Graduation Ceremony 2025

(Fast forward to 28:47 in the video above for the start of the program!)

This year was the first for UAMS colleges to conduct their own graduation/commencement ceremonies. In addition to the presentation of diplomas, the COM Graduation ceremony included elements of the former Honors Convocation ceremony, which was held on the evening before UAMS Commencement in prior years, including the donning of doctoral hoods and recitation of the Hippocratic Oath.

Graduating seniors also presented Golden Apple awards to four outstanding faculty members during the ceremony. Selected by a vote of each medical school class, this year’s honorees were: M4 – Hakan Paydak, M.D. (Internal Medicine); M3 – Ples Spradley, M.D. (Internal Medicine); M2 – Hanna Jensen, M.D., Ph.D. (Surgery); and M1 – Alan Diekman, Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology). Dr. Diekman also was selected by the class of 2025 to deliver the keynote address, or “Faculty Charge,” at the ceremony. Faculty members who were voted by the class to receive Red Sash and Gold Sash honors also were acknowledged.

In a new tradition, members of the senior class were recognized for many academic and other achievements at an awards ceremony earlier in the week, rather than at the Friday evening ceremony.