U.S. Senator John Curtis to Be Honored as Noorda-COM Celebrates First Graduating Class

Keynote by AOA President-elect Dr. Robert Piccinini; Graduates with remarkable personal journeys available for media interviews

PROVO, UT, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) will celebrate a major milestone Saturday with the graduation of its first class of osteopathic physicians during its inaugural commencement ceremony.

WHEN:

Saturday, May 3, 2025

10:00 a.m.

WHERE:

UCCU Center

800 W University Parkway, Orem, Utah



WHY IT MATTERS:

In just a few short years, Noorda-COM became the first medical school in Utah County, Utah’s largest medical school and a vital part of the state’s healthcare education system. The Class of 2025 boasts a 99% residency placement rate, with nine graduates entering military service. This first commencement ceremony marks a new era for the medical profession and healthcare in Utah.

NOTABLE HIGHLIGHTS:

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Piccinini, President-elect, American Osteopathic Association

Honorary Degree Recipient: U.S. Senator John Curtis

Founders Award Recipient: Founding President Dr. Richard P. Nielsen


STUDENT MEDIA INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE:

Graduates with compelling stories:

Maria de los Santos – Born in Venezuela and immigrating to the U.S. at age 10, Maria pursued a law degree and worked as an attorney for seven years at Chevron specializing in financial regulations before pursuing her passion for medicine. Last year, Maria participated in the World Medical Association’s meeting at the Vatican, helping to revise the Declaration of Helsinki – a meaningful experience for her given her grandfather served as that organization’s president in the 1980’s.

Sean Boyles – Prior to medical school, Sean had a 14-year career in emergency medical services in New Mexico. Starting as an EMT, he quickly advanced to hospital emergency medical positions handling 911 calls and critical incidents. Sean became a flight paramedic serving the Navajo Nation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sean worked grueling 22-plus-hour shifts for seven consecutive days at a time, transporting critically ill patients from small reservation hospitals to larger medical facilities.

Zoe Stauffer – Zoe’s move to Utah for medical school was no real surprise to her friends and family. Her parents met while living here in the 1990’s. Her father was a ski instructor at Park City and her mother was a ski nurse at Deer Valley. A college track and field heptathlete from rural Pennsylvania and an outdoors enthusiast, Zoe loved that she could pursue medicine and her passions for skiing, ice climbing, camping, and hiking. Today she serves as a member of the Timpanogos Emergency Response team, camping on the mountain on weekends to respond to medical emergencies and coordinate rescues.

Tanner Williford – Originally from Bakersfield, California, Tanner was married at 19 and had his first child while pursuing his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University. At the start of his third year of medical school at Noorda-COM, Tanner and his wife welcomed triplets at 32 weeks and the newborns spent six weeks in the NICU – just as he was beginning his surgical rotation. His daily routine included waking up a 4 a.m. to visit his babies before going to the hospital, and then going home to care for his wife and older daughter.

MEDIA COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES:

Keynote remarks and honorary degree presentation

Interviews with graduates, faculty, and leadership

Celebration of Noorda-COM’s first alumni class

Cory Maloy
Maloy PR
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