Michigan Public Health celebrates 450 graduates
Class of 2025 graduates’ impactful work often will be ‘invisible,’ yet essential
ANN ARBOR— Featured guest speaker Kristen J. Sarri, MPH ’97, addressed the University of Michigan School of Public Health graduating Class of 2025 during commencement May 1 at historic Hill Auditorium with a reminder of what lies ahead: “Public health isn't glamorous work.”
“There are no red carpets or celebrity endorsements waiting for you,” said Sarri, whose career spans more than three decades working on environmental policy to improve the livelihood of communities and protect nature. “In fact, when public health professionals do their jobs perfectly, nothing happens—no outbreaks; no crises; no headlines.
“The greatest successes in our field are often invisible—the disasters that never occurred, the lives saved without fanfare, the suffering prevented before it began. It is this invisibility that makes your work important.”
Sarri, who earned a Master of Science in Natural Resources and a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan, most recently served at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as a senior advisor for Climate and Environment in the Bureau for Resilience, Environment and Food Security and as the acting chief climate officer.
In 2024, President Joe Biden nominated her to serve as the assistant secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Prior to joining USAID, she served as president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. During her tenure, she transformed the organization into a leading voice for the conservation and restoration of US marine waters, working closely with local communities. She also has served in senior leadership positions in the Obama-Biden administration.
The greatest successes in our field are often invisible—the disasters that never occurred, the lives saved without fanfare, the suffering prevented before it began. It is this invisibility that makes your work important.”
— Kristen J. Sarri, MPH ’97
Sarri told the 450 graduates—comprised of 296 master’s degree, 113 undergraduate degrees and 37 doctoral degrees—she wanted them to remember a few essentials from this momentous occasion:
“First, the values of diversity, equity and inclusion aren’t just institutional programs—they’re fundamental principles of effective public health practice,” she said. “No matter what happens at the policy level, you carry these principles with you in the evidence-based understanding that health disparities are real, that social determinants matter, and that effective public health work must reach all communities.
“Second, as federal programs change, state and local health departments need skilled professionals more than ever. The nonprofit sector will step up to fill some gaps. And the private sector increasingly recognizes that population health affects its bottom line. Be flexible and creative. The skills you’ve developed at Michigan Public Health are transferable across sectors. Times of disruption often create space for innovation and entrepreneurship.
“And, in moments of institutional and political flux, remember your public health training.”
F. DuBois Bowman, presiding over his fifth graduation ceremony as dean of Michigan Public Health, also addressed the crowd.
“You’re all entering the field of public health at an incredibly important time,” he said. “Those of us in public health work on some of society’s most pressing issues—gun violence prevention, environmental justice issues, advancing health equity, fighting infectious diseases, and so much more.
“We find ourselves in a moment where support for these issues—particularly federal funding, which is crucial to our ability to advance solutions—is under threat. When we turn on the news, it’s easy to feel daunted and discouraged by what we’re seeing.
“But as I look out at this graduating class, I feel hope and inspiration. I see a group of students who have committed themselves to dismantling health disparities, chosen to pursue bold and courageous scholarship, even when it might be difficult.
“I see students who remain focused on partnering with and supporting communities in need and who have stayed true to our mission at Michigan Public Health—to pursue a healthier, more equitable world for all.”
That’s because public health is based on optimism, Bowman said, with a belief in improving the world. The field consistently meets challenges through commitment and resilience. Practitioners demonstrate resolve and dedication to helping others, excelling even in difficult circumstances. They leverage their expertise and voice to create a positive impact, continually rising to the occasion.
“This is why I feel hopeful about the future, because I know our passionate public health graduates will work tirelessly to create a better world for everyone,” he said. “Our future is brighter because of you.”
I feel hopeful about the future, because I know our passionate public health graduates will work tirelessly to create a better world for everyone. Our future is brighter because of you.”
— F. DuBois Bowman, dean of Michigan Public Health
Student speaker Irving Suarez, MPH ’25, who earned a Master of Public in Health in Health Behavior and Health Education, shared a phrase with his fellow graduates that he learned while studying abroad that has great meaning to him.
Five years ago while studying abroad, Suarez experienced Tanzania’s Mara region, engaged in local clinics, and absorbed cultural practices like the Maasai phrase Kasserian ingera?, which means And how are the children?
“It’s a handful of words that illustrate the Maasai’s tribe's greatest priority, the children,” Suarez said. “It means that as a community—as a collective—decisions have been made to ensure the safety of the vulnerable.”
This greeting reflects a community’s priority: children’s well-being. Suarez went on to address the graduating class and his loved ones—“my sister, my favorite cousin and my parents”—and acknowledged global challenges affecting vulnerable populations and urging graduates to prioritize action over research.
“Emphasizing that public health professionals must be proactive, promotive and protective,” he said, imploring his colleagues to center diversity, establish equity and ensure inclusion.
The measure of success is rooted in the well-being of future generations, Suarez said, before promising to use his public health training to work for a world that honors potential and fulfills dreams.
“I realize this promise is not mine alone to keep,” he said. “It belongs to all of us, gathered in this community—a community that carries the same responsibility to the children in their lives, to the vulnerable who rely on us to care for them.
“Today is a celebration, but it is also a promise to be the kind of professionals—the kind of community—that can proudly say: Supati ingera—all the children are well.”
Read more about the Class of 2025!
