SIU School of Medicine grants degrees to Class of 2024
SPRINGFIELD, IL
New physicians at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine received their diplomas Saturday, May 18, at the school’s 50th annual commencement. The ceremony at the Performing Arts Center at the University of Illinois Springfield celebrated the achievements of the graduates and featured speeches from faculty members, alumni and administrators.
A total of 79 learners received medical degrees, and one student received a master’s degree. It was the school’s largest class of graduating physicians ever. It included SIU's charter class of Lincoln Scholars, who completed four years of medical training focused on rural health care in downstate communities.
SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, awarded diplomas to the medical students, and Daniel Mahony, PhD, president of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, conferred the degrees.
John Mellinger, MD, was the commencement speaker. Mellinger is vice president of the American Board of Surgery and professor emeritus in SIU Medicine’s Departments of Surgery and Medical Education. He touched upon the importance of discipline, altruism and a focus on meaning as the young physicians embark on their new careers.
A doctor should have a deeper sense of purpose in their work beyond titles, awards and reputation, Mellinger said. Recognize the nobility in service, in treating patients with empathy and compassion, especially those who are marginalized or overlooked.
“The beauty of your professional calling is that you will be able to do this daily. My advice would be to lean into this every chance your energies allow.... Help a nurse make up a soiled bed, get a patient a glass of water, notice the grieving loved one at a bedside, and take your hand off the doorknob. Sit down and be silent and present with them."
Class of '24 Chair Giuseppe Maiocco, MD, recounted the trials faced by the class due to the pandemic but emphasized their resilience and adaptability. He also highlighted the class's commitment to friendship and cohesiveness, a testament to their ability to maintain strong interpersonal bonds amidst adversity.
"We had to acknowledge that there was no script to follow, that we could wallow or roll up our sleeves, that we possessed in ourselves the ability to craft our own experiences, to meet our own goals, to become our own advocates. There is no better lesson than to find you have agency despite difficult circumstance."
Alumni, faculty members and a graduating student received awards during the ceremony.
Jeremy Kulacz, MD, an assistant professor of neurology, received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. 
Pediatric hospitalist Mary Siebenaler, MD, and Class of 2024 graduate Peaches Dozier, MD, received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards, presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
Three alumni were honored: Sam Gaines, MD (’77), 2024 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award; Alison LaFrence, MD (’88), 2024 Distinguished Alumni Service Award; and Mohsin Khan, MD, (’16); Early Career Achievement Award.
SIU Medicine’s mission is to optimize the health of the people of central and southern Illinois through education, patient care, research and service to the community. Established in 1970, the medical school is based dually in Carbondale and Springfield and is specifically oriented to educating new physicians prepared to practice in Illinois communities. Since 1975, 3,311 physicians have earned SIU medical degrees.
The new SIU physicians will begin residency training in their chosen specialties in June.
View the commencement ceremony on YouTube. Graduate portraits and photos from the event are available at Zenfolio. Additional photos appeared in the State Journal-Register.
