OHSU celebrates its 2026 graduates

Oregon Health & Science University today graduated its next generation of healthcare, research and education professionals. A total of 1,206 degrees and certificates were awarded.

Graduates assembled for the all-school commencement ceremony Friday, June 5, at the Oregon Convention Center. The keynote speaker was Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, Ph.D., M.B.A., RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, assistant professor of clinical nursing in the OHSU School of Nursing. Mensik Kennedy was recently named to the 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World's Most Influential Leaders in Health.

The ceremony was followed by separate hooding ceremonies for the OHSU schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, and for the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. The OSU/OHSU Doctor of Pharmacy Program also held a reception, in addition to a separate graduation ceremony that will be held in Corvallis on Friday, June 12. The OHSU School of Nursing will hold additional commencement events at its Ashland, Klamath Falls, La Grande and Monmouth campuses.

“OHSU leads Oregon in educating the next generation of health and science professionals,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. “Our graduates leave not only as experts in their respective fields, but also as innovative, compassionate and collaborative leaders deeply committed to our tripartite mission of teaching, healing and discovery. Embodying these values, the class of 2026 is ready to take the next step in shaping the future of human health and science. Congratulations, graduates!”

“OHSU’s class of 2026 brings me great pride. I look forward to all the wonderful things they will accomplish as health professionals in Oregon and beyond.

Congratulations class of 2026! We cannot wait to celebrate with you, your families, friends and the OHSU community,” said OHSU Provost Marie Chisholm-Burns, Pharm.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., FCCP, FASHP, FAST, FNAP, FACHE.

The OHSU School of Nursing awarded 515 degrees this year.

“School of Nursing class of 2026 graduates will contribute to and improve health and health care through direct care as Registered and Advanced Practice Nurses, as formal leaders through quality improvement, as nurse educators teaching next generations of nurses and as nurse scientists. These graduates are vitally needed across the nursing workforce and across the state of Oregon, and we’re so proud of what they’ll accomplish,” said Susan Bakewell-Sachs, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, dean of the OHSU School of Nursing.

The OHSU School of Medicine awarded 424 degrees and certificates this year.

“OHSU’s 2026 graduates in medicine and biomedical science are compassionate, curious, skilled and capable of meeting the considerable challenges of the moment in American medicine,” said Nathan Selden, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the OHSU School of Medicine. “Healing and science have never been more important than in today’s world. The physician and biomedical scientist in many ways hold the welfare of our communities and society in trust for the future. I’m deeply proud of our graduates who will carry out this work for decades to come. I congratulate them and I thank them. We should all pledge to support their ongoing journeys and invite them to maintain a deep and familial connection with us at OHSU.”

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health awarded 109 degrees and certificates. 

“While public health continues to face both fiscal and structural challenges, our commitment to graduate leaders who protect and improve the health and wellbeing of our neighbors and communities remains our foundation,” said Paul K. Halverson, Dr.P.H., M.H.S.A., dean of the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. “Today’s landscape demands more than just standing firm or analyzing the data; it requires leaders who can turn science into systemic action. I am entirely confident that our graduates will rise to this challenge, using their newfound skills and their voices to support healthy communities where everyone can thrive.”

The OHSU School of Dentistry awarded 87 degrees this year.

“Congratulations to the OHSU School of Dentistry class of 2026,” said Ron Sakaguchi, D.D.S., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the OHSU School of Dentistry. “Our profession, and the communities we serve, need clinicians who are grounded in ethics and science, guided by professionalism and committed to something greater than themselves. Members of the class of 2026 will embrace these qualities as they deliver excellent care. They will advocate for patients, serve through volunteerism and lead with integrity in a rapidly changing health landscape. We celebrate their accomplishments and are confident in the difference they will make.”

The OSU/OHSU Doctor of Pharmacy Program awarded 71 degrees this year.

"The graduating class of 2026 has been a tremendous source of pride for the College of Pharmacy,” said David Bearden, Pharm.D., FIDP, FCCP, dean of the OSU College of Pharmacy. “As they enter the profession, these graduates are exceptionally well prepared to serve patients, advance health care, and help shape the future of pharmacy in communities across Oregon and beyond. On behalf of our faculty and staff, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2026. It has been a privilege to support their journey and witness their growth into the next generation of pharmacy leaders.”

