Congratulations: Graduating Class of 2023
Congratulations to all our graduating students of 2023! This significant accomplishment represents the culmination of all your hard work and a strong commitment to excellence. It has been an honour to see you grow personally and professionally while pursuing your university career here at Western within the Anatomy & Cell Biology family, whether that has been as a BMSc, MSc, PhD, medical or dental student.
Although the world has started to move back to a post-pandemic “new normal”, it is important to recognize the enormous impact - both negative and positive - that the past few years have had on all of your academic and personal journeys. Despite the unprecedented disruption of COVID-19 and all the challenges that it brought, I witnessed all of Anatomy & Cell Biology come together to help and support each other and to serve as leaders and exemplars for the rest of the Schulich, Western, and broader London community.
In addition, as scientists, educators and/or health professionals in training you stepped up to embrace the critical role that we all have have in science communication, public engagement, and fighting back against misinformation. As a result, you are graduating as one of strongest, most resilient, most creative and most empathetic cohort of students that I have seen in my 17 years as a university educator.
Everyone’s favourite bear and philosopher Winnie the Pooh once said, “You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." I hope that you will use your considerable talents kindly, wisely, and for the greater good….and don’t forget to have lots of fun along the way!
Congratulations again - we are exceptionally proud of our Class of 2023, and we cannot wait to see the impact you have on the world.
Alison Allan, PhD
Chair, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
