Touro College Holds First Graduation Ceremony

By Jennifer L. Warren

MIDDLETOWN – Tenth out of 45 colleges on their board exams. 100 percent residency. “Some of the best medical students around.”

These were just some of the accolades used to describe the inaugural graduating Class of 2018 at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, located in Middletown. Thursday afternoon that group of very special, talented students took the stage at Paramount Theatre to receive their medical degrees. Not only has it been a long, arduous, rewarding journey for the students, but for all those involved in making this amazing center of higher learning a reality. After the locale remained vacant in the wake of Orange Regional Hospital’s departure-relocation, builder

Tony Danza purchased the property, local politicians and others discussed plans for a medical school, and many others carried an unwavering belief in this vision that has helped lift at City’s economic as well as spiritual plight, providing promise and prosperity.

“Talk about a leap of faith; there was a total one hundred percent commitment to make this happen, amazing team effort.” exclaimed Kenneth Steier, Executive Dean and Chief Acadmic Officer of Touro. “What an amazing group of people; these students chose to come here even before the building was done, staff was complete.” Turning to the Class of 2018, Steier added. “This is your day; you will forever be known as the outstanding inaugural class.”

That class was composed of approximately 120 degree candidates, many of whom graduated with Cum Laude laurels, attesting to their high academic caliber. Not only is Touro’s mission focused on academic achievement, but also community involvement that centers upon serving all levels of society in the medical realm, and doing so with a highly personalized and humanistic approach. It’s that emphasis on practicing medicine in undeserved communities, along with elevating the percentages of unrepresented minorities in medicine, that sets Touro students apart. Eleven of those students were recognized at the Commencement with awards. It was a ceremony that also included a very specil guest, Governor David Patterson.

“This hidden treasure of this college is no longer hidden,” said Patterson, who made humorstic remarks about having had lost his speech, inciting laughter from the crowd. “We could not think what life would be like, for even a moment, if Tony Danza had not purchased this site.”

Also lending remarks was Keynote Speaker, TeCora Ballom, United States Assistant Surgeon General Rear Admiral, United States Public Health Service.

“The persistence of this college is absolutely amazing,” started out Ballom. She then went on to challenge students to three things: listening to their patients, practicing patient-centered care, and advocating for their patients. “This is a big and exciting time for medicine and technology, as there is much unchartered, and you will be faced with moral dilemmas,” stressed continued Ballom. “I want you to error on the side of humanity; Touro has prepared you for all of this.”