EDITION 2.4

Spring 2025

Rutgers Health Hub

Man standing in front of a building in a suit

Dear Rutgers Health Community,

Each year brings new milestones, but few are as momentous as commencement season. As we celebrate the Class of 2025, I’m filled with immense pride for what our graduates have achieved, and even more excitement for what lies ahead.

Across our schools and programs, this year's graduates have shown resilience, purpose, and a steadfast commitment to improving the health and well-being of our communities. They’ve conducted cutting-edge research, served patients with compassion, and advocated for health for all. They are scholars, leaders, and change-makers, ready to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow. I hope you enjoy learning more about them in this issue.

To our graduates: thank you for the brilliance and energy you’ve brought to Rutgers Health. Wherever your path leads next, know that you will always be part of this community.

To our faculty, staff, families, and supporters: your guidance and care have helped make this moment possible. Thank you for your dedication to student success.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025, it is a privilege to do the work to make the world a healthier place, and now that privilege belongs to you.

Warm regards,

Brian L. Strom, M.D., M.P.H.

Chancellor

Grads in the News

👑 Meet Osasenaga Iyamu (right), a Public Health Student Using Her Voice and Her Crown for Change

🕶️ Rutgers Nursing Grad Proves Mental Illness Is No Barrier to Success

📊 Data for Good: Ruoshi Ping on Public Health and Purpose

🦷 This year, 128 students received Doctorate of Medicine in Dentistry degrees, and 27 will get advanced degrees in dental specialties.

Meet a few of the graduates:

Rebekah Webster

Program: DMD

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Next stop: “Miami, Florida, doing Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Jessie Trice Community Health Center and taking continuing education courses at the Pankey Institute.”

Brett Chappell

Program: DMD

Hometown: Mahwah, New Jersey

What is a highlight of your time at RSDM?

“One of the most memorable experiences was participating in a video shoot during my fourthyear for the Vet Smiles program with one of my favorite patients.”

Iris Wong

Program: DMD

Hometown: Edison, New Jersey

Advice for current and prospective students?

“Dental school is what you make of it. Take advantage of the opportunities you get and learn as much as you can.”

Akshay Katara

Program: Orofacial Pain

Hometown: Mumbai, India

What will you miss the most?

“Over the past two years, I’ve grown in ways I never imagined—clinically, professionally, and personally. What made this journey truly special were the remarkable mentors who supported and inspired me every step of the way.”

Clinical and Community News

April Brings May Flowers 🌼 – and Rutgers Day. What you missed during this year’s festivities.

Honoring 25 Years of Cop2Cop and Giving the Police Someone to Call

Despite a dearth of funding, the Rutgers Health-led hotline Cop2Cop remains the go-to well-being resource for New Jersey's law enforcement professionals. Whether needing help with job-related depression, anxiety, stress or other traumas, this peer support program has saved countless lives.

“Speaking to Cop2Cop, having one of the peers support me in my desire to get better, led me to make the decision to go into rehab,” says Michael Runyon, a retired Trenton police officer. “I haven’t had a drink for 11 years because of that call.”

Need to Talk? Cop2Cop Has Your Back

Graduating Rising Stars Scholars

As we celebrate the Class of 2025, we proudly recognize this year's Rutgers Rising Star Scholars—exceptional medical students honored for their academic excellence, innovation, and dedication to community health.

These future physicians from New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are poised to make a lasting impact across New Jersey and beyond.

See the Stars

Graduating as a Scholar in Gun Violence Research

Devon Ziminski is a senior research administrator at the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers–Camden and a doctoral fellow with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center (GVRC) at Rutgers Health. Her work brings together community partners and local governments to evaluate programs focused on social services and violence prevention.

Ziminski’s research explores community violence interventions, urban–rural gun violence differences, and how gun violence impacts perceptions of safety.

On her time at Rutgers:

“My time here has been transformational,” she says. “Rutgers fosters collaboration across campuses, and I’m incredibly grateful for the connections I’ve made. A highlight has been the mentorship and encouragement from the GVRC, a center doing vital research and policy work to keep New Jerseyans safe.”

Her advice to students:

“Don’t hesitate to reach out to others. Rutgers is full of dedicated, passionate people who love to collaborate—you never know where it might lead.”

Rankings

Let’s Give ‘Em Something to Talk About

Rutgers Health has had a great year and the proof is in the pudding. Check out these latest rankings in US News & World Report:

The School of Health Profession's Physician Assistant program has soared to No. 3 in the nation, reaffirming its status as a leader in healthcare education. See how they’re shaping the next generation of physician’s assistants.
The Rutgers School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program has climbed to an outstanding rank of No. 4 in the nation!
The Rutgers School of Public Health has been ranked No. 16 among the 2025 Best Schools in Public Health.
The Master of Science in Nursing program also earned national recognition, ranking No. 17 among the best.
See full list of rankings here from US News & World Report.

A Research Powerhouse

Despite New Jersey being a protective state for minors, two-thirds of U.S. adolescent minors are impacted by state abortion restrictions across the country.
Higher rates of firearm violence impacts whether or not people seek dental care. What does the research say?

Rutgers Health in the News

🤧 Seasonal Allergies or the Dreaded Cold? Your guide to navigating the spring season.

🎨 Do food dyes make ADHD worse? Here’s what parents should know.

🚱 Why Drinking Bottled Water Can Be Much Worse for You Than Tap, According to New Research.

We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Take a moment and let us know what type of content you'd like to see in future issues of the Rutgers Health Hub newsletter.

Take the Survey

rutgershealth.org