TouroCOM-Middletown Students Inducted Into Top Honor Society
Sigma Sigma Phi recognizes osteopathic medical students who demonstrate scholastic excellence and dedication to community service.
On February 13th, twelve Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine-Middletown students—Janki Shah, Jacklyn Lee, Matthew McCaffery, Odinachi Moghalu, Nima Rejali, Zinan Cheng, Tylor Connor, Daniel Lee, Anu Gopalan, Brendan Skeehan, Christian Muller, and Manoj Jagtiani—were inducted into the Sigma Sigma Phi (SSP) Honor Society, a national osteopathic medicine honors fraternity that recognizes D.O. students who demonstrate high levels of academic excellence and dedication to community service.
Besides for the inductees’ family and friends, faculty and professors from both Middletown and Harlem campuses attended the ceremony. Student leaders from Harlem even travelled in to celebrate the event with their fellow peers.
TouroCOM-Harlem’s SSP chapter board members were also present, and joined Middletown’s board members in conducting the ceremony and giving a presentation on membership in SSP. Dr. Kenneth J. Steier, founding dean of the TouroCOM-Middletown Campus, awarded each inductee a pin. After the formal ceremony in the auditorium, students and guests enjoyed a brief reception with refreshments on the second-floor balcony.
Daniel Lee, OMS-I, said that being accepted into the fraternity “validates the hard work that I put into my schoolwork and my dedication to the leadership positions I took up throughout my first semester.”
“It took me four years to make it to medical school,” he elaborated. “When TouroCOM-Middletown accepted my application last summer, they offered me the opportunity to finally pursue my dream. In a way, I wanted to thank them by doing my best in school each and every day.
“This recognition by faculties from both campuses validates all my efforts, and pushes me to do that much better as a member of this prestigious honor society. Above all, I was able to share this honor with my family, who are very proud of what I've been able to accomplish after years of push and perseverance.”
