Multiple Area Grads Included: SIU School of Medicine Awards Degrees to 72 New Physicians and Scientists

SPRINGFIELD, IL. - With demand for physicians rising nationwide, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine added a new cohort of doctors to the health care workforce on Saturday, May 16, as fourth-year medical students received their medical degrees and prepared to begin residency training. The commencement ceremony at the BOS Center in Springfield celebrated the achievements of 72 graduates (70 MDs and 2 PhDs) and featured remarks from faculty members, alumni and honorees.

SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost Dr. Jerry Kruse presented diplomas to the students and Dr. Daniel Mahony, president of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, conferred the doctorate degrees.

Kruse also served as commencement speaker. A professor of family and community medicine and medical education, he joined the SIU faculty in 1984 and has served the organization in numerous leadership roles. He will retire as dean and provost later this year.

In his address, Kruse (pictured above) shared memories of his father, Jesse Elwood Kruse, a World War II veteran. He recounted how his father served as a captain in the 41st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in battle. The dean described the traumatic event where his father stepped on a landmine in Belgium, leading to the amputation of his foot and a long recovery. Kruse connected his father's motto—"A man standing by his convictions will turn the tide for many"—to illustrate the importance of leadership, compassion and commitment in medicine.

Medicine needs “proximate leaders” more than ever before, Kruse said. He quoted one of Abraham Lincoln’s messages to Congress during the throes of the Civil War: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.”

Kruse reminded the new physicians that their training has prepared them for just such tasks. “You have the tools and know how to turn obstacles into actions.”

Honored faculty at the event included Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Dr. Amanda Mulch, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Wendi El-Amin and Mikaela Thurber, who was named Carbondale Teacher of the Year.

Three distinguished medical school alumni were recognized in categories that highlighted their accomplishments in health care:

• Achievement - Dr. Andrew Varney (’88)
• Service - Dr. Alanna Bree (’00)
• Early Career Impact - Dr. Tyler Fulks (’16) [pictured below, left to right]

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards were presented to a faculty member and recent graduate for exemplary care and compassion for patients, learners and colleagues, as well as community service. Dr. Robert Tennill in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and 2026 graduate Dr. Savannah Kidd were this year’s recipients (pictured below, left and center).

The Class of 2026 selected Dr. Erik Constance (above right) to receive the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Constance is an associate professor of education and internal medicine. Kruse also presented him with the Harbinger Award, the highest service award given by SIU School of Medicine, in recognition of his long-term dedication to the school’s mission areas.

At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Madison Stacy, chair of the Class of 2026, delivered remarks on behalf of the graduates. She encouraged the class to look toward their future as physicians with excitement rather than trepidation, and to honor the new “firsts” of their careers just as they cherished the milestones of their education. “I have no doubt each patient you meet will feel incredibly safe in each of your dedicated, capable and compassionate hands,” she said.

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, 3,456 physicians have earned SIU medical degrees.

The new SIU physicians will begin residency training in their chosen specialties in June. Destinations are included in the lists below.

SIU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CLASS OF 2026

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Jessica Rajkumar Bisping | Morton | Family Medicine | U Illinois COM-Peoria Carle HM | Christopher and Supriya Rajkumar

Jackson Blough | Springfield | Orthopedic Surgery | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Brandon Blough and Jennifer Farnsworth

Anna Carter | Springfield | Dermatology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Marc and Lisa Carter

Kyle Cole | Decatur | Anesthesiology | Northwestern McGaw/NMH/VA-IL | Todd and Jennifer Cole

Devin Compton | Chatham | Emergency Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Scott and Tammy Compton

John Demir | Normal | Psychiatry | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Sakin and Gulay Demir

Emily Fahey | Peoria | Radiology-Diagnostic | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF | Kevin and Molly Fahey

Shrita Ganga | Chatham | Psychiatry | U Missouri-Kansas City | Ganesh and Karuna Ganga

Carly Goben | Normal | Pediatrics | U Louisville SOM-KY | Phil and Denise Goben

Juliana Guaglianone | Decatur | Internal Medicine | U Iowa Health Care Med Ctr | Perry Guaglianone and Mary McGrath

Matthew Hoelscher | Eureka | Family Medicine | U Illinois COM-Peoria Carle HM | Brian and Nancy Hoelscher

Hannah Johnson | Morton | Radiology-Diagnostic | U Illinois COM-Peoria OSF | Bradley and Kara Johnson

Tyler Jones | Petersburg | Urology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Charles and Brook Jones

Alexandra Karras | Sherman | Pediatrics | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics | Peter and Victoria Karras

Imadh Khan | Peoria | Interventional Radiology | U Michigan Hosps-Ann Arbor | Asif and Shazia Khan

Savannah Kidd | Bloomington | Dermatology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | David and Diane Kidd

Shea Lanier | Springfield | Emergency Medicine | Indiana University SOM | Larry Lanier and Linda Lanier

Yiyi Ma | Springfield | Otolaryngology | U Missouri-Kansas City | Jianjun Ma and Wei Du

Allison Mool | Sherman | Pediatrics | Children’s Mercy Hospital-MO | Robert and Deanna Mool

Christopher Rossi | Bloomington | Surgery-General | U Kentucky COM-Lexington | Dr. Phillip and Dr. Vera Rossi

Jennifer Shafer | Normal | Pediatrics | Univ Texas at Austin Dell Med School | John and Terri Barnes

Bailey Stauffer | Virden | Randy and Gayle Stauffer

Marcus Steffen |Bloomington | Surgery-General | Henry Ford Jackson Hosp-MI | Cennert and Varpu Steffen

Zelinda Taylor | Springfield | Dermatology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | William and Judith Taylor

Kyra Webster | Springfield | Obstetrics and Gynecology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Louis and Stephanie Webster

