March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

First AACC/UMB Physicians Assistant class graduates

Medical symbolAnne Arundel Community College and University of Maryland Baltimore’s Collaborative Physician Assistant program graduated 36 students on Thursday, July 21. 

This was the first graduation through the collaborative program, where all graduates qualify as candidates for a Master of Health Science degree through AACC’s partnership with UMB. Albert J. Struck, PA-C, a clinical provider with Express Care, and clinical preceptor and lecturer for AACC, gave the commencement address.

The 2016 graduates from Maryland to receive their certificate and white coat were:

Abingdon – Paula Christel Santos Mercado

Annapolis – Louis Joseph Ruland

Baltimore – Dalia Akkad Abaza, Cecille Guillermo Gumabon, Emily Claire Hallameyer, Amanda Lynn Porter and Yekaterina Schumer

Chesapeake Beach – Monica Lee King

Chevy Chase – Sarah Caroline Pickrell

Columbia – Mandy Nicole Fawcett, Leigh Sherer Mazzei and Robert Wade Williams

Edgewater – Adam Costas Catevenis

Ellicott City – Chunhua Cao

Frederick – Ashleigh Anne Auth

Gaithersburg – Achala S. Malalasekara and Yina Mo

Glenn Dale – Marie E. Oben

Huntingtown – Maria Magdalena Ready

Laurel – Rachel Han Tran

Mount Airy – Jessica Anne Vossler

Severna Park – Kimberly Elizabeth Acton and Jacob G. Siner

Silver Spring – Michelle Lynn Arey and Aaron Eli Franks Galvin

Woodbine – Christopher Michael Lewis and Brent Austin Tucker

Out-of-state graduates included: Laura Britton of Washington D.C.; Sarah Elizabeth Busse of Cincinnati, OH; Rashel Hagmayer Castelgrande of Reading, PA; Kelly Elizabeth Crum of Pittsburgh, PA; Eunice Kim Park of Santa Maria, CA; Meghan Ripley Shotwell of Sevierville, TN; Stephanie Anne Smith of Denver, CO; Tiffany Stephens of Raleigh, NC; and Jacquelyn Villagomez of Chicago, IL.

Also recognized in the ceremony were Maryland December 2015 graduates: David Alvarado of Silver Spring, Wayne Bowerman of Middle River, James Dutrow of Annapolis and Juan Liu of Ellicott City.

Award recipients were:

President’s Award:  Rashel Castelgrande

Dean’s Award: Aaron Galvin

Faculty Award: Meghan Shotwell

Clinician Clinician’s Award:  Sarah Busse

The Preceptor of the Year Award was presented to Angela Akinpelu, PA-C, of Prince George’s Hospital Center’s OB/GYN department. 

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant accredits the program, which offers enrollment by competitive selection to students with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Graduates provide medical care under the supervision of a licensed physician and are eligible to sit for the national certification exam. For program information, visit www.aacc.edu/physassist.

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