Carrying Knowledge Forward: UMB Celebrates New Doctoral Graduates
On May 20, graduates, mentors, families, and colleagues filled Leadership Hall at the Medical School Teaching Facility as the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) celebrated its newest cohort of doctoral scholars during the 2026 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. The event marked the culmination of years of research, discovery, and perseverance as graduates crossed the stage to receive the academic hood symbolizing entry into the community of scholars.
The ceremony, hosted by the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies (UMSGS), honored doctoral graduates from programs spanning neuroscience, social work, pharmaceutical sciences, molecular medicine, epidemiology, rehabilitation science, palliative care, and health professions education.
As UMSGS Dean Kenneth H. Wong, PhD, welcomed graduates, families, mentors, and colleagues to the ceremony, he reflected on the enduring role of universities in preserving and expanding human knowledge, comparing modern research institutions to the ancient Library of Alexandria — a center of learning that brought scholars together to advance understanding of the world.
Doctoral candidates sit in Leadership Hall during the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s 2026 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, watching as graduates are recognized and hooded on stage.
“The new PhDs we recognize today are a continuation of that great intellectual community and that tradition of knowledge preservation, stewardship, and knowledge expansion,” Wong said.
“We hope that you will always feel at home here at UMB, whether through continuing education, career mentorship, or just being a friendly face to a new student. Your contributions will make a tremendous impact,” he added. “We encourage you to stay involved, be close to your mentors and your community of researchers, stay connected to them, give back to the University’s mission of knowledge for the public good. Together, we can ensure that this new version of the Great Library of Alexandria stands the test of time.”
UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, congratulated the graduates and acknowledged both the uncertainty and promise of the future.
“I have great hope, because science will prevail,” Jarrell told the graduates. “You are all scientists in your own specialty. You’re graduating from what I would consider to be a top-tier biological and social sciences research institution, and this country’s hope to continue to be leaders in the world in research.”
Throughout the ceremony, faculty mentors from across UMB — including the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Social Work, and Graduate Studies — introduced graduates individually, highlighting the research, innovation, and personal journeys that shaped each student’s doctoral experience. Their remarks reflected not only scientific and academic achievement, but also the resilience required to complete years of demanding scholarship while balancing careers, caregiving, teaching, and family life.
The ceremony also included recognition of graduate student leadership and mentorship.
Jessica Cornell, president of the Graduate Student Association, praised the graduates for their perseverance and dedication. “A PhD isn’t just a degree, it’s proof that you were willing to keep going when things got hard,” she said. “Be proud of every late night, every revision, every experiment, overcoming accidental deletion of data, every moment you doubted yourself and kept going anyway. Congratulations, the world is better because of people like you, and the rest of us are excited to see where you lead next.”
After her remarks, the Dr. Patricia Sokolove Outstanding Mentoring Award was presented to Danya Mazen Qato, PharmD, MPH, PhD, in recognition of her support and mentorship of graduate students. Her mentees described her as a compassionate mentor who fostered academic rigor and empathy in research and leadership.
Among the graduates was Christina Kratzmeier, who earned her PhD in molecular microbiology and immunology. Her dissertation focused on cancer immunology research conducted under the mentorship of Alexander S. Krupnick, MD. After the ceremony, she reflected on the experiences, relationships, and research that shaped her doctoral journey at UMB.
Kratzmeier works as an immunology research scientist with Irazú Oncology at the 4MLK building in the University of Maryland BioPark, UMB’s life sciences and technology hub adjacent to campus. There, she said she is continuing the same area of cancer immunology research she pursued during her doctoral studies — allowing her to remain connected to the UMB research community where her scientific journey began.
“It really feels like a full-circle moment,” Kratzmeier said. “I started here with an internship program, then entered my PhD program here and continued working with many of the same people. It’s just been a really nice environment that I’ve worked in since 2019, and I have loved my time here. Today is the culmination of all of that.”
