Celebrating the Class of 2026
One-Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Annual Commencement Ceremony
The Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and students of Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences are pleased to celebrate with you this one hundred and twenty-sixth Commencement Ceremony. Our academic traditions date back to our founding in 1898 and to the awarding of degrees to the first class of eight in 1899. Our students carry on those distinguished traditions. Amid life’s uncertainties, challenges and changes, including a global pandemic, members of the Class of 2026 have fulfilled their commitment to pursuing careers of service to others.
DMU is incredibly proud of our graduates and grateful that they are joining the highly competent, compassionate health professionals our alumni represent.
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Friday, May 29, 2026
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10 a.m.
Doors Open at 8:30 a.m.
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Casey’s Center
233 Center Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50309 -
No Tickets Needed
Tickets are not needed for this event. Seating is first come, first served.
Ceremony Information
Commencement Ceremony
The doors to Casey’s Center will open at 8:30 a.m.
Students must be dressed in regalia and in designated seats in Expo Center by 9 a.m. Name cards will be on the chairs, organized alphabetically by program.
The processional will leave Expo Center at 9:45 a.m.
There is unlimited seating for guests and no tickets are required for the event. The event is approximately 2 ½ hours long.
Military Commissioning Ceremony
The following graduates were honored and officially transitioned as commissioned officers in the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force on May 28 at Des Moines University.
- Captain Dilibe Ekowa, DO’26 — Army
- Captain Ella Kloster, DO’26 — Air Force
- Captain Matt Mackarevich, DO’26 — Army
- Captain Andrew Mannisto, DO’26 — Air Force
- Lieutenant Emma Parker, DO’26 — Navy
- Lieutenant Lydia Sohn, DO’26 — Navy
Guest Information
Entrances
Please utilize the North and South doors to enter Casey’s Center.
Security Procedures
Guests should arrive early and travel light, as walk-through metal detectors will be used upon entry. Bags of all size are subject to search upon arrival at Casey’s Center.
All guests are subject to be searched upon entering the facility. Cell phones, keys and wallets (among other items) may need to be removed for additional screening if requested by security. These procedures are not a response to any specific threat, but rather recommendations made by Oak View Group and security partner, CSC, with consultation from local law enforcement officials and Polk County. Guests are encouraged to allow for extra time to enter Casey’s Center and to leave non-essential items at home.
Prohibited Items List*
See Venue FAQ and Policies for more information.
- Alcohol, drugs, illegal substances or any paraphernalia associated with drug use
- Animals (except trained service animals and service animals in training for guests with disabilities)
- Cans, bottles, coolers or other similar containers
- Electronic cigarettes/vape pens inside the facility
- Fireworks
- Flags/signs with poles
- Professional cameras, tripods, GoPros
- iPads/tablets
- Laptop computers
- Laser pens/pointers of any type
- Noisemakers such as air horns
- Outside food or beverages
- Pepper spray/Mace
- Weapons of any type including chains, knives, firearms and spiked jewelry (including permit to carry)
- Any other item deemed unacceptable by event/building management
Items that are normally prohibited but will be allowed for this event:
- Bags larger than 4.5”x6.5” — All bags, clear and exempted bags, are subject to search.
- Bags that are NOT clear — All bags, clear and exempted bags, are subject to search.
- Oversized bags, backpacks, duffel bags — All bags, clear and exempted bags, are subject to search.
- Audio/Video recorders
- Strollers
- Umbrellas
* If an item is revealed during a search, patrons may dispose of the item or they may return the item to their vehicle. Casey’s Center does not safeguard any personal belongings or items of any type.
Parking
Parking is available in the lot northwest of Casey’s Center with entrances off of 3rd Street and 5th Avenue. Street parking and city parking garages are also available within walking distance.
Cashless Facility
Casey’s Center is a cashless facility. All concessions will only accept debit, credit and gift cards.
