First row: Sophia Agbomah, Stacie Summers, Emma Vierod, Kate Manual
Second row: Samantha Trulove, Emily Shands, Laura McGrath, Audreau Conley, Christine Bergesch, Garry Gregson
The Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing hosted its 2024 commencement ceremony on Friday, December 13, at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. The milestone event, celebrating both undergraduate and graduate achievements, spotlighted the transformative role of nursing and nurse anesthesia in healthcare. The ceremony featured the Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology and Head of the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine, Michael S. Avidan, MBBCh, FCASA, as the guest speaker.
Later in the afternoon, a special ceremony was held at Goldfarb School of Nursing to honor the Nurse Anesthesia Program graduates and their families. This intimate gathering celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2024 and recognized the collaboration with anesthesia providers from the Department of Anesthesiology.
The ceremony began with welcome remarks from Angela Clark, PhD, RN, MSN, CNE, FAAN, the Maxine Clark and Bob Fox President of Goldfarb School of Nursing; Kathleen Polley-Payne, PhD, MSN, RN, PNP, the Jack Taylor Dean of Goldfarb; and Dr. Avidan. Reflecting on the rich history of nurse anesthesia in the United States, Dr. Avidan traced its evolution from humble beginnings to a vital medical specialty. He honored pioneering figures such as Catherine S. Lawrence, Alice Magaw, and Helen Lamb, celebrating their groundbreaking contributions to innovation and excellence in patient care—a legacy that continues to inspire future generations of nurse anesthetists.
The ceremony also featured remarks from guest speaker Fillmore Almiron, CRNA, who offered words of encouragement and wisdom for the graduates. Class of 2024 SRNA President, Emily Shands, delivered the class president’s speech, celebrating the collective achievements and resilience of her peers.
During the ceremony, the following awards were presented:
- Tsugie Watanabe Award for Outstanding CT SRNA: Garry Gregson
- Watanabe-Henrichs Endowed Scholarship Awards: Brianna Baker, Keishauna Hayes, Joshua Danback
- Nancy Foreman Scholarship Awards (Presented by Elvira Sayfutdinova): Brianna Baker, Riley Ebenroth
- Agatha Hodgins CRNA Award: Laura McGrath
- Award for Clinical Excellence: Laura McGrath
- GSON’s J.L. London Award: Laura McGrath
- Student Marshall at the Convocation: Emily Shands
- GSON’s Anna Ikeda-Tabor Nursing Research Award: Garry Gregson and Emily Shands
- The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Foundation Program Administrator’s Outstanding Project Award: Audreau Conley and Samantha Trulove
Instructor awards, voted on by the graduating class, included:
- The Beverly Krause Outstanding CRNA Clinical Instructor Award: Elvira Sayfutdinova, MSN, CRNA, and Sarah Sillery, CRNA.
- Outstanding MD Clinical Instructor Award: Muthuraj Kanakaraj, MD, FRCA, EDIC,and Zek Alanoglu, MD, DES.
- The Helen Lamb Outstanding Didactic Instructor Award: Sarah Perez, CRNA.
“You are poised and well-equipped to embark on your future careers. I fully anticipate that you will all be leaders—not only in clinical anesthesia but also in education, knowledge generation, and even health services management,” said Avidan. “We are all so proud of what you have achieved and know that you will represent Goldfarb School of Nursing and WashU Medicine with professionalism and excellence.”
This year’s cohort of ten graduates earned their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, marking the third class to complete this advanced level of nurse anesthesia education. Notably, six of the ten graduates will join WashU Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) after passing their certification exams.
Congratulations to the Nurse Anesthesia Class of 2024 for their dedication and accomplishments in advancing the fields of nursing and anesthesia care.