NYU School of Medicine held its graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 17, at Alice Tully Hall, celebrating the accomplishments and success of 166 new physicians. The keynote address was delivered by Larry A. Silverstein, chairman of Silverstein Properties, Inc. and member of the NYU Langone Medical Center Board of Trustees. His remarks to the graduates focused on the importance of passion and perseverance, not only professionally, but in every aspect of life. This year, seven students graduated as Silverstein Scholars, a program supported by the Silverstein family that provides full tuition and room and board costs for selected students based on demonstrated academic merit.

About the Class of 2017

The Class of 2017 is comprised of 166 students, all receiving Doctor of Medicine degrees. The class included 19 students graduating from the accelerated three-year MD pathway.

The three-year MD pathway was developed as a key initiative of NYU School of Medicine’s Curriculum for the 21st Century. This initiative allows medical students an accelerated pathway to medical education, providing early access to faculty mentors, opportunities to conduct research, and conditional acceptance into any one of our 20 residency programs.

Additionally, 31 students received dual degrees, including:

• six dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Science degrees
• one dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health degree
• 15 dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Business Administration degrees
• nine Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MD/PhD) degrees through the MD/PhD training program at NYU School of Medicine’s Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
• eight degrees were conferred with honors, and 30 members of the class were inducted to Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society

About Larry A. Silverstein

Larry A. Silverstein, in partnership with his wife Klara, is one of NYU Langone’s generous donors, and the couple’s commitment to create the Silverstein Scholarship Fund endowment at NYU School of Medicine in 2012 is the latest example of their extraordinary philanthropic leadership. The Silverstein Scholarship Fund has supported 25 scholars to date, 7 of whom were members of the class of 2017.

A trustee of the Medical Center and NYU School of Medicine since 1998, and a trustee and former vice chairman of NYU’s board since 1976, Mr. Silverstein is an NYU graduate, class of 1952. He and Mrs. Silverstein are particularly dedicated to education and medical research as well as humanitarian causes and the arts.

Philanthropy is a priority in the Silverstein family. Klara Silverstein also leads the way, having combined her interests in children and education with board leadership and advisory roles at multiple institutions. At NYU Langone she is a longtime member of the advisory board at the Child Study Center.

As a leading figure in real estate development, Mr. Silverstein is president and CEO of Silverstein Properties, Inc., a Manhattan-based real estate development and investment firm that has developed, owned, and managed 35 million square feet of office, residential, and retail space. The firm currently has $10 billion worth of development in the pipeline.

In July 2001, Mr. Silverstein completed the largest real estate transaction in New York history when he signed a 99-year lease on the 10.6 million square feet World Trade Center for $3.25 billion, only to see it destroyed in terrorist attacks 6 weeks later on September 11, 2001. He is currently rebuilding the office component of the World Trade Center site, a $30-billion project that he will continue to oversee.

Mr. Silverstein is the founder and chairman emeritus of the NYU Real Estate Institute and, as a professor, his Silverstein Workshops have become one of the most attended and informative educational sources for learning about real estate development and investment analysis.

About the Ceremony

Following the procession and introductions by Anthony J. Grieco, MD, associate dean for alumni relations and academic events, Alejandro Torres, MD, delivered the student address. Kenneth G. Langone, chair of the Board of Trustees at NYU Langone, and William R. Berkley, chair of the NYU Board of Trustees, greeted the graduates. Next, Andrew Hamilton, president of NYU, welcomed and congratulated the students, commending them on their accomplishments. Robert I. Grossman, MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone, then addressed the class, reflecting on the importance of courage, calling it a “crucial, yet rare” trait. He provided various examples of courageous individuals throughout history before highlighting the brave acts Mr. Silverstein and Ken Langone exemplified in their careers.

The conferring of degrees by Dean Grossman and Linda Tewksbury, MD, associate dean for student affairs at NYU School of Medicine, took place directly after Mr. Silverstein delivered the keynote address. Dr. Grossman then administered the Hippocratic Oath, concluding the graduation ceremony.

View the 2017 graduation ceremony program.

Media Inquiries

Kate Malenczak
Phone: 212-404-7367
kate.malenczak@nyumc.org