About Us
May 30, 2024
Author: Lisa Lopez Snyder
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) Class of 2024 was the largest ever, with 611 undergraduate and graduate students earning degrees during the annual HRS Pre-Commencement Ceremony. Last year’s class was previously the largest with 572 graduates.
Specifically, the 2024 class included:
- 492 undergraduate degrees
- 119 graduate degrees
- 34 certificates
- 353 graduates receiving Latinate honors
- 137 first generation
- 15 student-athletes
- 15 Award of Merit recipients
- 9 graduates with Honors Distinction
- 3 graduates with Research Distinction
These achievements are an especially important consideration for HRS as a land grant institution, says HRS Director Amy Darragh, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA.
“We are charged with providing accessible education to residents and non-residents across the state and to see such a high number of first-generation graduates was very exciting.”
“A lot of this growth is driven by our recognition of the work force needs in the health care sector,” says Darragh, who is also vice dean of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences for the College of Medicine.
Because of a number of efforts, she says, “we feel we are doing our part to inspire the next generation of health care scientists, educators and providers.”
Other program data show the following numbers:
A resilient class
What’s particularly special about the Class of 2024 is its resiliency, says Marcia Nahikian-Nelms, PhD, RDN, LD, director of Academic Affairs and clinical professor in the school.
“One of the things I think is special about this class is that how they came through COVID at the beginning of their program, whether it was an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree.”
The resiliency they have demonstrated, she says, persisting through a rapid transition into online education, really exemplifies HRS students’ strength and dedication.
“I think our students have had significant challenges, but I think they have demonstrated an amazing amount of resiliency and dedication to really meeting the health care needs after coming through a pandemic.
“Our students were right in the middle of how our professions provided the care for patients and clients during the pandemic. As we get further away from the pandemic, we forget how many people we lost and the stress it put on our health care system and our health care providers. If someone came through that and still wants to be a health care provider, it really says a lot about them.”