Anoushka Chilakala, a behavioral neuroscience major who will enter medical school next year, will give the student address at St. Bonaventure University’s December Recognition Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16.

 

The ceremony, which recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who complete degree requirements this fall semester, will be held in Rigas Family Theater of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on campus.

 

Chilakala, from Portland, Oregon, is a student in St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan Health Care Professions’ early assurance program, which grants talented students the opportunity to apply for early acceptance to partner medical schools. She has been accepted at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she will begin studies in July 2024.

 

“I learned about SBU through the Franciscan Health Care Professions program, and my main draw was getting into the early acceptance program with LECOM,” Chilakala said. “But the charms of Bona’s kept me here, and I can’t imagine having gone to school anywhere else.”

 

Chilakala, who will also earn a minor in biology, has conducted research as a student under the mentorship of Dr. Sean Ryan, associate professor of biology and department chair. She also interned at Olean General Hospital, shadowing doctors in varied fields. She completed three other internships at medical facilities in Portland.

 

She has been an orientation leader at St. Bonaventure, a student ambassador for the Office of Admissions, and a supplemental instructor for biology and mathematics classes. She is also a Career and Professional Readiness Center Bonnies in the Spotlight honoree for having developed professional skills through quality experiences. She is certified in basic life support and has completed the Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization Provider course.

  

Chilakala said that in her address, she will urge her classmates to seize every opportunity that comes their way while remembering the lessons learned at St. Bonaventure, particularly that of “treating every person you meet with compassion and respect.”

 

Also at the recognition ceremony, Dr. Leigh Simone, assistant professor of world languages and cultural studies, will give the faculty address.

 

Dr. Jeff Gingerich, university president, will offer remarks, and Dr. David Hilmey, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, will welcome graduates and their families. Dr. Michael Hoffman, associate provost and chief information officer, and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, will present candidates for graduate degrees. Dr. Guy Imhoff, interim dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, will present candidates for undergraduate degrees.

 

The December Recognition Ceremony may be watched in real time on the university’s livestreaming network: https://video.ibm.com/channel/st-bonaventure-university-live-stream. A video of the live event will be archived for later viewing.

 

 

 

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #6 for value and #14 for innovation by U.S. News and World Report (2024).