PROVO, Utah, Apr. 26, 2021 – Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) graduated 123 students from the University’s healthcare specialty programs Saturday, April 24, including program certificates, master’s degrees, and doctoral degree candidates.
“We congratulate our graduates today on a job well done,” said Richard P. Nielsen, PT, DHSc, ECS, founding president and CEO of RMUoHP. “To some this accomplishment was the culmination of a dream that started with an idea to pursue graduate healthcare education, to others it has been an uphill climb on the way to summit this huge mountain that you have been climbing, and to a few this accomplishment is a manifestation to you that you can do something of this magnitude in a way that you proved to yourself and to many others, your worth.
“Graduates, you don’t quite yet understand the significant role you have played in your lives to get you to this place, but you will soon,” he said during commencement. Nielsen continued with encouragement to “be kind and compassionate to all – demonstrate unwavering empathy, forgive those who have offended, always lift, build and inspire those around you. Make your mark in humanity and on the world going forward.”
RMUoHP graduates represented the following academic programs:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (PhD)
- Master of Science in Health Science (MSHS)
- Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP/FNP)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate (PMHNP)
- Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology (SLPD)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
The keynote speaker for Saturday’s commencement was Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson, ninth Lieutenant Governor of Utah.
“[Graduates], you have shown that true resilience is one of the traits that consistently sets Utahns apart,” said Henderson. “Utahns have proven they are up to any challenge. For example, pioneers tracked 1,100 miles across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains by foot, covered wagon, or by handcart to settle these valleys, turning a landlocked and once remote state into an economic powerhouse with the strongest and most diverse economy in America – and emerged bruised, but not broken, out of the COVID-19 pandemic. You, graduates, are part of that resilience.
“As you embark on the next phase of your life’s journey, use your drive, your dedication, and passion to help those around you. You’ve definitely proven your resilience and ability to achieve great things in the face of difficulty. We couldn’t be more proud. Congratulations, graduates of the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions class of 2021. You are America’s future, and America’s future is bright because of you.”
The commencement was a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, faculty, families, and staff all joined online to view the ceremony. The ceremony is also available to view at any time here.
About Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
Founded in 1998 and located in Provo, Utah, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is an accredited institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting commission recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. RMUoHP offers exclusively graduate healthcare evidence-based, high-quality, and outcomes oriented doctoral degree, master’s degree, certification and continuing education programs in a number of specialty areas, www.rm.edu