Speaker and Distinguished Guests
George Rust, MD, MPH, FAAFP, FACPM
2026 DMU Commencement Keynote Speaker
Dr. George Rust is board-certified in both family medicine and public health/preventive medicine. He serves as co-director of the Center for Medicine and Public Health Policy and Practice and as a professor in the behavioral sciences and social medicine department at Florida State University College of Medicine.
Rust has spent his career at the intersection of race, health and poverty, consistently working in settings where he could make a difference. His book, “Healing in a Changing America: Doctoring in a Nation of Needless Suffering,” released in 2025, chronicles the stories of lessons learned, mistakes made and skills acquired during his journey in medicine and public health.
His distinguished career spans clinical medicine, academic leadership, community health and national health policy, with a sustained focus on improving access to care and advancing health equity for underserved populations from inner-city Chicago to the small-town rural South.
Throughout his career, Rust has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as founding director of the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine and as senior scientific advisor to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. He has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and has received local, state and national recognition for teaching, service and contributions to health equity.
Stephen D. Richards, DO’74, RPh, FAAFP
2026 DMU Commencement Grand Marshal
Stephen Richards, DO’74, RPh, FAAFP, is a retired physician who enjoyed a fulfilling career in family medicine, served both the U.S. Air Force and Iowa National Guard, and continues to give back through philanthropy and board service.
Richards received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Drake University in 1971 alongside his wife, Janice Miller Richards, RPh. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences in 1974 while on scholarship from the U.S. Air Force.
After graduation, Richards pursued an internship at Scott Air Force Base Medical Center in Illinois. He applied the knowledge and skills he acquired at DMU while on active duty as a flight surgeon with the 349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron.
Richards returned to Des Moines and completed a family medicine residency at Broadlawns Medical Center in 1979 before moving to Algona, Iowa, to start a rural practice. Kossuth Regional Health Center, where Richards practiced for more than 30 years, grew into a busy multispecialty clinic, yet he still made time for house calls to visit some of his most complex patients.
Richards served as president of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians and the Iowa Medical Society, as well as a delegate of the American Academy of Family Physicians to the American Medical Association. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Richards serves on the Des Moines University Board of Trustees and is a member of the Finance and Institutional Advancement Committees. The Richards family is leaving a legacy at DMU through the Richards Learning Studio, the Dr. Stephen and Janice Richards Endowed Scholarship Fund and membership in the Founders Society and President’s Society.
When asked what advice he has for students, Richards says, “Medicine is a special calling and worth all the effort to get there.”
Officers of the Academic Procession
Officers of the Academic Procession
Mace Bearer
Sarah Clayton, PhD
Platform Party Marshal
Melinda Miller, MEd
Faculty Marshal
Maurice Blodgett, DO, CHSE
Student Marshals
Maria Barnes, PhD
Allison Larson, PT, DPT
Wayne Wilson, PhD
David Roberts, MS
Readers
Jennifer Beaty, MD
John Bennett, DPM, FACFAS
Jun Dai, MD, MSc, PhD
Matthew Henry, PhD
Kelsee Hove, OTD
Steven Mather, PT, PhD, ATC/L, OCS
Holland Taylor, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPAA
Faculty Hooders
Kevin Carnevale, MD
Sarah Clayton, PhD
Kelly John, DPM, MHA, FACFAS, DABPM
Jillian Jones, PT, DPT
Nicole Kuhl, OTD, OTR/L, CBIS
David Plutschack, OTD
Rebecca Shaw, MD
Amy Shriver, MD
Jarrod Smith, DPM, DABFAS
Muhammad Spocter, PhD
Catherine Stevermer, PT, DPT, PhD, ABPTS
LiLian Yuan, PhD
Graduate Information
Welcome to the Alumni Association
As a DMU graduate, you are now a member of the university’s Alumni Association! As a member, you gain access to special perks and join a growing community of 16,000+ alumni around the world.
Watch for more information from DMU’s Alumni Office — your point of contact for future communications and questions.
Graduate Photos
DMU graduate photos are available online by entering a graduate’s last name and graduation year.
Contact the Customer Service Department at 800-261-2576 for assistance.