UNMC Graduate Studies welcomed – both in person and online – nearly 160 new students from 11 countries during its Aug. 18 matriculation ceremony.
Among them: A cadre beginning their Master of Science in pharmaceutical sciences.
“This was my dream school since undergrad,” said Mariem Hassan, an international student from Egypt who attended Tuesday’s ceremony at the Durham Research Center. Previously a teaching assistant, she said she learned of UNMC through a STEM friend at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
During the ceremony, Hassan met fellow classmates Adrian Dominguez and Lauren Marren, each with their own unique backstory.
Dominguez said he packed his bags and drove 1,500 miles from Orange County, California, to Omaha for graduate school. “I’ve always wanted to study out of state,” he said, acknowledging he thought he’d end up in North Carolina or Texas, until he came across UNMC and saw what it had to offer.
Marren, on the other hand, settled quickly on UNMC. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, she graduated from Creighton University before enrolling at UNMC. “I love the Omaha area and wanted to stay,” she said.
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“Today, we celebrate the beginning of your academic career at UNMC…and we look forward to all that you will achieve,” said Karen Gould, PhD, MEd, interim dean of graduate studies, in welcoming the new students.
View event photos in this Flickr album.
Benson Edagwa, PhD, professor in the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, shared words of encouragement and advice while giving the keynote address as the 2026 Distinguished Mentor for Graduate Students honoree.
And, on behalf of UNMC Graduate Studies, Jered Garrison, PhD, interim assistant dean, honored two returning graduate students – Evanjalina Matoy and Ridhi Bhola – with the Derry-Crouse Emerging Leader awards.
- Matoy received the Community Impact Award for expanding community partnerships and STEM outreach to local high school students and leading the growth of UNMC SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) to a regional network spanning UNMC, University of Nebraska at Omaha and Creighton University, as well as leading the group toward national chapter recognition.
- Bhola received the Student Organization Award. She serves as president of the Graduate Student Association and has both advocated for international students by strengthening campus community connections and supported student development through orientation, mentoring, teaching and outreach.
In closing, Dr. Gould reminded students that graduate school is more than a degree. “It is a transformative journey,” she said. “The growth, the challenges and the discoveries you’ll experience along the way are just as meaningful as the destination.”
