2026 Van Andel Institute Graduate School Commencement Program

VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL
2026 | COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM

Wednesday, May 27, 2026
1:30 P.M. | TOMATIS AUDITORIUM
DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE PROGRAM
BOOKLET AND GRADUATING STUDENT
BIOSKETCHES AT BIT.LY/VAI2026COMMENCEMENT.
PROCESSIONAL
WELCOME
Dr. Jonathan D. Licht
President and Chief Scientific Officer,
Van Andel Institute; President, Van Andel
Institute Graduate School
REMARKS
Kyle Van Andel
VAI Ambassador
OPENING OF CEREMONY AND DEAN’S REMARKS
Dr. Eric C. Swindell
Dean and Chief Academic Officer,
Van Andel Institute Graduate School
EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE EDUCATION AWARD
Recipient: Dr. Michael Henderson
INTRODUCTION OF GRADUATES BY MENTORS
Dr. Juan Du
Dr. Michael Henderson
Dr. Heidi Lempradl
Dr. Hui Shen
PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR DEGREE
Dr. Eric C. Swindell
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
Dr. Juan Olivarez
Chair, Van Andel Institute Graduate School
Board of Directors
PRESENTATION OF HOODS
REFLECTIONS BY GRADUATES
Svetlana Djirackor
Thomas Goralski
Sofia Ievleva
April Rickle
Ellen Stirtz
CONTINUING STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
Mitchell McDonald
RECESSIONAL
Reception to follow in Cook-Hauenstein
Hall.
Music for today’s celebration performed
by Kopper and Keys.
For general questions, please contact
Susanne Miller-Schachinger at
susanne.miller@vai.edu.
CANDIDATES FOR DEGREE AND THESIS ADVISERS
Svetlana Djirackor — Dr. Hui Shen
Thomas Goralski — Dr. Michael Henderson
Sofia Ievleva — Dr. Juan Du
April Rickle — Dr. Heidi Lempradl
Ellen Stirtz — Dr. Heidi Lempradl
VAN ANDEL EDUCATION INSTITUTE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David Van Andel
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Van Andel Institute
James E. Bultman, Ed.D.
Juan R. Olivarez, Ph.D.
Teresa Weatherall Neal, Ed.D. (hon)
Christine Willig
Kyle Van Andel
Board Observer
VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Juan R. Olivarez, Ph.D.
Chair
Mary O’Riordan, Ph.D.
Vice Chair
Maria Cimitile, Ph.D.
James B. Fahner, M.D.
Peggy Farnham, Ph.D.
Jonathan D. Licht, M.D.
Candace T. Smith-King, M.D.
Thomas Curran, J.D.
Secretary to the Board
Katie Helder
Treasurer to the Board
VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL
FACULTY
Marie Adams, M.S.
Stephen B. Baylin, M.D.
Ian Beddows, Ph.D.
Sarah Bodbyl, Ph.D.
Lena Brundin, M.D., Ph.D.
Nick Burton, Ph.D.
Clifford Cho, M.D.
Gerry Coetzee, Ph.D.
Martha Escobar, Ph.D.
Corinne Esquibel, Ph.D.
Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D.
Stephanie Grainger, Ph.D.
Carrie R. Graveel, Ph.D.
Brian Haab, Ph.D.
Michael Henderson, Ph.D.
Galen Hostetter, M.D.
Melissa Hoyer, Ph.D.
Josh Jang, Ph.D.
Derek Janssens, Ph.D.
Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon)
Russell Jones, Ph.D.
Connie Krawczyk, Ph.D.
Peter W. Laird, Ph.D.
Heidi Lempradl, Ph.D.
Hong Li, Ph.D.
Huilin Li, Ph.D.
Jonathan D. Licht, M.D.
Evan Lien, Ph.D.
Zach Madaj, M.S.
Darren Moore, Ph.D.
Sara Nowinski, Ph.D.
Maulik Patel, Ph.D.
Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D.
J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D.
Scott Rothbart, Ph.D.
Laurent Roybon, Ph.D.
Ryan Sheldon, Ph.D.
Hui Shen, Ph.D.
Rachael Sheridan, Ph.D., SCYM (ASCP)
Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D.
Matthew R. Steensma, M.D.
Eric C. Swindell, Ph.D.
Piroska Szabó, Ph.D.
Tim Triche, Jr., Ph.D.
Travis Walton, Ph.D.
Bang-An Wang, Ph.D.
Hong Wen, Ph.D.
Bart Williams, Ph.D.
Mary Winn, Ph.D.
Evan Worden, Ph.D.
Tao Yang, Ph.D.
Yang Yang, Ph.D.
Liman Zhang, Ph.D.
Gongpu Zhao, Ph.D.
Qiang Zhu, Ph.D.

