Penn College News

Physician assistant grads mark transition to practice

Monday, August 11, 2025

photos by Alexandra Butler, photographer/photo editor

On a stage, a woman prepares to slip her arm into the sleeve of a coat that is being held by another woman.

Kimberly A. Kavanagh, instructor of physician assistant, helps student Madeline M. Bordner, of Williamstown, to don her white coat.

A day before Saturday’s Summer Commencement ceremonies, students graduating with Master of Science and combined Bachelor/Master of Science degrees in physician assistant studies were celebrated during a “white coat ceremony.” 

White coat ceremonies are long-held traditions in many medical and physician assistant programs and symbolize the transition from student to health care provider. Physician assistant instructors Cheressa L. Mix and Kimberly A. Kavanagh ceremonially helped the 23 members of the Class of 2025 to put on their jackets. Each student also received a pin, attached to their jacket by a person of their choice, before the group recited the physician assistant oath.

Student speaker for the event was Grace M. Chestnut, of Cogan Station.

Learn more about physician assistant studies at Penn College at www.pct.edu/pa.

A woman in a dress stands behind the podium on the stage of Penn College's Klump Academic Center Auditorium.

Grace M. Chestnut, of Cogan Station, provides the student address.

A woman looks up at a man who is attaching a pin to her white lab coat.
Two pairs of hands hold event programs. A bouquet of white roses sits in an empty auditorium seat.
Students in white lab coats stand in a row of auditorium seats and read from their programs
Families gather outside the Klump Academic Center. In the center, a woman in a long white lab coat and a man hug.
Several people stand on the stage of the Klump Academic Center auditorium. In the center of the stage, a man in a suit has his arm around a woman in a long white lab coat and dress, who smiles while both face the audience.

Nidhi Patel receives congratulations from her pinner, Krusang Patel.

News Students Physician Assistant Nursing & Health Sciences

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