More than 270 graduates crossed the stage Sunday as UMass Chan Medical School celebrated its Class of 2026 commencement on the campus green before a capacity crowd of family members, friends and faculty.
The ceremony marked a milestone not only for graduates of the school’s medicine, nursing and biomedical sciences programs, but also for Chancellor Michael F. Collins, who presided over commencement exercises for the 20th and final time. Collins, the longest-serving chancellor in the history of the University of Massachusetts system, is set to conclude his tenure at the end of the academic year.
A total of 270 degrees were awarded across the institution’s three schools, including 158 Doctor of Medicine degrees, seven MD/PhD degrees, 39 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, 54 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, four PhDs in nursing and five Master of Science degrees in nursing and interprofessional leadership.
In remarks released by the university, Collins told graduates he had initially planned to focus his commencement address on artificial intelligence but instead chose to speak about what he called “inspired altruism.”
“AI will have an enormous impact on the future of nursing, science and medicine,” Collins said in the university’s announcement. “But there is nothing artificial about IA and IA embraces the embodiment of actual human intelligence. Inspired altruism defines humanity and promotes and enhances the human condition.”
“May yours be a life of inspired altruism and may your example be of commitment, encouragement and support to those entrusted to your care,” he said.
The ceremony also recognized David D. McManus, who was named incoming chancellor of UMass Chan in April. McManus currently serves as the Richard M. Haidack Professor in Medicine, chair and professor of medicine.
Commencement speaker Gerald Chan, whose family foundation made a $175 million gift to the medical school in 2021, urged graduates to maintain a sense of humanity as medicine and health care continue to evolve.
The gift, the largest in University of Massachusetts history, led to the renaming of UMass Chan Medical School and its three graduate schools.
“In medicine, as in any human endeavor, what anchors us in perilous times is our humanity,” Chan said in the university’s announcement. “Never forget that medicine is fundamentally about humanity and should never be practiced at the expense of humanity.”
Honorary degrees were awarded to Chan, Monica M. Bertagnolli and Robert A. Harrington.
Student speakers included Suhas Suddala, William “Bill” Mar and Humberto Ochoa, who addressed classmates as they prepared to enter careers in medicine, nursing, research and health care leadership.
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