Emory University’s 179th Commencement marked the close of a chapter — and the start of an exciting new one — for 2024 graduates. Before they turned their tassels, they reflected on their time at Emory and how their experiences here will carry them into the rest of their lives.
On finding your family
Whether undergraduate, graduate or professional students, members of the Class of 2024 forged a myriad of new connections and memories at Emory that they will never forget.
Dasharene Freeman, who graduated with her bachelor of science in nursing from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, fondly remembers her early encounter with Songfest, a beloved Emory tradition during orientation where students from each residence hall perform an original song about their new home. “It highlights the energy of the students and their skill at working together,” she said. “It made Emory feel like a very welcoming place.”
The Kansas City, Missouri, native noted that the same support was evident in the nursing program. “Through our group chat, we were present for each other through the triumphs and the rough spots of these past four years,” she said. Next, Freeman heads to Northside Hospital, where she’ll assist with newborn deliveries.
For Haden Fulkerson of Westerville, Ohio, it meant learning that teamwork makes anything possible. While Fulkerson completed his bachelor of science with a double major in psychology and political science from Emory College in just three years, he made memories to last a lifetime during his time on the cross country and track teams.
“My favorite memory would be last year when the cross-country team won the UAA Championship,” he said. “It was a home meet, we were hosting it in Georgia, and it was an incredible moment. The whole team was there, and it was an amazing weekend.” Next, Fulkerson heads to the University of Cambridge to pursue a masters in criminological research.
Spencer Kahn of New York City spent his time at Emory combining two of his passions: marketing and film and media studies. And while the combination of marketing and film in a city where the film industry is so big was the draw to Emory, it’s not what he’ll miss the most.
Instead, it’s the emphasis on students leading events and initiatives around campus.
“I really appreciated the student culture here,” said Kahn, who earned his bachelor of business administration degree from the Goizueta Business School. “It’s very student-led, so a lot of events are run by students, such as talent showcases and the events that the Student Programming Council puts on. Students have a huge involvement here on campus, and it’s fun seeing my friends involved in something every weekend.”
After wrapping up a few projects this summer, Kahn will head west to LA to pursue a career in film.
On sharpening your skills
Beyond studying, students work to find their niche and sharpen the skills they’re hoping to take into the job market. Luckily, Emory has plenty of resources to make that a reality, and even open some new doors along the way.
Jordan Queen’s original plan during his undergraduate studies in his home state of Colorado was to get a degree in biology in preparation for medical or PA school. But after a public health class during his junior year, he changed his course, especially after landing an internship in 2020 as an outbreak epidemiologist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. A combination of factors piqued his interest in pursuing a master in public health at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.
“The draw of the certificate program, the proximity to the CDC, excellent faculty — they were all part of my decision,” he said. “And I really liked the wider array of courses than some programs offer, such as spatial analysis, data science and different software programs.”
While at Rollins, Queen gained additional experience through work in the Prevention Epicenter of Emory, as an ORISE epidemiology research fellow at the CDC and more. He will remain in Atlanta as part of the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network.
For Mallika Hadler, who earned a PhD in neuroscience through Laney Graduate School, it was the closeness of the people she worked alongside and the opportunity for intellectual growth and stimulation at Emory that stood out.
“I really enjoyed the lab experience,” she said. “My lab is such a close-knit community. We call ourselves the liberal arts engineers, because we’re not engineering, but we like to build things. We love tinkering around. It felt like a playground when I first joined.”
Hadler, who grew up in Atlanta, also nodded to her time at two Emory institutions that helped focus her dream career path. “I had a great time at the Hatchery and with the Biolocity program, in partnership with Georgia Tech. I’m looking for jobs related to that space,” she said.
And for Hope Mumme from Dacula, Georgia, graduating with her master’s degree was an achievement on the way to an even bigger milestone. Mumme received her interim master’s as part of her PhD program in computer science on the biomedical informatics track at Laney Graduate School. Her favorite experience so far has been the medical research community at Emory.