Meet some of OHSU’s 2026 graduates

Christopher Clairmont, D.M.D., OHSU School of Dentistry

By Rhonda Morin

Chris Clairmont loves school. He likes taking tests, going to class and learning. Where the fourth-year student struggled early in his dental training was the hand skills.

It was during his third year when Clairmont experienced a significant shift from book knowledge to application.

“That’s when my perspective started to shift from consuming all this information and taking tests to focusing on what can I do for my patients.”

He finds a deep sense of fulfillment in the immediate improvement his work brings to patients’ lives.

“It’s honestly so rewarding to see the change you’re making for patients.”

Clairmont, who grew up in Oregon and earned his bachelor’s in bioengineering from Oregon State University, is one of 70 who will graduate with their doctor of dental medicine, or D.M.D., degree from the OHSU School of Dentistry on June 5 at the Oregon Convention Center.

Aesthetics are a significant part of dentistry, but the true value of what Clairmont has learned is how restoring essential function improves a patient’s overall quality of life.

For many patients, especially those requiring dentures, the transition from having painful, infected or missing teeth to having a functional set of teeth changes their lives.

“If your teeth are infected and broken down, you’re insecure about your smile, but you’re also not able to function. You can’t enjoy food, and then it starts to impact the rest of your body,” he said.

Clairmont’s central motivation, in his life and career choice, is relationships. They’ve helped him choose to study dentistry, kept him energized during the four-year learning experience and helped get him through a period early in his education where he felt like an imposter.

Clairmont’s interest in dentistry was sparked by a long-term relationship with his childhood dentist. They talked about how his bioengineering studies aligned with dentistry.

Later, when he was at OHSU struggling with the manual skills of dental anatomy and making tooth models out of wax during his first year, he found camaraderie with his peers. They “shared all the struggles of dental school,” he said, by helping him realize everyone was in the same boat, and given time, he’d learn the skills.

Developing a rapport with his patients over time and seeing tangible results — like when a patient’s profile returns to normal and they regain the ability to smile and chew with confidence — is the most rewarding aspect of his clinical experience.

Third- and fourth-year students provide care for patients in the School of Dentistry’s general clinic in the Skourtes Tower on the South Waterfront in Portland during the week.

Clairmont values the relationships he built with his patients over two years. In fact, he prefers these interactions over the single-day experiences of short-term rotations performed at community clinics.

The school’s general dentistry clinic provides the opportunity to emphasize his communication style rooted in calmness and respect to build trust with anxious individuals.

As part of his practice, he explains to patients that he takes things slowly and explains every step.

He empowers patients by suggesting non-verbal signals during procedures.

“I (encourage them) to raise their left hand at any time if they feel pain, need a break or need to stop for any reason, and I will pause,” he said.

The self-described “huge nerd” who genuinely enjoys academic study, feels he’s prepared to provide a holistic approach to patient care. He will carry a dedication to technical excellence and patient connection when he joins Midwest Dental practice in Milwaukie, Wisconsin, following graduation.

Anna Rozzi, M.D./M.C.R., OHSU School of Medicine

By Mariana Phipps

After a winding journey to medical school shaped by advocacy and reinvention, Anna Rozzi became an OHSU M.D./M.C.R. student in 2023. She is earning her Master of Clinical Research today, and will return to the School of Medicine to earn her M.D. degree. She expects to graduate as a doctor in the spring of 2028.

“I am a deeply curious person and hope to have a career as a clinician-researcher in academic medicine,” Rozzi said. “The M.C.R. empowers me in this path of curiosity and learning to have the skills to be a better researcher, teacher, mentor and clinician.”

Rozzi is the first woman in her family to graduate from college. Before coming to OHSU, she worked in policy, teaching, campaign management and reproductive health advocacy. For her, medicine is a values-based calling, not a sudden change, and it allows her to keep advocating for equitable healthcare.

The main goals of the M.C.R. program are to train investigators who can compete for funding from federal, foundation and industry sources and to help them conduct research and publish their findings.

“She has been an outstanding student in the Physician-Scientist and Human Investigations programs, and has taken part in a number of research projects during her year out from medical school,” said Katie Mosack, Ph.D., director of the Human Investigations Program and associate director of workforce development at Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute.

“When something captures my interest, I tend to dive in deeply, and the teacher in me naturally wants to share what I’m learning and explore questions collaboratively,” Rozzi said. “As a West Coast native, I’ve witnessed the growing impact of climate change, especially wildfires on communities and the firefighters who protect them. And as a budding health services researcher, I’ve found a way to connect my interests in climate health, public policy and clinical care through a project that examines how education can strengthen real-world systems to improve access, quality and equity in cancer risk recognition and screening for firefighters.”

Anna has distinguished herself by leading a multi-state project, FIRE-SAFE: Firefighters’ Initiative for Risk Education on Screening and Awareness of Fire-related Exposure. The project evaluates how a tailored educational intervention influences understanding of bladder cancer risk and screening intention and behavior among career, volunteer and wildland firefighters.  

During her year away from medical school, she contributed to other studies, expanding her research experience to include qualitative methods and economic health modeling. 

She has also investigated professional identity formation, advocacy curricula, and near-peer mentorship among medical students, earning a Gender Equity in Academic Health Medicine Trainee Award. And she has contributed to other projects associated with improving undergraduate medical education, receiving an OHSU Flame Award for Leadership and Service.

Lastly, Rozzi was inducted this year into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, a community of medical students, physicians and other leaders who have been recognized for their compassionate care.

Zachary Zouyed, B.S., School of Nursing

By Seth Preuss

Zachary Zouyed is an OHSU School of Nursing student and is pursuing an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. He will graduate later this summer with the summer 2026 cohort on Sept. 11.

Zouyed knew that he was interested in healthcare as he earned his B.S. in microbiology from Oregon State University, but he was initially unsure of which career path interested him most. After earning his degree in 2018, Zouyed spent time working numerous jobs, ranging from elementary teacher to an account executive role for Phoenix Bioinformatics.

Zouyed said his brother had known he would be a great nurse since he was an undergrad student at OSU, but it took him several years of working various jobs before coming to the same conclusion.

“I think there’s an immense value in going into a career that you’re fully confident and excited about,” Zouyed said. “I think that time spent working other jobs was well spent because I could rule out other paths and gain that experience.”

It was his time working as a research assistant and clinical research coordinator on an infectious disease team during the COVID-19 pandemic for OHSU that gave him clarity. That experience pushed him toward an interest in nursing once he realized the career flexibility it would give him in the future.

“The accelerated program will give me a chance to pivot later in my career,” Zouyed said. “I can start working sooner, and then I can use that experience to know whether I should pivot toward becoming a nurse-practitioner, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, psychiatry, academia — it gives me a lot of flexibility to grow or pivot.”

The time spent at OHSU as a research assistant showed Zouyed the value he’d get from the faculty, facilities, and easy access to patients. He considered other programs like Linfield University, but his other experiences reinforced for him how valuable the culture of OHSU’s program would be for his education.

He is frequently busy, as one might expect in an accelerated program, but Zouyed also has taken time to network and join OHSU groups like the MEND program, Men Embracing Nursing Diversity. Zouyed recently had a 40-minute phone conversation with one of the instructors who helps mentor those in the MEND group, and said that kind of experience and conversation is why he values the program so highly.

“The faculty here are amazing — they want to be here, they build incredible relationships with us as students, and the academic resources and camaraderie among the students are all what helped make that decision [to attend OHSU],” he said.

Zouyed has gained appreciation for how the OHSU missions of academics and healthcare overlap, making it a place where people come to learn and stay to work afterward.

“The thing I appreciate about OHSU’s mission as a whole is building the healthcare provider workforce for Oregonians,” Zouyed said. “That’s definitely a mission that aligns with my own values as far as being born and raised in Oregon.”

Zouyed appreciates how many clinical hours he and his fellow students are able to get because the program is integrated into OHSU’s care system in a way other universities don’t offer. Those clinical hours have helped Zouyed narrow in on his preferred landing spot after graduating.

“Eleven-K has been a floor that I've been drawn to with an amazing team culture and they're focused but broad,” said Zouyed. “They treat cardiac and vascular patients, and when I pair what most interests me with their team culture, that’s where I’m hoping to land.”

Vivian Ngo, Pharm.D., OSU/OHSU College of Pharmacy

By Seth Preuss

Vivian Ngo is a first-generation college student with a strong interest in science who wants to know why things work the way they do. And once she learns how something works, she wants to find ways to bring others along and give them that same knowledge.

Her father was the one who suggested pharmacy as a career option, but Ngo had already developed a keen interest in chemistry, most especially, and science generally. Once she began researching more about a career in pharmacy, she was hooked.

“It is amazing how just one pill can also dictate so much to be able to just improve someone's blood pressure or improve someone's mood,” Ngo said.