EASTERN

Blaine Baer-Bulinski | Oreana | Urology | U Louisville Residency Program | John and Krystal Baer

Connie Bao | Mahomet | Radiology-Diagnostic | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Shiping Bao and Xiaoyun Wu

Alex Beesley | Effingham | Psychiatry | Emory University SOM-GA | Bradley and Cynthia Beesley

Zachary Bennett | Charleston | Transitional/Radiology-Diagnos | Indiana University SOM | Steve and Wendy Bennett

Connor Cavanaugh | Georgetown | Family Medicine | Memorial Hospital-IN | Joshua and Amy Cavanaugh

Yousef Elhalees | Champaign | Internal Medicine | Indiana University SOM | Walid and Barihan Alemleh

Raya Gandhi | Champaign | Neurology | U Illinois COM-Chicago | Aashish and Rachel Gandhi

Murtaza Jatoi | Forsyth | Internal Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Naeemuddin Jatoi and Farah Mansoori

Lauren Kee | Bourbonnais | Pediatrics | Oregon Health & Science Univ | Scott and Donna Kee

Sarah Lee | Champaign | Plastic Surgery | Indiana University SOM | Jae and Helen Lee

Chelsey Wisehart | Homer | Internal Medicine | West Virginia University SOM | George and Carla Wisehart

SOUTHERN

Katie Ayres | Edwardsville | Family Medicine | Mercy Hospital St. Louis, MO | Dr. Robert and Janet C. Ayres

Alyssa Dollison | O'Fallon | Obstetrics & Gynecology | U Tennessee Health Sci Ctr-Memphis | Erik and Twana Dollison

Mara Downing | Troy | Family Medicine | SSM Health/St Louis Univ SOM-MO | Toby and Ranita Keller

Lauren Garbe | Dieterich | Family Medicine | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | Michael and Gail Garbe

James Hillard | Robinson | Psychiatry | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL |Jeff and Shelly Hillard

Trisha Nair | Mt. Vernon | Anesthesiology | U Iowa Health Care Med Ctr | Dr. Sudeep and Mrs. Priya Nair

Jenna Ribbing | Anna | Internal Medicine | U Washington Affil Hosps | William and Sheryl Ribbing

Jacob Schmid | Marion | Anesthesiology | Barnes-Jewish Hosp-MO | Chad Schmid and Holly Sonnenberg

Hannah Schmidt | Bethalto | Pediatrics | U Alabama Hospital-Birmingham | Greg and Heather Schmidt

Amber Schwertman | Edwardsville | Neurology | Health ONE-Colorado | Christopher and Karie Schwertman

Brianna Sexton | Belleville | Emergency Medicine | Univ of Missouri-KC Programs | Robert Sexton and Tanya Sherwood

Madelyn Skinner | Belleville | Internal Medicine | U Minnesota Med School |Greg and Susan Skinner

Ireland Smith | East Alton | Emergency Medicine | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps | Christopher Smith and Carla Smith

Madison Stacey | O’Fallon | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Indiana University SOM | Tim and Pam Stacey

Nicholas Stevenson | Belleville | Anesthesiology | Barnes-Jewish Hosp-MO | Nicholas and Lisa Stevenson

Zoe Weld | O'Fallon | Pediatrics | St Louis Children's Hosp-MO | Matthew and Martha Weld

Micaylen Wolf | Harrisburg | Emergency Medicine | Mayo Clinic Sch Grad Med Ed-MN | the late Robert Wolf and Melinda Wolf

NORTHERN

Olayemi Adebayo | Chicago | Family Medicine | U Illinois COM-Peoria Carle HM | Temitope and Tessy Adebayo

Alana Goodson | Mundelein | Internal Medicine | Creighton University-NE | Sabrina Kilar

Justin Harris | Matteson | Neurology | SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-IL | William Harris and Angela Woolfolk

Virginia Kreckman | Mendota | Pediatrics | Rush University Med Ctr-IL | John and Kristin Kreckman

Jenna Lee | Rockford | Internal Medicine | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics | Jay and Sherry Lee

Kevin Lu | Peru | Anesthesiology | U Illinois COM-Chicago | Min Lu and Shu Huang

Skylar Ozoh | Chicago | Nnamdi Ozoh and Lynnette Wilson

John Salazar | Orland Park | Psychiatry | Riverside Medical Ctr-IL | John and Linda Salazar

Kyle Struck | Orland Park | Ray and Kelly Struck

Tyona Young | Chicago | Shedrick Golden and Jaquenette Scott

WESTERN

Georgia Graham | Ursa | Emergency Medicine | U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics | Daniel and Kimberly Graham

Nina Tran Scott | Moline | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Univ of Missouri-KC Programs | Minh Tran and Thuy Tran

OUT OF STATE

Diandra Donkor | Bronx, NY | Internal Medicine/Pediatrics | Tulane Univ SOM-LA | Gabriel and Grace Barnieh

Charles Hughes | Macon, GA | Transitional/Phys Med & Rehab | U Central FL/HCA Healthcare GME | Nathaniel and Gwendolyn Hughes

Carlos Marmolejo | Homestead, FL | Emergency Medicine | Med Coll Wisconsin Affil Hosps | Carlos Marmolejo and Mirley Serna

Aungelique McGhee | Atlanta, GA | Family Medicine | University Hosps-Columbia-MO | Todd McGhee and Lisa Moye

Justine Newman | Glenmoore, PA | Pathology | Hosp of the Univ of PA | Lee and Jennifer Newman

MEDICAL RESEARCH DEGREES (PhD)

Dheyaa Al Sallami | Iraq | Abdul Salaam and Lamyaa Sallami

Rajaram Kshetri | Nepal | Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic | Ran Bahadur Kshetri and Nirmala Karki Chhetri

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