Class of 2026 celebrates academic achievement as college leaders challenge graduates to pair clinical expertise with empathy, integrity and lifelong learning
Presbyterian College celebrated the Class of 2026 of its Physician Assistant Program on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Belk Auditorium, honoring a group whose academic achievement matched the responsibility they are preparing to assume as health care professionals.
Throughout the commencement ceremony, speakers returned to a common theme: The graduates leave PC with the medical knowledge and clinical skills necessary to care for patients, but their calling extends well beyond diagnosis and treatment.
They also carry an obligation to serve with compassion, integrity and a commitment to continued learning.
Amanda Stevenson-Cali, director of the Physician Assistant Program, reminded graduates of the demanding journey that brought them to commencement — long nights of study, clinical rotations and the challenge of mastering both the art and science of medicine.
“You’ve pushed through the fatigue, the stress and sometimes the doubt,” Stevenson-Cali said. “You’ve done this not just for yourself, but for the patients who will soon rely on your care.”
Distinguished by Achievement
Stevenson-Cali pointed to several measures of the Class of 2026’s academic performance.
Twenty-three members of the class earned GPAs above 3.7, including four above 3.9. On the end-of-curriculum examination, 50% of the class scored in the advanced medical knowledge range, compared with 30% nationally, and the class average was 25 points above the national average.
Many graduates are also already beginning their professional careers. Stevenson-Cali said about half of the class had secured jobs, with several receiving multiple offers. Graduates are moving into a wide range of medical specialties, including family medicine, hospital medicine, pediatrics, otolaryngology, psychiatry, cardiology, emergency medicine, women’s health and orthopedics.
But Stevenson-Cali also urged graduates not to measure their success solely by test scores, credentials, or job offers.
“As you embark on your careers, remember that the privilege of caring for others comes with great responsibility,” she said.
Graduates will encounter ethical dilemmas, difficult conversations and moments that test their resilience, she said. In those moments, the quality of their care may matter as much as the treatment itself.
“Sometimes it’s not just the treatment, but the care and compassion you provide that makes the greatest difference,” Stevenson-Cali said.
She also encouraged the graduates to remain curious and commit themselves to lifelong learning as medicine continues to evolve.
“Your education doesn’t end here,” she said. “It’s just the beginning.”
Prepared to Serve
Presbyterian College president Dr. Anita Gustafson congratulated the graduates for the determination and perseverance required to complete the program and thanked PA faculty and staff for preparing them for their profession.
Gustafson told the class that while their training had equipped them with clinical expertise, their Presbyterian College education had also cultivated qualities that are equally important in patient care.
“These other skills include compassion, care, and dedication to service,” she said. “These are skills that will set you apart as graduates of Presbyterian College and that are so vitally important for patient care.”
Gustafson said she has personally experienced the quality of the program’s graduates.
Several years ago, she said, a fall sent her to an emergency room, where she was treated by a physician assistant who graduated from PC’s program in 2022.
She recalled receiving “compassion, care and expertise” from the graduate — qualities she told the Class of 2026 they now have the opportunity to extend to their own patients.
Gustafson encouraged the graduates to embrace the privilege of caring for others and to continue learning throughout their careers as they join a broader network of health care professionals working to make their communities healthier.
At the Intersection of Science and Humanity
Provost and vice president for academic affairs Dr. Erin McAdams challenged graduates to consider their profession not only as a career but also as a civic responsibility.
“You stand at the intersection of science and humanity,” McAdams told the class, noting that decisions made by health care professionals can affect individual patients as well as entire communities.
McAdams said the trust placed in health care providers brings an obligation to serve with integrity and humility, address disparities, promote wellness and improve quality of life for people regardless of their background or circumstances.
She urged the graduates to see themselves not only as clinicians but also as advocates and leaders.
“Your education at Presbyterian College has prepared you not just for a career, but for a life of service and leadership,” McAdams said.
Honoring Outstanding Graduates
The ceremony also recognized members of the Class of 2026 for exceptional academic and clinical achievement.
Trent McClow received the Clinical Student of the Year Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement throughout the clinical year based on clinical evaluations, end-of-rotation performance and other assessments.
Hannah Beth Wootten received the program’s “Clinical Crusher” award for earning the highest overall average on national end-of-rotation examinations. Stevenson-Cali said Wootten’s performance placed her among the top students nationally. Wootten was also recognized as valedictorian of the Class of 2026 and previously earned her undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College.
As the graduates left Belk Auditorium and prepared to begin the next stage of their professional lives, the message from the ceremony was clear: Their success will be measured not only by what they know, but by how they use that knowledge in the service of others.
For the newest graduates of Presbyterian College’s Physician Assistant Program, commencement marked the culmination of an intensive education — and the beginning of a career built on science, compassion and responsibility.
The Physician Assistant Program Class of 2026
Nicholas Adam Bridges
Jeramiah William Patrick Brown
Nicola Sophia Brown
Kimberly Marie Carlson
Maria Auxiliadora File
Kaleigh Nicole Fowler
Kathleen Dudasko Frances
Emma Laney Gammons, Pi Alpha
Gabriel Alexander Garcia, Pi Alpha
Taylor Ann Gleason
Elexus Hightower-Wilson
Tanner Matthew Holben
Savannah Grace Hoover
Emilee Hill Johnson
Emma Elizabeth Kercorian
McKenna Ellis King
Abigail May Krug
Corrine Mae Marshall
Jayden Tiya Mattson
Haley Roone McCaffrey
Trent Alexander McClow, Pi Alpha
Lindsey Swann Melzer
Briana Soto Moski
Elizabeth Peña
Nydia Marcella Perez
Lilliana Louisa Ramsower
Taleen Ramzy
Caitlin Danielle Sheppard
Olivia Gabrielle Waters
Kelsy Jean White
Audra Shay Wilkerson
Hannah Elizabeth Wootten
Ryan Christopher Wright
