This fall, USF鈥檚 (COPH) celebrates a new class of graduates who are stepping forward with knowledge, compassion and a commitment to strengthening the health of communities everywhere. In total, 469 students are earning their degrees this semester, marking an important milestone in their journeys as future health leaders.
Representing a wide mix of backgrounds and lived experiences, this class includes 412 students from Florida, 49 from across the country and eight international graduates, reflecting the broad reach and global perspective that define the College of Public Health.
Jan Dahrendorff celebrated earning his PhD with a concentration in genomics at the ceremony and reception held at the COPH building. (Photo courtesy of Caitlin Keough)
Across all degree levels, graduates are preparing to enter a range of roles and fields. This semester鈥檚 class includes 16 doctoral graduates, 47 master鈥檚 graduates and 406 undergraduate students, each bringing fresh ideas, determination and purpose to a world that needs strong public health leadership.
Throughout the week鈥檚 celebrations 鈥� from the college reception at the Samuel P. Bell, III, Building to ceremonies at the Yuengling Center 鈥� families, faculty and friends came together to honor the hard work and resilience of this fall鈥檚 graduates.
Health Sciences graduate Amari Colvin attended the graduation ceremony at the Yuengling Center. (Photo courtesy of Elissa Santos)
As these step into their next chapters, they join a powerful network of Bulls working across the globe to advance health and improve lives. The COPH is proud to welcome them into its growing family of public health professionals.
Here are some of the stories from the Class of 2025:
Lindsay Thomas, MPH in community nutrition (Photo courtesy of Thomas)
Lindsay Thomas was first introduced to public health while completing her AA degree
at Hillsborough Community College. A friend recognized that her interests and coursework
aligned with the field, which was a suggestion that ultimately shaped her academic
path. Thomas went on to earn her from the College of Public Health in 2020. This semester she graduates as the first student in the concentration.
Thomas chose to return to the COPH for her graduate degree because she was already
familiar with the program and appreciated the flexibility of online learning. That
access proved critical during a challenging year.
Last fall, her home flooded during Hurricane Helene, forcing her to relocate and rebuild while continuing her coursework. Thomas, who also navigates disability-related challenges, credits determination and community for helping her reach graduation.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud to be the first person in my immediate family to complete a master鈥檚 degree,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e met amazing people and lifelong friends in this program. Learning from professors who bring both knowledge and experience has been so impactful.鈥�
After graduation, Thomas plans to focus on her health before returning to work, ideally with the Florida Department of Health鈥檚 nutrition sector, where she hopes to support communities through evidence-based nutrition programs.
Angela Makris, PhD in community and family health (Photo courtesy of Makris)
For Angela Makris, public health began on the other side of the world. Working in an Australian state department serving families, foster care and adoption introduced her to the complex systems that influence health and wellbeing.
Makris earned her from the College of Public Health in 2018. This fall, she completes her .
Choosing USF was an easy decision. 鈥� had been my academic hero for years,鈥� Makris said. 鈥淜nowing she was here made the COPH the obvious choice.鈥�
Her doctoral journey included work on a nationwide COVID-19 project for the disability sector 鈥� work she considers one of her proudest accomplishments. But it also came with challenges, including personal health issues, surgeries and the loss of a parent. The pandemic required her to completely change her research focus, sending her back to the drawing board.
鈥淎s a mature-age student, life really did get in the way. But my academic family carried me through,鈥� Makris said. 鈥淭heir support helped me excel.鈥�
Makris will begin as an adjunct instructor at the COPH in the spring and hopes to build a career at the intersection of disability, social marketing and public health 鈥� including developing a new undergraduate course that blends all three.
Hannah Groth, MPH with a concentration in epidemiology and graduate certificates in applied biostatistics and infection control (Photo courtesy of Groth)
Public health became personal for Hannah Groth long before she ever took a class in the field. Only four months after graduating high school and days into starting college, Groth was diagnosed with cancer. The experience of being immunocompromised and vulnerable to the actions of others reshaped her understanding of community health.
鈥淢y own health crisis, and then watching the world face COVID-19, made me want to make a difference,鈥� she said.
Groth earned her from the College of Public Health in 2023. She now graduates with an , alongside in applied biostatistics and infection control.
Her resilience has been central to her success. After cancer treatment, she developed Avascular Necrosis (AVN), a progressive and painful condition that led to bilateral hip replacements at just 19 years old. Throughout graduate school, she underwent numerous surgeries and procedures 鈥� including one on her second day of classes 鈥� all while managing chronic pain, anxiety depression and a recent loss in her family.
