More than one hundred future health care leaders from the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine’s Class of 2026 walked across the stage on Friday to receive their diplomas, a defining milestone on their path to filling critical needs in the health professions workforce locally and nationwide.
This year, the WSU College of Medicine awarded 78 Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees, 46 undergraduate and graduate Speech and Hearing Sciences (SHS) degrees, 25 undergraduate and graduate Nutrition and Exercise Physiology (NEP) degrees, 10 Master of Healthcare Administration and Leadership (MHAL) degrees, and two doctoral degrees in neuroscience and experimental psychology, respectively.
The Master of Healthcare Administration and Leadership program, a partnership between the College of Medicine and Carson College of Business, graduated its first class this year. Its inaugural graduates—including practicing physicians, nurse managers, patient advocates, and other health care professionals—are already putting their new leadership skills and business acumen into practice to drive real-world improvements for patients across Washington.
The newly minted grads are among more than 3,000 WSU students graduating this spring in commencement ceremonies statewide. The College of Medicine marked the occasion with a more intimate college ceremony held at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash.
After opening with the national anthem sung by Vice Chair of Surgery Anjali Kumar, MD, MPH, the ceremony featured a land acknowledgement and blanketing ceremony led by Native American Health Sciences Program Director Jerry Crowshoe, MA. The blanketing ceremony, a pan-Indigenous practice to mark life milestones, recognized Native American graduates and the communities that support them.
“The blanket is more than just a piece of cloth,” Crowshoe told the crowd. “For many tribes, it means much, much more. During the harsh winter months, the blanket gives us warmth. During our sleep, the blanket gives us comfort. When we tuck our children in night, it gives them a sense of safety and security. And for these three individuals, it serves these same functions as they continue their journey.”
The ceremony also featured an honoring of military graduates led by Assistant Professor Janet Walker, MD. Student speakers Janelle Wilson (SHS), Dusten Butikofer (NEP), and Zachary Gottschalk (MD) addressed the crowd after the dean’s address.
“Today, as you prepare to enter the health care profession, I ask you to fully value your actions and the power they hold,” College of Medicine Dean James Record, MD, JD, FACP, told graduates. “You will not be simply doctors, speech-language pathologists, dieticians, administrators, and clinicians. You will also be advocates, educators, caregivers. You will go on to make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients and families, through both the big, momentous acts and through the seemingly small, quiet ones you make every day.”
University leadership also showed their support for our newest Coug Docs and other health care professionals. WSU Regent Chair Jenette Ramos and Regents Brett Blankenship and Marty Dickinson attended the ceremony to celebrate with the Class of 2026, and President Betsy Cantwell, PhD, and Provost and Executive Vice President T. Chris Riley-Tillman, PhD, conveyed their well wishes.
“As you move into this next chapter, know that you carry with you a Cougar community that is proud of you and invested in your success,” President Cantwell noted in a message to graduates. “Cougar Nation stretches across professions, cities, and generations—and today you join it as graduates and peers.”