Commencement student speaker delighted to share message of resilience with Tulane graduates

Tulane’s commencement student speaker Tamunoboma Dominion Fenny hopes her message of resilience resonates with Tulane graduates. (Photo by Vincent Postle)

When Tamunoboma Dominion Fenny thinks about her first few months at Tulane University Law School, she never could have imagined standing before thousands of Tulane graduates and delivering a message of perseverance, bravery and hope.

But on Saturday, May 18, at Yulman Stadium, she will do just that, drawing from her own experiences to let graduates know they can do anything they set their minds to — that nothing is insurmountable, even when life’s challenges present one roadblock after the other.

Fenny, 24, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), was selected among dozens of applicants to serve as this year’s student Commencement speaker.

“It will be a message of resilience,” said Fenny, a native of Nigeria who grew up the daughter of two lawyers in Birmingham, Alabama. “Sometimes we give up because things aren’t working out right away. But nothing is unobtainable if you’re willing to work for it.”

Read Fenny’s full profile.

Service an integral part of neuroscience, cell and molecular biology grad’s Tulane experience

Damle’s volunteer work administering COVID-19 vaccines with the New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps and working in the NICU at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans showed him the impact research can have on people. (Photo by Kacie Fayard)

Eshan Damle had never stepped foot in Louisiana before he arrived at Tulane from just outside of Dallas, Texas, for his first year. Like many students, he became a Tulanian amid the pandemic, and this experience ended up sparking research interests and volunteer opportunities that have defined his time at Tulane.

Damle, who will be graduating with double majors in neuroscience and cell and molecular biology as well as minors in psychology and philosophy, has had his eyes set on studying medicine for as long as he can remember. Once he graduates, he will continue his studies at the Stanford University School of Medicine with the goal of pursuing research and becoming a physician.

His interdisciplinary undergraduate curriculum has given him a holistic view of the study of medicine, helping him keep a focus on the humanity behind the science. “When I do research, or when I have any kind of clinical exposure, it allows me to contextualize my interactions, keeping in mind that though there is some biological process happening, there’s always a person behind it,” he said.

Read Damle’s full profile.

Graduate’s Tulane journey was 20 years in the making

Becky Callegan will graduate with a Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development (MSRED) from the School of Architecture. (Photo by Kacie Fayard)

Becky Callegan’s Tulane story goes back to high school. Next to her senior photo in her yearbook, she listed her goal as graduating from Tulane University.

Callegan, 40, will soon celebrate graduating with a Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development (MSRED) from the School of Architecture.

Callegan’s journey to this program was not without its challenges. Originally from Marrero, Louisiana, she lives in Covington with her husband, AJ, and their daughter Maelee, 14. She married her high school sweetheart and graduated with an associate degree in hospitality management. Formerly, the couple owned and operated an HVAC company on the Northshore but sold it when AJ began suffering health complications due to mold toxicity that resulted in him being diagnosed with epilepsy.

As the couple embarked on a holistic journey to improve AJ’s health, Callegan’s uncle had signed her up to receive information about Tulane’s MSRED program. At the time, Callegan laughed it off as an impossibility until meeting a building scientist who specialized in evaluating the cause of mold in homes. After AJ healed fully and became seizure-free, Callegan seriously considered returning to school. Callegan hopes to use her MSRED to work in public policy, specifically improving construction standards to enhance indoor air quality and overall building sustainability.

“I had just been in the fight of my life to save my husband’s life, but I sensed that God told me I needed to go back to school,” she said.

Read Callegan’s full profile.

Aspiring physician and teacher hopes to make a difference in the community

Before applying to medical school, Wilfred Wright plans to work for Teach for America in New Orleans. (Photo by Kacie Fayard)

When Wilfred Wright was accepted into the College Track program as a student at L. B. Landry College and Career Preparatory High School in New Orleans, he knew it could open doors.

The national college prep program for promising students from underserved communities provides a pathway toward college graduation, and as far as Wright was concerned, this was his ticket to a life he never imagined possible.

In the spring of his junior year, he joined other College Track Scholars on a tour of colleges throughout the southeast, and from the moment he set foot on Tulane’s uptown campus, his decision was clear.

“Tulane was my first choice,” said Wright, a first-generation college student who will graduate Saturday, May 18, with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. “It was close to home, but it also emphasized its involvement in the community. I wanted to get involved in that way.”

Read Wright’s full profile.

Tulane graduate eager to build on global experience back home in New Orleans

Michael Hornsby is graduating with a Master of Health Administration degree after years of working in project management, emergency management and health education. (Photo by Kacie Fayard)

For the past 20 years, Michael Hornsby, 46, has worked around the globe in places like Mozambique, Central America and Italy, and across the continental U.S. and Canada.

This month he embarks on his latest adventure back home in New Orleans.

Hornsby is graduating with a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. The degree is a culmination of years of experience working in project management, emergency management and health education.

Right out of college, Hornsby joined the Peace Corps in Mozambique for three years and was involved in health education around HIV prevention. He returned to New Orleans in 2003 to train for his Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license. Those plans were put on hold after Hurricane Katrina.

He then spent several years guiding hiking tours all over North America. “It was challenging work and a lot of fun, but I realized I wanted to find a way to be more useful,” he said.

Read Hornsby’s full profile.

Tulane grad inspired to continue work supporting underserved small business owners

Tarlton Walker, who will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the A. B. Freeman School of Business, wants to work in the private equity investment space with a focus on supporting Black and Brown business owners in underserved areas. (Photo by Kacie Fayard)

In four years, Tarlton Walker has made the most of his time at Tulane as a member and leader of numerous student organizations, including the Black Student Union and the Alliance of Black Business Students.

He was also a resident adviser (RA) for the last two years, overseeing 60 undergraduate residents. It was an experience that became a big part of his life at Tulane, he said.

“As you go around campus, people know you in that position. You don’t really take off the RA hat,” he said. “You give it a lot of your time and effort. There have been countless times you don’t know who you are impacting through this work.”

Walker, in part, was inspired to be an RA by his dad, who was an RA at UC Berkley. He counts it as one of his many important experiences at Tulane. Joining Alpha Phi Alpha this spring semester is another.

“I know that it is always going to be a part of my life,” he said.

Read Walker’s full profile.