THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO COMMENCEMENT SPRING 2020 LETTER FROM Dear graduates, THE PRESIDENT On behalf of our entire Rocket community, congratulations on your graduation from The University of Toledo. We are living through extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances as the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we cannot gather together for our traditional commencement celebration, your hard work and perseverance needs to be celebrated. I am heartbroken that I am not able to shake your hand and personally congratulate you as you walk across the commencement stage. Please know, I’m incredibly proud of you – and I’m sure I speak for your family, friends and all who have supported you throughout your education. While you have done the work, today is the realization of a dream shared by many people in your life. During our virtual commencement celebration, all of us at The University of Toledo are recognizing your last sixteen or more years of formal education, the countless hours of study, exams and projects, and the creativity and determination that brought you here. At the same time, we celebrate your future successes. No matter what your next step is, you have the educational foundation to succeed. As a graduate of The University of Toledo, you are now empowered with much more than a diploma. Your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt in uncertain circumstances, will always be in high demand. Together with The University of Toledo Board of Trustees, our faculty and staff, and alumni and supporters, we applaud your achievements and are grateful to have been a part of this amazing time in your life. Remember that you will always have a community here supporting you, whether in person or in spirit. Go Rockets! Sincerely, Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D. President The University of Toledo THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO | COMMENCEMENT | SPRING 2020 3 B O A R D Mary Ellen Pisanelli Will Lucas OF TRUSTEES Chair Trustee Alfred A. Baker Richard S. Walinski Vice Chair Trustee Eleanore Awadalla Roy V. Armes Trustee National Trustee Stephen P. Ciucci Christine E. Brennan Trustee National Trustee Jeffrey C. Cole Birdel F. Jackson, III Trustee National Trustee Daniel J. Guttman Kyle D. Bergen Trustee Student Trustee Patrick J. Kenney Rebecca K. Dangler Trustee Student Trustee SENIOR Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D. William N. McCreary, LEADERSHIP President M.B.A., M.S., M.A., M.L.W. Vice President and Chief Information Karen S. Bjorkman, Ph.D. TEAM and Technology Officer Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Willie L. McKether, Ph.D. Vice President for Diversity Christopher J. Cooper, M.D. and Inclusion and Vice Provost Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the College of Michael E. O’Brien, M.Ed. Medicine and Life Sciences Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Matthew J. Schroeder, M.B.A. Executive Vice President for Peter J. Papadimos, J.D. Finance and Administration and Vice President and General Counsel Chief Financial Officer Richard Swaine, M.S., CPA Jim Anderson, M.Ed. Chief Executive Officer Vice President of Enrollment at The University of Toledo Management Medical Center Frank J. Calzonetti, Ph.D. Adrienne King, Ed.D. Vice President of Research Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Phillip “Flapp” Cockrell, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs Diane M. Miller, J.D. Chief of Staff to the President and Associate Vice President of Government Relations DEANS Charlene D. Gilbert, M.F.A. John D. Plenefisch, Ph.D. Dean, College of Arts and Letters Interim Dean, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Anne L. Balazs, Ph.D. Dean, College of Business and Innovation Linda A. Lewandowski, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Dean, College of Nursing Raymond H. Witte, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Health Affairs for Dean, Judith Herb College of Education Interprofessional and Community T. Michael Toole, Ph.D., PE Partnerships Dean, College of Engineering Gary M. Pollack, Ph.D. Barry W. Scheuermann, Ph.D. Dean, College of Pharmacy Interim Dean, College of Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Human Services Barbara Kopp Miller, Ph.D. D. Benjamin Barros, J.D. Dean, University College Dean, College of Law Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, Dr. rer. Nat. Christopher J. Cooper, M.D. Dean, College of Graduate Studies Dean, College of Medicine Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs and Life Sciences, Heidi M. Appel, Ph.D. Executive Vice President Dean, Jesup Scott Honors College for Clinical Affairs, Vice Provost for Educational Beau D. Case, M.S., M.A. Health Affairs Dean, University Libraries THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO | COMMENCEMENT | SPRING 2020 5 COLLEGE Doctor of Nursing Practice OF GRADUATE Danny Barazi STUDIES Bachelor’s Degree – The University of Toledo Scholarly Project Advisor – Temeaka