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Neumann to Award First Doctoral Degrees on May 19
Twenty-five students will receive the first doctoral degrees ever awarded by Neumann College at commencement exercises on Saturday, May 19. Fourteen women and 11 men will walk across the stage for their doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degrees during the ceremony, which begins at 12:30 p.m. on the lawn between Bachmann Main Building and Our Lady of Angels Convent.
Neumann’s graduate physical therapy offering is one of only four weekend DPT programs in the country. Students from as far away as Colorado, Mississippi and South Carolina have traveled to campus for 30 weekends a year during the last three years to earn a doctorate in physical therapy while they keep their Monday-through-Friday jobs. During the same time period, they have also completed 30 weeks of full-time internships.
Neumann began graduate study in physical therapy with an accredited entry-level master’s degree in 1998 and made the transition to a doctoral degree in 2005.
Approximately 580 degrees will be presented at the College’s 41st commencement: 25 doctoral degrees, 134 master’s degrees, 401 bachelor’s degrees and 20 associate degrees.
The College will present Ann and Mark Baiada with honorary degrees at the graduation ceremonies. The wife and husband team, respectively a director and founder of Bayada Nurses, a national leader in the home care industry, will co-deliver the 2007 commencement address.
According to Dr. Rosalie M. Mirenda, president of Neumann College, the Baiadas are being honored for “leadership in health care, a relentless quest for mission-driven service, and steadfast dedication to building a better community.”
Mark Baiada founded Bayada Nurses in 1975 with the mission of helping people have a safe home life with comfort, independence and dignity. Ernst & Young named him the Entrepreneur of the Year for the Philadelphia region in 1999. Ann Baiada created Project White Cap, a training program for new nurses, and Project White Shoes, training for clinical leaders. She also founded BayadAbility, the company's rehabilitation program.
Sr. Margaret Mary Lewis, OSF, Ph.D., will also receive an honorary degree at the commencement. Sister Margaret is coordinator of donor development at The Catholic High School of Baltimore and serves as secretary of the Neumann College Board of Trustees. For 13 years, she worked at Neumann as professor and program director of clinical laboratory sciences, and is credited with designing the College's program in this field.
According to Dr. Mirenda, Sr. Margaret is being honored for “her dedication and commitment to religious life and the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and for her superb scholarship and leadership in ensuring clinical excellence both at Neumann College and other institutions.”
The 2007 valedictory medal will be presented to Dawn Marie Carpenter, of Brookhaven, who is an elementary and special education major. Carpenter works with autistic children at the Devereux Institute’s Kanner Center in West Chester.
5/11/07
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