Bunker Hill Community College Student Represents Massachusetts at National Convention
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, will be the keynote speaker at Bunker Hill Community College’s 36th commencement exercises, on Saturday, June 5th at 11 a.m. In 2008, Dr. Carson received the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Dr. Carson, one of the world’s leading neurosurgeons, is also an eminent scholar, author and philanthropist. For years he has used his excellent speaking skills to motivate people to better themselves.
Carson grew up poor in the inner city of Detroit. His early life was marked by constant struggle to overcome his background, especially in school. In his autobiographical work, “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story,” he recounts failing tests and not “making the grade.” But, thanks to an encouraging mother and an iron will to succeed, he went to Yale University on a full scholarship.
At Yale, he received a B.A. in Psychology, and then went on to earn his M.D. from the University of Michigan School of Medicine.
Carson is renowned for his innovative and groundbreaking neurosurgeries. He has been widely praised for his expertise in surgical treatment of all types of brain seizures. One of his most famous surgeries involved separating twins joined at their heads.
At Johns Hopkins Hospital, he holds professorships in four specialties: Neurological Surgery, Oncology, Pediatrics, and Plastic Surgery. He has received 40 honorary doctorate degrees and hundreds of other awards. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and is an emeritus fellow of the Yale Corporation, the governing body of Yale.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).