“They’re so supportive and they do such cool research,” Mumme said. “I research pediatric leukemia, so we do single-cell RNA sequencing. We study what the microenvironment looks like in patients’ bone marrow over time.”
A variety of perspectives
One resource that should never go underutilized is the wealth of perspectives available among colleagues and peers.
Jenna Beasley loved studying French while growing up in Florida and earned a master’s degree in international affairs from the American University of Paris before coming to Emory Law for a JD in international law.
“One of the best things about Emory is its diversity,” she said. “The students come from all over the country and the world. You get to learn many different perspectives and have great classroom discussions.”
Beasley has a clerkship lined up with a state judge to gain experience and mentorship before launching her planned career in international development for a nonprofit.
Research that Beverly Bruno completed during her undergraduate studies set her path for studying global health at Rollins School of Public Health, where she earned a master of public health degree.
“I was focusing on Black maternal health of women in Kenya — postpartum hemorrhage rates and the likelihood of it occurring,” she said. Rollins was one of the top schools on her list. “It’s one of the best programs in the country. But I also loved the intersectionality in the department. You have so many options when it comes to studying global health.”
Next, the New York native will stay in Atlanta and begin working as a data analyst for Care Quest.
A variety of perspectives can also help answer big questions.
Joseph Lively of Newberry, South Carolina, came to Candler School of Theology with a different perspective than most: he is an active-duty Army chaplain.
“I’m interested in ethics,” said Lively, who earned a master of theology degree. When he returns to the Army as an ethics instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he’ll be teaching junior- and mid-career officers in the Air Defense Artillery School. “I’ll teach them about the professional ethic of the Army and how that plays out. How can we be a moral soldier and conduct ourselves in a moral and honorable fashion?”
Emory roots run deep
Some graduates have had their eyes set on Emory from the very start.
Carolyn and Djuan Blue described their excitement seeing their daughter Tamra Blue graduate with her PhD in chemistry from Laney Graduate School.
“Tamra likes to say she’s third-generation Emory because my mom worked at Emory for more than 30 years and I attended Emory for my undergraduate degree,” said Carolyn.
Djuan echoed that statement. “It’s so excellent to be an Emory family. It’s amazing how the campus has changed over the years, but it’s like one big family. We all went through it together, the trials and tribulations, but we made it.”
Ashish Makhija, who is 57, came to Atlanta from New Delhi to get his doctor of juridical science degree from Emory. While Makhija — who already holds two master’s degrees in law — always knew he wanted to complete a doctoral degree, he’s following in the footsteps of his son, Saskshik Makhija, who graduated from Emory with a JD in patent law in 2018.
“He had a fantastic experience at Emory and that inspired me to come,” said Ashish. “There is no age limit to learning.”
Still, others fall in love with Emory after they get here and choose to stay.
“We started during the pandemic, so taking anatomy was so exciting because it was the first time we got to attend class all together and meet in person,” said Alice Hsu, who graduated with her MD from the School of Medicine after coming to Atlanta from Seattle.
“That class was about six months into medical school,” Hsu said, noting that one of her favorite things about medical school was forging new friendships — including that with fellow MD graduate Rebecca Durham.
The two will stay at Emory for their residencies in general surgery and pediatrics, respectively.
“Emory stood out to Kathy right off the bat,” Kelly Yu said of her twin sister Kathy Yu. “She loved the small campus feel when she visited the first time and has loved being here.”
The Vienna, Virginia, native began her time at Emory on the Oxford College campus, then earned her bachelor’s degree in finance at Goizueta Business School. One of her favorite activities — and best skill sharpeners — was participating with the Emory Impact Investing Group, which provides microloans to local entrepreneurs who lack access to capital. That work helped prepare Yu for her new career in investment banking with RBC Capital Markets in New York City.
Interviews conducted by Susan Carini, Carol Clark, Anna Chapman, Leigh DeLozier and Michelle Ricker. Photos by Sarah Woods, Emory Photo/Video; Cindy Brown; Allison Shirreffs; Tom Smarch. Editing by Michelle Ricker.