SIU School of Dental Medicine Celebrates Graduation of Inaugural ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program Cohort
Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SDM) proudly celebrated the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program (ADCFP) on May 14, marking an important milestone in the school’s commitment to developing the next generation of academic dental leaders.
The ADCFP, an ADEA national initiative, is designed to introduce dental students to careers in academic dentistry through mentorship, leadership development, teaching experiences, and professional growth opportunities.
Throughout the year, fellows engaged in a variety of academic and leadership activities while working closely with faculty mentors who provided guidance and support in exploring careers in dental education and academia.
Read about the earlier announced award-winning ADEA fellows.
The graduating inaugural fellows include the following:
- Vivian Finerty
- Michael Greaves
- Brook Juneau
- Jenna McCarthy
- Jay Niebrugge
- Ria Patel
- Jasleen Saini
- Sanam Talwar
- Bhavi Vashi
Participating faculty mentors are the following:
- Andres Davila
- Duane Douglas
- Katie Hanser
- Lily Kyritsiou
- Jennifer Rapini
- Ken Rawson
- Tom Sotiropoulos
- Manita Utreja
- Minaal Verma
Program Liaisons: Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS and Jasbir Upadhyaya, BDS, MSC, PhD.
Garcia, the SIU SDM Assistant Dean for Career Development, holds an ADEA micro-credential in Technology Integration in Didactic Teaching. The micro-credential is an initiative designed to recognize and document the professional growth of oral health educators.
The student fellowship was made possible through the strong support and collaboration of the SIU SDM faculty and administration. Special appreciation is extended to Dean Saulius Drukteinis, DMD, MS, PhD, for championing this initiative and for his leadership and support in advancing academic and professional development opportunities at the institution. Additional thanks are extended to Emeritus Dean Bruce Rotter, DMD, MS, the SIU SDM Office for Career Development, and the SIUE Graduate School for their invaluable support and contributions.
“This inaugural cohort represents an important investment in the future of dental education, we are incredibly proud of our fellows, grateful to our mentors, and excited to continue growing this initiative as we expand the program with future cohorts,” said Upadhyaya and Garcia.
The success of the inaugural year reflects SIU SDM’s continued commitment to mentorship, leadership development, diversity, and innovation in academic dentistry.
PHOTOS: Inaugural cohort of the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program; SIU SDM Dean Saulius Drukteinis, DMD, MS, PhD, Ken Rawson, DMD and Jasbir Upadhyaya, BDS, MSC, PhD; Drukteinis, Sanam Talwar and Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS
