Honoring Achievement: PHU Graduation Ceremony 2025 Highlights

On Saturday, September 13, 2025, Public Health U proudly hosted a Graduation Ceremony, honoring the achievements of 12 graduates from Semesters 24A, 24B, and 25A. 

The event was a joyous occasion, marked by celebration and heartfelt reflections on the remarkable journeys of our graduates. In addition to celebrating our graduates who earned the MPH Advanced Certificate, some of whom will go on to have their degrees formally conferred by EUCLID University, we also took the opportunity to recognize recipients of milestone certificates. The Public Health Basic Certificate was awarded to students who completed five courses, including the Preparing to Study course, while the Public Health Progress Certificate was awarded to individuals who completed eight courses, and are beginning to work on their dissertation. The ceremony was made even more special by the presence of family, friends, mentors, and supporters, whose encouragement and love shone through, making the celebrations truly memorable. Here are some of the highlights from the event:

Voices of Inspiration: Our Valedictorians

 

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the inspiring reflections shared by our two valedictorians, who spoke about their journeys, challenges, triumphs, and experiences at PHU. Chioma Ugwunweze, an MPH graduate from Semester 25a and Biorepository Scientist at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), shared powerful insights on what this milestone represents. In her words:

“This degree represents more than individual accomplishment. It symbolizes a collective commitment to improving health, reducing inequities, and making a lasting difference in our communities. We entered this program during a time when the importance of public health has never been clearer. We have studied not just to understand the problems but to be part of the solutions. As graduates, we’ve learned more than theories, research methods, or specialized knowledge. We learned that public health is not a solitary endeavor but a collective one, built on collaboration and a shared sense of mission. We've been trained to see beyond the surface, to understand the social determinants that shape health outcomes, and to recognize that behind every statistic is a human being. We’ve learned resilience, the ability to rise when things felt overwhelming. We have also learned adaptability—how to find our way through uncertainty. We learned that the work of public health is both a science and an art.”
Chioma Ugwunweze

Her words captured the heart of the occasion, reminding us that the journey of public health extends far beyond the virtual realm of PHU; it is a shared mission to improve lives and advance equity worldwide. For her full speech, click here.

 

We also heard from Majidah Hamid-Adiamoh, an MPH graduate from Semester 24B and a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the MRC Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She shared equally moving reflections on the impact of PHU:

“Finding an affordable, high-quality MPH program was a major concern for me. It felt almost impossible until I discovered PHU, which opens its doors to students like me from poor-resource settings. PHU gives us the possibility to acquire world-class MPH training for less than the cost of a full day’s meals at a restaurant. That opportunity is life-changing not just for us, but for the communities we serve. We are living proof that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. PHU empowers us to dream bigger. We will ever be grateful for this.”
Majidah Hamid-Adiamoh

Her words serve as a powerful reminder of PHU’s mission to make quality public health education accessible, equitable, and transformative for students worldwide. Click here to view her full speech.

 

The joy of our students, volunteers, and staff was felt across borders, even as we were separated by distance. The ceremony captured the spirit of achievement, resilience, and community that defines Public Health U. We celebrated not only the graduates’ academic accomplishments but also the dedication, perseverance, and passion that brought them to this milestone. 

Congratulations to all our graduates and certificate awardees! Your commitment to advancing public health inspires us all, and we look forward to witnessing the impact you will make in your communities and beyond. We eagerly anticipate the day when we can host even grander ceremonies, honoring our MEHP, MPH, and Ph.D. graduates together. Recognizing these graduates was deeply important, as their passion and hard work will undoubtedly translate into meaningful contributions to the field of public health. 

 

A special thank you to our volunteers, whose mentorship, guidance, and support have been invaluable to our students throughout their journeys. We encourage others to join us in shaping the next generation of public health leaders—sign up to volunteer here.

 

Relive the inspiring moments from our graduation ceremony by watching the whole event on the PHU YouTube channel here.