Graduates of ˮƵ Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which celebrated its 111th Commencement Ceremony on May 30, are already shaping the future of human health.
Members of the Class of 2025 — a new generation of health professionals, researchers and biomedical entrepreneurs — have spent years honing their knowledge and skills to help lead the revolutionary shift toward personalized, preventive and precision healthcare.
But the focus of the commencement, held at Credit Union 1 Arena on the UIC campus in Chicago, wasn’t the explosion of data and advanced technologies powering the future of health care and science. It was another force to be reckoned with — the human.
“Some might say that artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over, so compassion and human connection are soon to be quaint relics of the past,” Keynote Speaker Dr. Stephen Trzeciak told nearly 600 RFU graduates and soon-to-be graduates. “Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, as our technical expertise becomes eclipsed by AI, our humanity will matter more than ever.”
Dr. Trzeciak, chairman and chief of the Department of Medicine at New Jersey-based Cooper University Health Care, told graduates “the key to resilience is relationships,” in urging them to more deeply connect with their patients, families and colleagues.
The bestselling author of “Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence That Caring Makes a Difference” challenged the Class of 2025 to commit to a growth mindset, “essential for your continued development not only as a health professional but as a human being.”
"In a world that often seems divided, transactional, and impatient,” Dr. Trzeciak told graduates, “let your compassion be a quiet act of rebellion, a powerful force for good, a statement of who you are and what you stand for."
Dr. Jondelle Jenkins, a 1983 graduate of the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, welcomed graduates to the global network of more than 23,000 RFU alumni.
“Remember to give back to your profession,” said Dr. Jenkins, who has built a successful private practice in Chicago. “Remember to always treat your patients with the utmost compassion and respect.”
Graduate Speaker, Dr. Juan Medina-Echeverria, president of the Chicago Medical School Class of 2025 recalled “being 19, a new parent, and hearing every reason why I wouldn’t make it.” He thanked his wife, his children, parents and siblings — “You didn’t just support me, you carried me,” he said — before recounting the many ways he and his fellow students shaped the campus and strengthened the community.
“At ˮƵ Franklin University, we didn’t just train in health care and scientific research — we built something bigger,” he said. “We didn’t just show up — we gave back. We inspired fourth and fifth graders in ˮƵ through our Mini Medical School. We weren’t just teaching them about medicine — we were showing them this future belongs to them too.”
RFU President and CEO Dr. Wendy Rheault congratulated the Class of 2025, noting that the entire university community joined in the celebration. She welcomed two inaugural Class of 2025 cohorts from the College of Nursing, graduates of the Master’s Entry into Nursing Practice and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programs.
“ˮƵ Franklin University has prepared you to thrive in dynamic environments,” Dr. Rheault told graduates. “We have prepared you to work in teams — to value each member’s expertise and contributions — whether offering compassionate, patient-centered care or solving complex scientific problems. The partnerships you build across professions will help create a more equitable future.”
As the ceremony drew to a close, Dr. Matt Primack, a 2004 graduate of RFU and president at Advocate Condell Medical Center, led clinician graduates and healthcare professionals in attendance in reciting the Declaration of Geneva. The declaration is a pledge to humanitarian service, patient well-being and dignity, and the ethical use of medical knowledge.