For First Time, Graduate Programs Honored with the Pathway Scholars Students

To fulfill the mission of expanding education and creating pathways to careers in science and medicine, the University of Arizona offers graduate programs with the goal of creating a healthier Arizona. And on May 15, graduates of these programs were recognized for completing the arduous yet rewarding journey through their respective master’s degrees. 

The celebration honored 16 Pathway Scholars — who earned their master’s in medical sciences (MMS) from the University of Arizona Graduate College — three students who completed the master of clinical research and one who completed the master of clinical translational sciences.

For the Pathway Scholars, this monumental achievement serves as a springboard for them to matriculate into the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix’s Class of 2030 this July. 

A one-year program at the college, the Pathway Scholars Program (PSP) prepares students from disadvantaged backgrounds for success in medical school.

To celebrate the graduate’s unique makeup, students from the cohort — Astrid Acosta, Waleed Tariq, Amelia Sikalu, Tiana Hua, Jett Feld and Stanna Calderon-Tellez — greeted the audience in Spanish, Urdu, Tongan, Vietnamese, Hebrew and English, respectively.

Dean Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, then provided a welcome address that congratulated the twenty graduates for their hard work and dedication to their various degree programs.

“Each of you is part of the fabric that makes the College of Medicine – Phoenix such a unique and special place,” Dean Wondisford said. “For some, your time with us is over, but you will always be intertwined with our growth and history; and the doors here will always be open to you.”

For the Pathway Scholars, Dean Wondisford noted that it was an honor to watch them grow throughout the course of their MMS training. 

“Medical school will challenge you. I have no doubt, though, that you will embrace that challenge and persevere,” Dean Wondisford said. “Because one distinct advantage that you have as you enter medical is each other. That kinship will prove invaluable as you begin your medical training.”

To the graduates of the master clinical research and clinical translational sciences programs, Dean Wondisford stated eagerness in how their work will drive research discovery.

Amelia Gallitano, MD, PhD, director of the college’s MD/PhD program, served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker.

“Dr. Gallitano is committed to supporting the advancement of women and individuals from groups that are under-represented in medicine and the sciences and to mentoring trainees from all backgrounds who have a passion for neuroscience, medicine and solutions to sustain health in a changing world,” said Francisco Lucio, JD, senior associate dean of the Office of Health Care Advancement. 

In her remarks, Dr. Gallitano shared two key elements that have helped her throughout her career, focusing her efforts and aiding her in accomplishing her goals: passion and connection.

“Ask questions, brainstorm together and find the thing that stokes your passion,” Dr. Gallitano said. “As you follow that passion, you will share it with your community, and thereby accomplish your goals of teaching, healing and inspiring others.”

And she encouraged the graduates to explore different challenges as they continue to pursue a career in research and medicine. 

“I wish you all many successes to come, and I know you will have them,” Dr. Gallitano said. “All you need to do is decide what you want to do and then follow your passion and share it with others!”

To represent the graduates, Nora Day, a Pathway Scholar, was chosen as the student speaker. In her remarks, Day emphasized the importance of small acts of kindness in fostering belonging, both among fellow students and future patients.

“When I first enrolled into this program, I held a quiet fear that I didn’t belong — that possibly I was the outlier,” Day said. “This cohort changed that through their kindness and encouragement. The way they showed up for one another and for me helped me see something that I hadn’t fully believed before — that I was exactly where I was meant to be.”

As part of the cohort’s Legacy Project, the Pathway Scholars collected new pairs of scrubs and professional gear and fundraised money for every incoming PSP student to purchase a new pair of scrubs.

“It may seem like a small gesture, but it is one rooted in empathy and in understanding of what it means to walk this path,” Day said. 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dean Lucio honored Kurt Gustin, PhD, a founding faculty member of the College of Medicine – Phoenix’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences, for his role as an outstanding educator, researcher and colleague, remarking that Dr. Gustin’s retirement is a bittersweet moment. 

Pathway Scholars Program Class of 2026 (Masters of Medical Studies)

• Malik Abuwandi.
• Astrid Acosta.
• Mahnoor Ashraf.
• Maranata Befirdu.
• Quianna Begay.
• Nora Day.
• Mobin Emran Doost.
• Jett Feld.
• Anas Holloum.
• Tiana Hua.
• Sophia Justice.
• Fernando Pizano.
• Amelia Sikalu.
• Waleed Tariq.
• Diana Trujillo.
• Agazi Yohannes.

Masters of Clinical Translational Sciences

• Dion Cleghorn-Roer.

Masters of Clinical Research

• Eseose Aigbokhan.
• Stanna Calderon-Tellez.
• Hailey Infante.

Photos from the event