Novant cardiologist implores fall graduates to lead with their ‘whole heart’

by Chuck Gordon

After putting their heart into their studies the past few years, the newest crop of Wingate University graduates heard sage advice on Saturday about the heart (both physical and metaphorical) from someone who knows a thing or two about it.

Dr. Jonathan Fisher, clinical physician executive at Novant Health, is also a cardiologist and author. At Wingate's fall Commencement, he implored graduates to take care of their physical heart but also to pay heed to their emotional, social and spiritual hearts as well.

"Seek out relationships that nourish you and sustain you," Fisher said during his address. "Choose compassion as your guiding principle. Every act of kindness creates ripples far beyond what you can see, strengthening not just your heart, but the hearts of those around you."

Wingate conferred degrees and certificates upon 270 graduate and undergraduate students in Cuddy Arena Saturday morning. Of the 156 graduate students, 103 were health-science grads, including 60 who received master of physician assistant studies degrees, 42 who earned doctor of physical therapy degrees, and one who earned a doctor of pharmacy degree. Other graduate degrees awarded were master of business administration, master of accounting, master of arts in sport management, and doctor of education.

Among the 114 receiving bachelor's degrees, the most popular majors were psychology (19 grads), exercise science (18) and biology (12).

All told, 27 states and 16 countries were represented among the graduates.

Among the physician assistant studies grads was Hannah Ross, a Fort Mill, S.C., native who will move on to a job in obstetrics and gynecology with Atrium Health in March. "I wish I could start sooner," she says. "I'm really excited."

First, Ross has to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, which she'll take on Wednesday. She spent this past week studying and feels that her Wingate professors have prepared her well.

"They're not only always available to us, but they're extremely supportive of us," Ross says. "They truly want us to succeed, and they do whatever it takes to help us get there."

Elizabeth Toflinski, an Honors College student from Statesville, also credits the faculty - in this case, professors in the biology department - for keeping her at Wingate after she changed plans midstream and decided to aim for medical school rather than P.A. school.

"Because the class size is so small, I feel there's a lot of teacher interaction," says Toflinski, a biology major who graduated a semester early. "The professors are so interested in us and invested in our success."

Toflinski says she discovered her love of lab research while working on projects with Dr. Brett Schofield, assistant professor of biology. She got so invested in the research that she has presented her findings at three Wellspring Symposiums. Toflinski still plans to attend med school, in 2026, but instead of practicing internal medicine, she now wants to do pathology, marrying her interest in medicine with her newfound love of lab research.

"I like that tug-and-pull, in a sense, of 'Is this going to work?'" she says of working in the lab. "And if it is, what is our next step? And if not, we've got to go back and review. It's step by step, but it's also constantly changing."

Lennia Valarie, a psychology major from Florence, S.C., also graduated a semester early, after cramming as much into seven semesters as she could. In addition to working up to three on-campus jobs a semester (in addition to photography jobs off campus), Valarie also did the Honors College curriculum, went to Italy with the W'International program this past May, and was part of the W'Engage program that toured Civil Rights sites in the South. She presented three projects at Wellspring Symposiums and was named Art Student of the Year as a junior.

"I did everything, but I liked the busyness," she says. "It's kind of fun. It keeps you active and makes the time go by."

Valarie, who hopes to one day become a school guidance counselor, says that being a resident assistant for two years was the most rewarding activity she did at Wingate. "It was great being able to see students through that first year," she says. "It's nice to give them someone to go talk to. Just being a mentor, in a sense. It's good to be there when they need you."

Fisher would understand where Valarie is coming from. He told graduates that when he entered the medical profession, he was more of a technician, keeping his patients at arm's length emotionally. It wasn't until a decade or so into his career that Fisher realized that neither he nor his patients were getting as much as they could out of his care.

"It wasn't until I faced my own struggles and witnessed the courage of thousands of my patients that I began to see the heart as far more than a physical organ inside our chest," he said. "It became clear that it's also a source of our greatest resilience, compassion and connection.

"Lead with your whole heart. Let its wisdom guide you towards resilience, connection and purpose. And may your journey create ripples of healing and hope."

Several awards were handed out to outstanding students during Saturday's ceremony:

• H.K. Helms Award (highest academic average among undergraduates): Kenny Marshall Brown III, Ann Mercedes Butters, Joel Garcia Cubillos, Colby Norris Holmes, Nina Dorothy Irons, Stephanie Lee Hargus, Jasmine Sierra McCullough, Addison Louise Taylor, and Daniel Forrest Williams.
• School of Sport Sciences Leadership Distinction: Joel Garcia-Cubillos.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy Award for Academic Excellence: Hannah Saxe and Timothy Leckrone.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy Award for Clinical Excellence: Amari Black.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy Award for Service Excellence: Julia Galanto.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy Stokes Leadership Award: Nola Grace Brown.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy Advocacy and Professional Outreach Award: Cipryana Mack.

Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities since 1992, was awarded an honorary doctorate. As NCICU president, she works with Congress and the federal government, the N.C. General Assembly and state government, and with the K-12 education sector to promote the state's independent institutions of higher education.

Dec. 14, 2024

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