SIU School of Medicine MD graduates
GRADUATE | PARENTS / SPOUSE | HOMETOWN | SPECIALTY | RESIDENCY LOCATION
Mary Ade | David and Sharon Ade | Moline | Pathology/AP and CP | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Theodore Agbemaple | Thomas and Cynthia Agbemaple | Springfield | Family Medicine | Ascension St Joseph-IL
Sarah Akanbi | Charles and Funmi Akanbi | Elgin | Pediatrics | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps
Denzel Akosa | Comfort Tannor | Chicago | Internal Medicine | Swedish Hospital-IL
Owen Alford | Bruce and Theresa Alford | Quincy | Family Medicine | Quincy Fam Prac Ctr-IL
Kamawak Anota | Seifmichael Anota and Hangatu Nure | Shashamane, Ethiopia
Taylor Badger | Michael and Kathy Badger | Springfield | Obstetrics-Gynecology | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
Lia Barkmeier | Jerald and Lynne Barkmeier | Springfield | Plastic Surgery (Integrated) | U Illinois COM-Chicago
Kathryn Besserman | Jeffrey and Debra Besserman | Collinsville | Orthopaedic Surgery | U Kansas SOM-Kansas City
Austin Carey | Kevin and Paula Carey | Mt. Auburn | Internal Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Adrian Cavender | Jeffrey and Patricia Cavender, spouse Michaela Sikes | Momence | Radiology-Diagnostic | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Gabrielle Christian | Philip and Linda Christian | Lexington, KY | Internal Med/Indianapolis | Indiana University SOM
Logan Cole | Benjamin and Laura Cole | Granite City | Family Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Drew Conner | Eric and Sara Conner | Nashville | Radiology-Diagnostic | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Matthew Contreras | David and Julie Contreras | Eldena | Pathology/AP and CP | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
Jaclyn Conway | Thomas and Mary Conway | Springfield | Family Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL Jane Crabtree-Marty | Dr. Travis and Felicia Crabtree | Edwardsville | General Surgery | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Emily Dircks | Lon and Kim Dircks | Freeburg | Family Medicine | University Hosps-Columbia-MO
Peaches Dozier | Gregory Dozier and Peaches Andrews | New Jersey and MARYLAND | Surg-Prelim/Georgetown-WHC | MedStar Georgetown Univ Hosp-DC
Ashley Eggert | Joshua Eggert and Michelle Eggert | Peoria | Internal Medicine | U Cincinnati Med Ctr-OH Morgan Engmann-Cooper | Scott and Patricia Engmann & spouse Ryan Cooper | Mt. Zion | General Surgery | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Emma Fenner | Michael and Angie Fenner | Jacksonville | Urology | University of Tennessee
Alexandria Floyd | Kevin and Kendra Floyd | Springfield | Internal Medicine | Univ of Vermont Medical Center
Madison Funneman | Richard and Theresa Funneman | Greenville | Family Medicine | SIU Carbondale-IL Edgar George Nanetti | Eldred George and Odilia Nanetti | Palantine | Orthopedic Surgery | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps
Kanicia Green | Will Harris and Patrice Green | Springfield | Obstetrics-Gynecology | U Cincinnati Med Ctr-OH
Jill Harris | Gary and Deb Harris | Eureka | Transitional | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Jennifer Houser | John and Joan Houser | Dunlap | Internal Medicine | U Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Meena Jain | Dr. Sanjiv and Namita Jain | Champaign | Med-Prelim/UIH @ U Illinois COM-Chicago+Phys Med & Rehab @ Northwestern McGaw | U Illinois COM-Chicago
Emma Johns | Brad and Susan Johns | Villa Grove | Internal Medicine | Mayo Clinic School of Grad Med Educ-MN
Christopher Johnson | Milton and Jan Johnson | Springfield | Anesthesiology | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO
Hunter Jones | Virgil and Tracey Jones | Champaign | Otolaryngology | Cleveland Clinic Fdn-OH
Kortni Kemper | Brad and Kristen Kemper | Winchester | Dermatology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Morgan Keyser | Brad and Leigh Ann Keyser | Marion | Pediatrics | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Sanskriti Khurana | Arun and Rita Khurana | Bloomington | Med-Prelim/Neurology | Duke Univ Med Ctr-NC
Alexandra Kissel | Douglas and Lenee Kissel | Millington | Pediatrics | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps
Abigail Knuckles | Don and Gina Knuckles | Waterloo | Obstetrics-Gynecology | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO
Jazz Kroeger | Dennis and Karen Kroeger | Washington | Radiology-Diagnostic | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL Keegan Kruckeberg | Richard and Robin Kruckeberg | Sullivan | Family Med/St Francis | U Tennessee Health Sci Ctr-Memphis