Still, Groth pushed forward. 鈥淭here were so many moments I could have quit,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛. I鈥檓 proud of my perseverance and my passion for the future.鈥�
After graduation, Groth plans to work as an infection preventionist, monitoring disease trends in health care facilities and ensuring protocols protect patients and staff. Long-term, she hopes to become a cancer epidemiologist, driven by the experience that first inspired her to pursue public health.
Basmala Jamal, BS in health sciences with a biological health concentration (Photo courtesy of Jamal)
Before she ever stepped foot on the USF campus, Basmala Jamal saw the impact of public health at both local and global scales. Born in Iraq and raised as a refugee, she grew up hearing about cancer clusters and environmental devastation in her home country. Moving across multiple U.S. communities exposed her to the ways resources and social supports directly shape health.
Jamal graduates with her with a biological health concentration on the pre-physician associate (PA) track. She entered USF knowing the university鈥檚 strong health reputation, research opportunities and connections with local health systems made it the ideal place to pursue her goals while remaining rooted in her Tampa community. She is currently involved in research examining health care resources available to refugees in the U.S.
Her proudest achievement? Earning acceptance to PA school at just 20 years old.
Getting there wasn鈥檛 easy. To meet her accelerated timeline, Jamal completed her degree in 2.5 years while juggling seven courses 鈥� six of them STEM core 鈥� along with working, shadowing, volunteering and completing medical assistant certification training. 鈥淭ime balance was everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it without my family and friends.鈥�
Jamal begins the USF Physician Associate Program in May and looks forward to becoming a PA who provides culturally attuned, patient-centered care. She hopes to apply her public health training throughout her career, considering the whole person 鈥� their medical needs and the social factors influencing their health.
COPH Boundless Bull
Ednecia Nelson, BSPH. (Photo courtesy of Nelson)
The diagnosis was devastating 鈥� stage 4 Hodgkin鈥檚 lymphoma.
鈥淚 was only 21,鈥� Ednecia Nelson said. 鈥淣obody thinks they鈥檒l get cancer, especially at that age. I was just scared 鈥� period.鈥�
That was in 2019. Today, Nelson isn鈥檛 just a survivor 鈥� she鈥檚 thriving. The cancer is behind her, and the future is wide open.
This month, she鈥檒l graduate from USF with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in public health.
Her goal: To work with dementia patients and start her own memory care facility.
鈥淚 share my story so people know miracles are real,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚 stayed positive, and with the love and support of my family, I overcame it. If I can do that, you can too.鈥�
Nelson鈥檚 career path is inspired by experiences with her paternal grandfather, who had Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
鈥淚 used to visit him at his medical facility,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚鈥檇 see some patients all alone, with no family, and I felt so bad for them. So, I always told myself that I would one day work as an advocate for people like that.鈥�
After high school, she enrolled in Hillsborough Community College with a plan to earn an associate degree and then transfer to USF to pursue public health.
That plan was suspended when Nelson turned 21. She had been experiencing extreme fatigue for months. No matter how much she slept, she still felt tired all day, every day. But she didn鈥檛 think much of it.
Ednecia Nelson (middle) celebrates her last day of chemotherapy treatment
Then, while out for a celebratory birthday dinner with friends and family, Nelson
experienced shortness of breath and felt something growing on her chest.
鈥淚 was trying not to panic, but I knew something was wrong,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was wearing a halter-top type of dress. Once I was able to catch my breath, I asked everyone if there was anything on my chest.鈥�
During dinner, a knot the size of a golf ball had formed there.
A few days later, a CAT scan discovered a larger mass inside her chest. Once removed through surgery, doctors confirmed it was cancerous 鈥� stage 4.
鈥淵ou start thinking, 鈥榃hy me?鈥欌�� Nelson said. 鈥淏ut you can鈥檛 focus on the negative. I had to put that behind me and focus on beating cancer.鈥�
She took a break from school for chemotherapy treatments.
鈥淚t was a tough time,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淏ut I had my family praying for me the entire time. We all believed I could overcome it. We had great faith on our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. I wasn鈥檛 going to let cancer define me. I stayed active through exercise. I continued to have a social life. I remained positive. I remained myself. And I know that all helped.鈥�
In March 2020, Nelson learned she was in remission. The following August, she returned to Hillsborough Community College, earned her associate degree, and then transferred to 最新天美传媒 in 2023.
鈥淚 feel extremely blessed to have so many opportunities,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚 just want to continue to give back by helping as many people as possible.鈥�
Story courtesy of Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing