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It’s a good thing Juhee Hwang, OD ‘97, and her husband Troy woke up early and drove from Lansdale, Pennsylvania to Fairfax, Virginia – a total of approximately 175 miles one way – to pick up Dr. Hwang’s mother and get her back in time to see her grandson graduate later that afternoon.
That’s because there was some important and emotional family history unfolding.
Patrick Hwang, MMS ‘25, had followed in his mother’s footsteps to Salus University, albeit in a different program. And, now his mom was hooding him during his commencement ceremony just before he walked across the stage to receive his diploma as a newly minted graduate of the Salus at Drexel University Physician Assistant Studies program.
And, his maternal grandmother didn’t want to miss that.
“I was very emotional when I got to see my daughter get hooded and graduate (from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, which established Salus University in 2008),” said Okhi Park in Korean as translated by Dr. Hwang. “But to then see her put the hood on her own son . . . I’ve got nothing else that I want out of life.”
The specialness of that moment was not lost on Park’s daughter and grandson.
“It was an honor for me,” said Dr. Hwang. “I’m glad that my mom was here to witness it.”
Patrick Hwang admitted he’s not usually an emotional person, but the moment touched him and is going to stay with him forever.
“It’s a very good feeling. There’s not really anything I can compare it to,” said Patrick, whose sister Nicole also joined the family for the ceremony. “It was unreal.”
The fall commencement, held Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, conferred degrees on 78 students, 63 of whom participated in the ceremony. The Class of 2025 embarked on their academic journeys as students of Salus University and concluded them as proud graduates of Drexel University’s College of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies and the College of Nursing and Health Professions, marking a historic transition following the July 2025 merger of the two institutions.
For Nyarai and Thamary Pfinayi, they had the pleasure of watching their twin daughters graduate from different physician assistant programs just a few weeks apart. Charlene Pfinayi, MMS ‘25, earned her Salus at Drexel University Physician Assistant Studies degree while twin sister Charmaine Pfinayi had done the same earlier from Chamberlain University in Chicago.
“It was wonderful. I was so excited and thrilled inside. I’m proud of my twins,” said mother Thamary Pfinayi.
Ahna Kay, MMS ‘25, delivered the commencement address for the Class of 2025. Upon her arrival to the Elkins Park campus, she found a community that grounded her – classmates who became family, professors who became mentors and both a school and program that fostered collaboration, which not only boosted her confidence but pushed her out of her comfort zone.
“Our time here gave us more than knowledge, it gave us perspective and the opportunity to grow,” Kay told her classmates. “It’s easy to focus on the science, the skills and the list of competencies we learned. But beneath all of that lies the responsibility to care. See the person beyond the diagnosis and meet them with compassion, curiosity and respect.”
She urged classmates to hold on to the same sense of purpose that brought them to the Elkins Park campus in the first place – to listen deeply, learn continuously and to treat patients with respect.
“You’ve earned every bit of this accomplishment. Wherever your next steps take you, whether to a clinic, a lab or a classroom, I hope you continue to learn, to serve and work with compassion in all that you do,” said Kay.
It was the first official commencement ceremony presided over by Drexel University’s new President Antonio Merlo, PhD, who took over on July 1, 2025, just two days before the merger between Salus and Drexel was finalized with the approval of the U.S.Department of Education.
He told the graduates they are entering the professional world at a time when it needs compassionate, innovative and courageous health care leaders more than ever.
“Whether you are advancing clinical practice, shaping policy, leading systems or driving research, your work will touch lives in profound ways,” said Dr. Merlo. “And, know that you are not just concluding a chapter, you are stepping forward as a proud alum, having fully earned that distinction. We are proud to call you Dragons, welcome to this moment . . . your moment.”
Thomas Beeman, PhD, FACHE, FCPP, RADM, USN (ret.), a former member of the Salus University’s Board of Trustees and now a member of the Drexel Board of Trustees, reminded graduates that they had chosen professions where outcomes matter, trust is earned and teamwork saves lives.
“Carry forward the combined strength of Drexel’s innovation mindset and Salus’ deeply rooted patient-centered mission,” said Dr. Beeman. “Use both, especially now, as health care evolves with new technologies, new evidence and new models of care. Anchor your work in service, equity and dignity. Let your credentials be the beginning of your impact, not the end of your learning.”
Charles B. Cairns, MD, Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean of the College of Medicine and senior vice president, medical affairs at Drexel, cautioned the graduates that the road ahead will bring challenges, but they should remember the strength and preservation that brought them to this moment.
“Let that be your foundation. The world needs your curiosity, your compassion and your adaptability,” he said.