Blake Laird | Kevin and Sheila Laird, spouse MacKenzie Kellogg | New Baden | Family Med/Belleville | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO
Mia Lambert | Bill Lambert and Dr. Jill Brody | Macomb | Family Medicine | St Josephs Reg Med Ctr-IN
Caleb Lay | Larry and Cheryl Lay | Plainville | Family Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Giuseppe Maiocco | Richard and Christine Maiocco | Springfield | Internal Medicine | Mayo Clinic School of Grad Med Educ-MN
Reise Malone | Michael and Stacy Malone | Manteno | Family Med/Delnor | Northwestern McGaw/NMH/VA-IL
Megan Mayville | John and Nadine Mayville | Belleville | Emergency Medicine | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO
Bridget McClain | Kevin and Linda McClain | Springfield | General Surgery | U Kentucky Med Ctr
Matthew McClintock | Dr. Roger and Mary Beth McClintock | Rochester | Internal Medicine | U Arizona COM-Phoenix
Michael McGee | James and Cindy McGee | Marion | Emergency Med/Indianapolis | Indiana University SOM
Kelli Meyer | Russ and Terri Meyer | Quincy | Emergency Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Jack Moore | Joe and Susan Moore | Tremont | Emergency Medicine | University of Utah Health
Emily Moushon | Gaylan and Linda Moushon | Morton | Emergency Medicine | LSU SOM-Baton Rouge-LA Tyler Natof | Dave and Tammy Natof | Rio | Medicine-Psychiatry | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Cecily Negri | Robert and Pamela Negri | Bloomington | Obstetrics-Gynecology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL Madison Nelson | Mike and Hannah Nelson | Jacksonville | Neurology | Indiana University SOM
Parth Patel | Nilesh and Nisha Patel | Forsyth | Internal Medicine | Corewell Health-Grand Rapids/MSU-MI Shree Patel | Atul and Kanal Patel | O'Fallon | Internal Medicine | Emory Univ SOM-GA
Hevin Poon | Hau Hing Poon and Fung Ching Cheng | Dunlap | Family Medicine | U Illinois COM-Peoria UPHM
Nicholas Porter | Lynn Porter and the late Brian Porter | Paxton | Pediatrics | Phoenix Childrens Hospital-AZ
Gregory Redwinski | Stanley and Susan Redwinski | Monticello | Emergency Medicine | Central Iowa Health System
Randy Reeder | Michael and Mona Reeder | Cyprus | Pediatrics | Johns Hopkins All Childrens Hosp-FL
Nellie Roberts | Jeffrey and Sandra Roberts | Dow | Urology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Hunter Roller | James and Cynthia Roller | Troy | Medicine-Psychiatry | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Nicholas Roth | Stephan and Melissa Roth | Springfield | General Surgery | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Evan Sembell | Mark and Dr. Diane Hillard-Sembell | Springfield | Anesthesiology | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO
Kassidy Sheedy | Dr. Michael and Gloria Sheedy | Springfield | Obstetrics-Gynecology | U Kansas SOM-Kansas City
Morgan Suhre | Blake and Kelly Suhre | Edwardsville | Pediatrics | Phoenix Childrens Hospital-AZ
Allison Sweeney | Scott and Anita Sweeney | Belleville | Obstetrics-Gynecology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Aashna Thakur | Santosh and Rani Thakur | Bloomington | Pediatrics/ACMC | Advocate Health Care-IL
Nikhil Thope | Kishor and Lalaine Thope | Savoy | Transitional | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Blaine Traylor | Joel and Michell Traylor | Mt. Zion | Neurology | Mayo Clinic School of Grad Med Educ-AZ Stephen Troop | Michael and Debra Troop | Marion | Pediatrics | University Hosps-Columbia-MO
Cagla Unal | Mesut and Nurhayat Unal | Izmir, Turkey | Pediatrics | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps Sephra Urbas | John Urbas and Sheila Sims | Sherman | Emergency Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Noah Vallette | Jason and Kara Vallette | Harrisburg | Orthopaedic Surgery | U Tennessee Health Sci Ctr-Memphis
Ryan Vasconcelles | Mark and Dr. Cara Vasconcelles | Springfield | Emergency Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL
Niyant Vora | Shrenik and Anughna Vora | Bloomington | Pediatrics | Memorial Health Univ Med Ctr-GA
John Whitten | Patrick and Bridget Whitten | Peoria | Radiology-Diagnostic | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Matthew Woodbury | John and Wendy Woodbury | Oswego | Pediatrics | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF
Benjamin Young | Stuart and Dawn Young | Decatur | Emergency Medicine | Prisma Health-U of SC SOM Greenville
Master's Degree – Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry
Han Do | Cuong Thanh Do and Hanh Thi Ngoc Nguyen | Soc Trang, Vietnam