Her family has always been supportive and plays a huge role in her life, but she is a trailblazer in the realm of academics and has taught herself how to find mentors and build a network of support beyond family ties. Finding that support also motivates her to seek out leadership positions where she can pay it forward and offer support to others.

Ngo has served as a student ambassador for the program and as an outreach coordinator for the Oregon State Student Pharmacists organization, as well as a variety of roles for pharmacy-oriented chapters on campus, Phi Delta Chi and Phi Lambda Sigma.

“I want to be a mentor and help people, especially future generations,” Ngo said. “I [sought out different opportunities] because I wanted to help others navigate the transition from undergrad to the program, help remind them why the chose the program when it gets hard, and to be supportive.”

Reflecting on her time in the program, Ngo is thankful for the interdisciplinary exposure that the joint OSU-OHSU program offers. She believes it allowed her to consider her field more deeply after looking at it from the lenses of other programs.

There were challenging moments and rotations, she said, but she was able to learn deeply about both the subject matter and herself by going through those challenges. Ngo credits her family and the support offered by faculty, peers and preceptors in different rotations for getting her to the finish line of the program.

After graduation, Ngo will enter residency and has already been matched to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend, a hospital in her hometown of Eugene, Oregon.

“I’m glad I was able to be matched to my hometown because I have always wanted to come back and serve my community,” Ngo said.

After she completes her residency, she hopes to work in a critical care or emergency medicine setting, and she also plans to be a preceptor someday.

“I like showing people things and the actual application of what we learn in our knowledge in the real-world application,” Ngo said. “There is so much detail and nuance that you won't be able to ever see [from theory or a textbook] until you can put that into practice.”

Micah Mizushima, M.P.H., OHSU-PSU School of Public Health

By Kelly Malakaua

While studying global health and nutrition at University of British Columbia, Micah Mizushima found his calling not in a textbook, but in the creation of infant nutrition resources designed specifically for migrant Latinx communities. It was there that he first realized how deeply systemic structures dictate the well-being of entire populations.

“My early studies gave me insight into the impact that systems can have on health outcomes at a large scale,” he said.

For Mizushima, a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion degree from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is more than a degree; it is the culmination of a journey dedicated to turning systemic theory into community-centered action.

While his academic journey has been rigorous, his greatest achievement wasn’t found in a classroom, but at a dining table with elders. At Ikoi no Kai, a Japanese community lunch program that has served Portland’s older adults since 1979, Mizushima has found a sense of belonging that had previously felt out of reach.

Like many students of color, navigating the complicated relationship with a mixed-race identity and living in the city of Portland can feel isolating and disconnected from his cultures, he said.

“Despite being Sansei (third-generation Japanese) and raised in Portland, I wouldn’t consider myself part of this community until my practice experience began,” Mizushima said. “It has been an absolute honor to feel accepted.”

Early in Mizushima’s graduate program, he overcame his isolation by joining BREATHE — or BIPOC Resilience, Empowerment, and Affirmations Towards Health Equity.

“At BREATHE, I felt like I had space to share my experiences being a person of color around a community that could understand me,” Mizushima said. “It was a very formative part of my graduate experience.”

Behind every aspiring public health professional is a source of inspiration. For Mizushima, that is his abuela, Alejandra. Though not a public health worker by trade, Alejandra embodies the spirit of the public health field through her commitment to collective action and mutual aid for anyone and everyone she meets.

“My abuela should be a model of what community-based public health professionals should strive to be,” Mizushima said. “She operates with a mindset that shared responsibility is necessary to support the needs of individuals and the community.”

From Portland to Japan, Dr. Betty Izumi served as an influential mentor, encouraging Mizushima to bridge the gap between public health nutrition and community-based action. Through a faculty-led course in Tokyo, Kobe and Kyoto, he saw firsthand how community nutrition functions across cultures, a lesson he was able to practically apply during his time at Ikoi no Kai.

“Thanks to Dr. Izumi, both of these experiences have deeply impacted my appreciation for community-based programming and ultimately influenced my future career goals,” said Mizushima.

As Mizushima prepares to make his mark in the professional world, his vision is clear: Public health is about relationships. He dreams of a career built on trust, respect and empowerment of the communities that raised them.

“I dream of my work one day helping facilitate collective action and community empowerment through health equity,” Mizushima said. “I hope to one day have as big of an impact on my community as my abuela.”

 

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