025 and 2026 introduced the Excellence in Didactic Teaching Awards and Excellence in Clinical Teaching Awards, which refer to the inter-professional ethos of the School’s programs. Didactic Teaching Awards were presented by Yasi Amadi, third-year DNP – Nurse Anesthesia Program student; Sarah Robinson, second-year Orthotics and Prosthetics Program student; and Danielle Dayton, second-year Physician Assistant Program student.

The award recipients were:

• Megan Bullerwell, assistant professor of anesthesiology in the DNP Program
• Dr. Sally Kenworthy, assistant professor of orthotics and prosthetics
• Valerie DeGregorio in the Physician Assistant Program

The Clinical Teaching Awards included presentations by Desireé Durham, third-year DNP student; Kyle Gehrke, third-year DNP student; Roberto Garza, Cindy Nguyen, Cathleen Seaworth and Tan Vu, third-year DNP students; Fanni Merczel, Aivy Nguyen and William Stager, second-year orthotics and prosthetics students; and Sydney Lavigne, second-year physician assistant student.

The award recipients were:

• Belle MacFarlane, DNP, CRNA for the Houston site
• Carson Cason, DNP-A, CRNA for the Dallas / Fort Worth site
• Douglas O. Massey II, DNP, CRNA for the San Antonio site
• Cara Negri, CP, LP, FAAOP for the Orthotics and Prosthetics Program
• Ashleigh Noble, P.A.-C. for the Physician Assistant Program

The 2025 J. David Holcomb Award was presented to Carl Fasser, P.A., DFAAPA. The Dean’s Excellence Award was presented to Juan Guzman in orthotics and prosthetics and Ramona Miller in the DNP-Nurse Anesthesia Program.

The Carl E. Fasser Physician Assistant Visionary Leadership Award was presented to Valerie Parrish, P.A.-C. and the Lewis A. Leavitt Academic Excellence Award was presented to Kalli Chambers. Physician Assistant student Kevin Nguyen received the Joan Wilson‑Appel Award for Excellence in Clinical Research.

The Orthotics and Prosthetics RIITE Award was presented to Ryan Kistemaker and the Academic Excellence Award was presented to Katie Bomhoff. Helen Lamb Academic Excellence Award, Alice Magaw Clinical Excellence Award and the Dr. James R. Walker Clinical Education Excellence Award were given to Claire McCrimmon, Cindy Nguyen and Monica Bentzen.

Student Research Poster Competition winners were recognized from across the School’s programs, underscoring the School’s emphasis on inquiry and evidence‑based practice.

Physician Assistant Program:

• Alexandra Brooks won third place and $100 for her research, “Idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease (iMCD): A Case Report.” Primary mentor: Dr. Savari Yellapragada, professor of cancer medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center; secondary mentor: Katherine Erdman, assistant professor in the PA Program
• Sydney Lavigne won second place and $250 for her research, “Effect of Classical Music on Short-term Blood Pressure Reduction in a Primary Care Setting.” Primary mentor: Isabel Valdez, associate professor of medicine; secondary mentor: Katherine Erdman, assistant professor in the PA Program
• Emma Bousky won first place and $500 for her research, “Prevalence and Preference of Risk-reducing Procedures among Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations.” Primary mentor; Dr. Claire Hoppenot, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology; secondary mentor: Valerie DeGregorio in the PA Program

Orthotics and Prosthetics Program:

• Morgan Ciesla won third place and $100 for her research, “Improving Scoliosis Brace Comfort and Adherence with Multi-material 3-D Printing: An AIS Case Study.” Primary mentor: Megan Castille, assistant professor of orthotics and prosthetics
• Morgan Harris won second place and $250 for her research, “Setting the Standard: A Systematic Review of Lower Extremity Prosthetic Bench Alignment.” Mentors: Amandi Rhett and Lisa Abernethy, assistant professors of orthotics and prosthetics
• Emma Borowicz won first place and $500 for her research, “Prescriber and Supplier Challenges in Diabetic Shoes and Inserts: Healthcare Affordability and Accessibility.” Primary mentor: Amandi Rhett, assistant professor of orthotics and prosthetics

The awards ceremony set the tone for the School’s commencement, which celebrated 36 Physician Assistant, 22 DNP – Nurse Anesthesia and 21 Orthotics and Prosthetics graduates.

On Dec. 6, the School of Health Professions conferred degrees for the PA, DNP – Nurse Anesthesia and Orthotics and Prosthetics programs at the Community Collective for Houston.

Graduates also were recognized for completing Medical Ethics, Tropical Medicine and the School’s inaugural Health Equity Pathway, an interdisciplinary track blending coursework on non-medical drivers of health, community engagement, research and equity-focused scholarship.

Reinhart presided over the program, which featured student remarks, signature awards and an address by national physician assistant leader Todd Pickard of MD Anderson Cancer Center. Pickard’s keynote urged graduates to embrace leadership and advocacy in advancing patient care, encouraging them to lead interprofessional teams and improve outcomes through scholarship and innovation.

Featured special awards:

• Henry D. McIntosh Award (Physician Assistant): Presley Faith Babb
• Agatha Hodgins CRNA Memorial Award (Nurse Anesthesia): Ainsley Kay McCrimmon
• Lucille M. Becker Clinical Achievement Award (Orthotics and Prosthetics): Emma Jean Borowicz

Student class presidents Sydney Lavigne, Audrey Taken and Samantha Johnson delivered their reflections and celebrated perseverance and a strong sense of community built during their studies.

The class of 2025 was defined by scholarship and service. Each year, the commencement program underscores the School’s commitment to research mentorship and translational impact across all three disciplines.

Watch videos from both ceremonies on the School’s News and Events page. Story provided by the School of Health Professions; edited and compiled by Julie Garcia