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First Annual BUILD Commencement Celebrates Graduating Scholars

Published May 24, 2017

On Friday, May 19, �� BUILD held its first annual Commencement celebration to honor the first cohort of Scholars who have completed the two-year research training program. The evening featured Rhea-Comfort Addo speaking for her class and Keynote speaker Ramon Velazquez, Ph.D., who also acted as DJ to close out the event. Velasquez is a senior post-doctoral fellow in the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Biodesign Institute, at Arizona State University.

Photo Highlights from the Commencement Celebration

For more (and larger) images from the party, view the .

Full house at Commencement Party — The house was full at the 2017 Commencement Party

BUILD Scholars Amalia Lira and Nicholas Nieto

Student Training Core Director Chi-Ah Chun did her best to v — Student Training Core Director Chi-Ah Chun did her best to visit everyone who came to the party

BUILD Scholar Gina Vimbela and friends — BUILD Scholar Gina Vimbela (center) and friends

BUILD Scholars Matthew Argame (far left) and Author Yao (far — BUILD Scholars Matthew Argame (far left) and Author Yao (far right) with Principal Investigator Laura Kingsford (center left) and Student Training Core Director Chi-Ah Chun (center right)

BUILD Scholar Rhea-Comfort Addo with her family

BUILD Scholar Layla Ramos shows off her page in the Commence — BUILD Scholar Layla Ramos shows off her page in the Commencement program

BUILD Principal Investigator Laura Kingsford opened the cere — BUILD Principal Investigator Laura Kingsford opened the ceremonies with a welcome speech

BUILD Principal Investigator Guido Urizar gave the welcome a — BUILD Principal Investigator Guido Urizar gave the welcome address in Spanish

The completing class of BUILD Scholars chose Rhea-Comfort Ad — The completing class of BUILD Scholars chose Rhea-Comfort Addo to give the student address at the event

Ramon Valasquez, Ph.D., from Arizona State University, gave — Ramon Valasquez, Ph.D., from Arizona State University, gave the keynote address

Specially designed �� BUILD sashes were distributed to th — Specially designed �� BUILD sashes were distributed to the Scholars

BUILD Scholar Malik Rogers with Dr. Chun

BUILD Scholar Selin Ari receives her certificate from Dr. Ch — BUILD Scholar Selin Ari receives her certificate from Dr. Chun

�� BUILD Class of 2017 proudly poses

Family and friends snap pictures of the Scholars like papara — Family and friends snap pictures of the Scholars like paparazzi

BUILD Scholar Author Yao shows off the BUILD sash BUILD Grap — BUILD Scholar Author Yao (left) shows off the BUILD sash BUILD Graphic Designer Alex (right) designed

Nathan Sollenberger, Michael Carillo and Robbin Nameki took — Nathan Sollenberger, Michael Carillo and Robbin Nameki took advantage of the banner photo opp

Ramon Velazquez spun the dance tunes as DJ of the evening

BUILD Scholar Huong Dang gets down while other scholars chee — BUILD Scholar Hoang Dang gets down while other scholars cheer him on

BUILD Scholar Rhea-Comfort Addo dances with her fellow Schol — BUILD Scholar Rhea-Comfort Addo dances with her fellow Scholars