The Observer, April 14, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 24
Case alumna to speak at Commencement 2006
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The time comes at the end of each year to say goodbye to the graduating senior class through the annual commencement ceremonies. This year's event will feature keynote speaker Case alumna, Julie Gerberding.
Each year, when selecting the commencement ceremony's keynote speaker, several factors are taken into consideration.
After taking suggestions from the graduating class, a committee of faculty and students meets to review each candidate. While narrowing down the field of candidates, which started well above one hundred this year, the committee takes into account the candidate's ability to make an impact on students, his or her ability to express himself clearly and enthusiastically, and his or her worthiness of an honorary degree.
While each of the above are important characteristics, the most important aspect of a candidate is their connection to not only Cleveland, but also to the Case community, according to Eric Dickens, Director of Campus Events.
Julie Gerberding, who was ranked the 12th most important woman in the world in 2005, began her college career at Case. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts in chemistry and biology, she went on to attain a medical degree at the Case School of Medicine in 1981.
While at Case, she earned several honors, including the George Talbot Hunt Award for academic excellence and leadership, in addition to the Alice Paige Cleveland Award, an award for women leaders.
In an interview, Gerberding attributes her achievements to the education she received at Case. Gerberding notes that her background at Case allowed her to take the next steps to further her career.
After leaving Case, Gerberding went on to complete her internship and residency training at University of California, San Francisco. She also earned a Masters in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley in 1990.
Gerberding has held many influential positions. Prior to working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), she maintained a post as the Director of Epidemiology and Interventions Center at San Francisco General Hospital.
After becoming involved with the CDC, Gerberding assumed the roles of Director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Acting Deputy Director for the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, and Active Deputy Director of the CDC before becoming the permanent Director of the CDC and Administrator for the Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
While fulfilling her duties as director of the CDC, Gerberding has been credited with playing a large part in keeping the population aware and protected during both the West Nile Virus outbreaks and the anthrax attack scares. Since assuming her position, she has also targeted issues of obesity, asthma, and diabetes, in addition to contending with miscellaneous public health problems.
Gerberding is also an associate clinical professor of medicine at Emory University.
Although the content of her talk has not been confirmed, Dickens looks forward to her speech.
"She comes across as confident and credible, which is important in the position which she holds," declared Dickens. In addition, Dickens also claims Gerberding presents with clarity and zeal.
Dickens hopes that Gerberding is both inspirational and encouraging to the Case campus. "She is an outstanding example of what you can become as a Case graduate," he said.
The speech will be made available after commencement on the Case website.