Svetlana Djirackor
Dissertation: Seed and soil: Dissecting intrinsic
programs and compartment-resolved
molecular landscapes in epithelial
ovarian cancer
Thesis Adviser: Hui Shen, Ph.D.
Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya
Next Step: Postdoctoral fellow in the Cho Laboratory
at Van Andel Institute
April Rickle
Dissertation: A fly model for adrenoleukodystrophy:
Characterization, target identification,
and drug testing
Thesis Adviser: Heidi Lempradl, Ph.D.
Hometown: New Jersey, USA
Next Step: Hoping to continue doing rare disease
research
Thomas Goralski
Dissertation: Determining vulnerability to and
alterations from Lewy pathology
Thesis Adviser: Michael Henderson, Ph.D.
Hometown: Michigan, USA
Next Step: Postdoctoral fellow in the Jang Laboratory
at Van Andel Institute
Ellen Stirtz
Dissertation: Function screening in Drosophila
implicated domino in ASD-relevant
behavioral and molecular phenotypes
Thesis Adviser: Heidi Lempradl, Ph.D.
Hometown: Michigan, USA
Next Step: Postdoctoral fellow in
Spokane, Washington State
Sofia leleva
Dissertation: Structural insights into TRPM4
antagonism and species-specific
modulation
Thesis Adviser: Juan Du, Ph.D.
Hometown: Voronezh, Russia
Next Step: Applying to be a postdoctoral fellow

History of Van Andel Institute Graduate School
Van Andel Institute began with a vision to improve human health through
biomedical research and science education. Van Andel Institute Graduate School
plays a key role in this mission combining rigorous coursework, extensive laboratory
experience and the mentorship of VAI’s expert faculty to develop the biomedical
research leaders of the future.
The Graduate School was founded in 2005, with a charter to grant doctoral and
master’s degrees, through the leadership of Dr. Gordon Van Harn as the Director of
Van Andel Institute for Education. Dr. Eric C. Swindell became the Dean and Chief
Academic Officer in December 2023, bringing a vision of creativity and innovation
for biomedical graduate education. The Graduate School is accredited by the Higher
Learning Commission, a nationally recognized institutional accreditor. The Graduate
School was initially granted accreditation in 2013 and subsequently reaffirmed
in 2024 and is gaining a national reputation for its program design, curricular
approach and student support.
From the first cohort of three pioneering students in 2007, the Graduate School has
grown to a student body of 59 scholars. Including today’s graduates, 57 students
have earned Ph.D. degrees and four have earned master’s degrees. Graduate
School alumni are now taking leadership positions in academia, research and
industry, carrying forward VAI’s values of curiosity, collaboration and urgency to
improve the health and enhance the lives of current and future generations.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge that the success of the Graduate School arises from:
• The vision and generosity of Van Andel Institute founders Jay and Betty Van Andel.
• The stalwart support of Van Andel Institute Chairman and CEO David Van Andel.
• Encouraging guidance from Van Andel Education Institute Board of Trustees.
• Creative direction and diligent oversight by past and current members of the
Van Andel Institute Graduate School Board of Directors.
• Instrumental leadership by Past President and Founding Dean Dr. Steven J.
Triezenberg in establishing and developing our accredited Ph.D. program
(2006 until retirement in June 2023).
• Committed leadership of Van Andel Institute Graduate School President
Dr. Jonathan D. Licht and Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Eric C. Swindell, along
with dedicated and excellent work by Graduate School staff members: Associate
Dean Dr. Sarah Bodbyl, Assistant Dean for Student Research Experience Dr. Carrie
Graveel, Director of Assessment and Professional Development Taylor Boyd,
Director of Enrollment and Records Christy Mayo, Director of Student Support
Services Jane Bruin, Outreach Specialist Christian Mittendorf, Program
Administrator Michelle Love and administrative team members Iantha Fyolek,
Alicia Kooiman and Susanne Miller-Schachinger.

Van Andel Institute Graduate School develops
biomedical research leaders through an intense,
problem-focused Ph.D. degree in molecular and
cellular biology. By combining rigorous, problem-based
coursework with extensive experience in laboratories
led by the Institute’s expert faculty, the Graduate
School prepares students for productive careers in
biomedical research and beyond. The Graduate School
thrives within the state-of-the-art facilities of
Van Andel Institute, with access to robust core
technology support and the resources of collaborators
in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and around the country.
vai.org/graduate-school