Gray, PsyD, M.B.A., APRN-WHNP Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, Scholarly Project Title – “The Effects of Breathing Retraining Education for Adults with Asthma in Improving Quality of Life and Reducing Short-Acting Dr. rer. Nat., Dean Beta-Agonist Inhaler Use in a Primary Care Setting” Sarah Marie Bennett Bachelor’s Degree – Lourdes College Scholarly Project Advisor – Temeaka Gray, PsyD, M.B.A., APRN-WHNP Scholarly Project Title – “The Effect of a Multi-Modular Text Message Intervention on HPV Vaccination” Clifford William Fawcett III Bachelor’s Degree – Cedarville University Master’s Degree – University of Delaware Master’s Degree – University of Virginia Scholarly Project Advisor – Susan Batten, Ph.D., APRN-CNS Scholarly Project Title – “Evidence Based Practice Improvement Project to Improve Influenza Vaccination Rate in Intercollegiate Athletes” Katherine M. Hertzfeld Bachelor’s Degree – Otterbein University Bachelor’s Degree – The University of Toledo Scholarly Project Advisor – Robert Topp, Ph.D., R.N. Scholarly Project Title – “The Effect of Theory Based Text Messages on Family Caregiver Social Support and Contact With Hospice to Attend Group Counseling Sessions” Kori Michelle Pfeiffer Bachelor’s Degree – The University of Toledo Scholarly Project Advisor – Linda Lewin, Ph.D., PMHCNS-BC Scholarly Project Title – “Teach Back Method and Brown Bag Review in the Psychiatric Population: An Evidence-Based Practice Project” Brandi Nicole Snyder Bachelor’s Degree – Mercy College of Northwest Ohio Scholarly Project Advisor – Dr. Robert Topp, Ph.D., RN Scholarly Project Title – “The Effect of The Rapid Assessment for Adolescent Preventive Services (RAAPS) in Improving the Style of the Exchange of Information and Balance of Power during a Health Care Visit in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting” Doctor of Philosophy in Biology Dileepa Madushanka Jayawardena Bachelor’s Degree – University of Peradeniya Master’s Degree – The University of Toledo Dissertation Advisor – Scott Heckathorn, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide Plus Chronic Warming On Plant Nitrogen Relations and Leaf Hyponasty” Shelby Kesterson Bachelor’s Degree – The University of Toledo Dissertation Advisor – Malathi Krishnamurthy, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Impact of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Nonvirion Protein on Host Antiviral Responses” Michaela Margida Bachelor’s Degree – Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Master’s Degree – Duke University Dissertation Advisor – Daryl Moorhead, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Integrating Carbon Quality with C:N Stoichiometry Controls in a Model of Enzyme-Mediated Plant Litter Decomposition” Yangyang Zhang Bachelor’s Degree – Anhui University Master’s Degree – Shanxi University Dissertation Advisor – Fan Dong, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Differential Regulation of c-Myc and c-Fos/Egr1/Egr2 Expression by Gfi1, a key Regulator of Hematopoiesis” Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering Dinesha T. Dona Agosthinghage Bachelor’s Degree – University of Moratuwa Dissertation Advisor – Arunan Nadarajah, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Evaluation of the Biocompatibility and Mechanical Stability of PVA/Alginate Composite Scaffolds” Emily Krull Bachelor’s Degree – Miami University Dissertation Advisor – Aisling Coughlan, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Novel Procedure for 3D Printing Bioactive Glass based Bone-Tissue Scaffolding” THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO | COMMENCEMENT | SPRING 2020 7 Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry Bishwa Raj Bhetuwal Bachelor’s Degree – Tribhuvan University Dissertation Advisor – Jianglong Zhu, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Stereoselective Synthesis of β-Mannosides and β-Mannosamines via Cs2CO3 Mediated Anomeric O-alkylation” Morteza Jandaghi Bachelor’s Degree – Amirkabir University of Technology Master’s Degree – Sharif University of Technology Dissertation Advisor – Mark Mason, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Development of Homogenous Catalysts for Polymerization of Bio-derived Monomers” Dinesh Kankanamge Bachelor’s Degree – University of Colombo Dissertation Advisor – Ajith Karunarathne, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Decoding Intricacies in GPCR-G Protein Signaling Regulation” Kristopher A. Kleski Bachelor’s Degree – University of Rio Grande Dissertation Advisor – Peter R. Andreana, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Cancer Immunotherapeutics Derived from Entirely Carbohydrate Conjugates–Syntheses and Evaluations” Veronica Livingstone Bachelor’s Degree – Trine University Dissertation Advisor – Cora Lind-Kovacs, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “One-Pot In-Situ Polymerization of Polymer Composites with Inorganic Filler” La’Nese Lovings Bachelor’s Degree – Xavier University Lousiana Dissertation Advisor – Cora Lind-Kovacs, Ph.D. Dissertation Title – “Synthesis and Characterization of Solid Solutions