131 students graduated from Semmelweis University’s Faculty of Dentistry 16 of whom finished summa cum laude. Out of the graduating students, 81 had studied in Hungarian, 37 in English, and 13 in German.
The ceremony was opened by Rector of Semmelweis University Dr. Ágoston Szél. In keeping with tradition, the request for the conferment of the diplomas was advanced by one of the candidates. After having taken the oath, the students were formally awarded their dentistry diplomas and welcomed into the dental profession by Rector Ágoston Szél and Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry Dr. Péter Hermann, who shook hands with each graduating student.
The rector then greeted the freshly graduated dentists and asked them to honour their oaths by always serving their sick fellow human beings. He added that they should continually cultivate their professions, expand their knowledge, be enthusiastic workers of the Hungarian health care system, and serve their people as faithful citizens of the nation. He wished good luck to the international graduates as well and expressed his hope that they would regard Hungary as their second home.
Speaking on behalf of the English-language students, Dr. Charlie Attariani gave thanks for Budapest’s hospitality and the quality of the education, and expressed his great appreciation to the instructors who had passed on their professional knowledge to the international students.
The presentation of awards was followed by a speech by Dean Péter Hermann, in which he quoted from the Stanford commencement speech of Steve Jobs who was, according to him, one of the most intuitive geniuses of the turn of the 21st century. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” The dean advised the students to ask themselves what the most worthwhile way to practice a profession is. On his part, Dr. Hermann said that those who had been working in this profession for decades can underscore the words of the creator of the Apple.
He also thanked the students: “You always ask questions which never lets us grow lazy. Thus, we can underline the old saying according to which we learn the most from students.” His concluding remarks quoted Tibor Kiss, lead singer of the famous Hungarian rock band ‘Quimby’: “Stay in the country, you are needed!”
Emese Nagy
Translated by Bonifac Makkai
