On May 17, DMU recognized 111 students with this year’s Service Awards, compared to 58 recipients last year. The Des Moines University Student Service Award recognizes students from all programs who demonstrate efforts to improve lives in our global community through volunteerism. By enrolling in this recognition program, students commit to representing DMU with integrity and upholding its institutional values (accountability, collaboration, honesty, inclusiveness and wellness) while volunteering, reporting and reflecting on their experiences.
Once the students complete 50 hours of service, they complete a final reflection on their most meaningful volunteer experiences, activities and observations, resulting changes in their understanding of the community or themselves, possible ways they can continue their involvement with the group or social issue, any frustrations or challenges, and ways to enhance their experiences.
Students also were asked to draw from their volunteer experiences to write a letter to their future patients to explain how their service outside the classroom shaped them into the care provider they hope to be. During the ceremony a student from each college read his or her letter aloud. Ersta Ferryanto, a podiatric medical student, represented the College of Podiatric Medicine and Science; Breanna Orona, a physician assistant student, represented the College of Health Sciences; and Elizabeth Behre, an osteopathic medical student, represented the College of Osteopathic Medicine. A theme of empathy emerged among the speeches, as the time these students spent in the community strengthened their ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Thanking students for being true leaders in the health care profession were Ralitsa Akins, M.D., Ph.D., DMU’s provost; Jodi Cahalan, Ph.D., M.P.H.’01, M.S.’93, PA-C’89, DFAAPA, dean of the College of Health Sciences; Kenneth Anderson, D.O.’78, M.S., CPE, interim dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine; and Robert Yoho, D.P.M., M.S., FACFAS, dean of the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. Dean Cahalan shared a pertinent quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Listed below, along with their DMU program, are the students who received the award:
Suna Akkoseoglu, D.O.
Drew Anderson, D.P.M.
Anna Avidan, D.O.
Elizabeth Behre, D.O.
Jason Blake, D.O.
Benjamin, Bogert, D.P.M.
Marijo Botten, D.O.
Benjamin Brennan, D.O.
Joseph Brown, D.P.M.
Andrew Brown, D.P.M.
Alexandria Burtness, D.O.
Alexa Bykowski, D.P.M.
Henry Chang, D.O.
Tiffany Chang, D.O.
Cory Christensen, D.O.
Jill Christensen, D.O.
Brianne Cook, P.A.
Alexandra Cooke, D.O.
Alexa Courtney, D.O.
Molly Cunard, D.O.
Caitlin Descovich O’Hare, D.O.
Viet Dieu, D.P.M.
Jacob Dirkman, D.O.
Troy Dolmetsch, D.O.
Taylor Duff, D.O.
Megan Ellis, D.O.
Kellan Etter, D.O.
Ersta Ferryanto, D.P.M.
Kaitlyn Finneran, D.O., M.S.A.
Kelsey Fischer, D.O.
Alexia Fisher, D.O.
Joshua Francois, D.O.
Emily Franzen, D.O., M.S.A.
Calvin Fung, D.O.
Nathan Garner, D.O.
Jacob Garner, D.O.
Ashley Grant, D.P.M.
Taylor Hale, D.P.M.
Zoe Heis, D.O.
Ryan Heltemes, D.O.
Libby Hennessy, D.P.T.
Michaela Heys, D.P.M.
Lien Huynh, D.O.
Jessica Johnson, D.O.
Sara Judickas, D.P.M.
Sakshi Kaul, D.O.
Townsen Kennington, D.P.M.
Melanie Kim, D.O.
Megan Kingston, D.P.M.
Abigail Koski, D.O.
Ivan Lazar, D.O.
Li-Yuan Lee, D.P.M.
Phillip Leff, D.O.
Katherine Littlejohn, D.O.
James Lo, D.O.
Taylor Lonjin, D.O.
Peter Ma, D.O.
Matthew Mahoney, D.O.
Robert Marker, D.O.
Danika McCarty, D.P.M.
Lauren McCormick, D.O.
Madison Meyer, D.O.
Margaret Meyer, D.O.
Wajiha Moen, M.P.H.
Alyssia Morley, D.O.
Brenna Nelson, P.A.
Alexander Nguyen, D.O.
Amanda Niester, D.P.M.
Devon Niewohner, D.P.M.
Brittany Obrien, D.O.
Breanna Orona, P.A.
Sara Palmer, D.P.M.
Elizabeth Pankow, D.P.M.
Kayna Patel, D.P.M.
Eliza Plummer, D.O.
Adam Poole, D.O.
Spencer Randazzo, D.O.
Shelby Randolph, D.P.T.
Rebecca Rasmussen, D.O.
Naveen Rihal, D.O.
Miranda Roland, D.O.
Andrew Root, D.O.
Adela Saric, M.H.A.
Margaret Schauer, P.A.
Mariah Schrack, M.P.H.
Hayley Schuchard, D.O.
Rebecca Schwartz, D.P.M.
McKayla Seymour, D.P.M.
Cameron Slife, D.O., M.S.A.
Taylor Sohn, D.P.T.
Victoria St. Martin, D.O.
EmmaGrace Stochl, P.A.
Natalie Strawhecker, D.P.T.
Jasmine Strozier, D.P.M.
Ilham Syed, D.P.M.
Britta Ten Haken, P.A.
Elizabeth Ternent, D.O.
Trevor Tersigni, D.O.
Connor Triggs, D.O.
Katelyn Ugo, D.P.M.
Joseph Van Hulle, D.O.
Haley Van Steenwyk, D.O.
Ashley Vanorny, M.H.A.
Anna Viere, D.O.
Emily Willmann, D.O.
Bailey Wolding, D.O.
Taylor Woods, D.P.T.
Molly Wootten, D.O.
Betsy Wright, D.O.
Marcus Zeitz, D.O.
