![\"Graduation](\"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Graduation-Cap_blue-500x500-e1586882554282.png\")
<\/a>CELEBRATING SUCCESS:<\/strong>\u00a0UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at\u00a0spring commencement<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n This includes new dad Brady Williams, whose son, Ethan, was born on Christmas Eve. He said he was thankful that UToledo provided\u00a0plenty of\u00a0flexibility with his fourth-year schedule. As a\u00a0current\u00a0stay-at-home parent due to the break\u00a0between rotations ending and the start of residency, Williams noted that he is grateful for the opportunity to have more time with his son.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s the most downtime I\u2019ll have,\u201d he said, foreshadowing a busy residency schedule come July 1.<\/p>\n After having her first child, Colin, at the age of 28, Juliana Colvin decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. She started medical school with her son by her side, who was 3 years old at the time. Her daughter, Lillian, was born between her first and second years of medical school, in June 2020, during the only summer break of medical school.<\/p>\n Originally from Cleveland, Colvin attended the Ohio State University where she majored in molecular genetics and minored in history. She also earned a master\u2019s degree in medical physiology from Case Western Reserve University.<\/p>\n She chose The University of Toledo for medical school to be close to family, as her husband is originally from Perrysburg, and because of the nearby clinic training sites with The University of Toledo Medical Center right on campus and ProMedica Toledo Hospital within a short drive.<\/p>\n Despite the challenges of being a mother and a medical student, Colvin excelled in her studies. She found support through the Academic Enrichment Center (AEC) and the University’s supportive environment for student parents.<\/p>\n Fourth-year medical student Juliana Colvin holds her two children, Colin and Lillian, at the Match Day celebration in March and poses for a photo with her husband, Mike. Colvin matched at Memorial Healthcare System in Pembroke Pines, Florida, for general surgery.<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cBeing a mom, I have some more baggage than a typical student,\u201d she said. \u201cI felt like people at The University of Toledo were always really helpful. They wanted everyone to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n Colvin took on a role to help normalize the idea that students can have children while in medical school. As a Rocket Launch mentor, Colvin was paired with students who were married, had kids or wanted to have kids. She also advocated for the needs of parents, such as requesting a pumping station on campus. Her requests helped pave the way for future parents at the University.<\/p>\n During her time at UToledo, Colvin also pursued leadership roles within medical education, including being one of only two student members on the national board for the medical school accrediting body, Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Colvin credits the University for providing her with great opportunities in medical education.<\/p>\n As Colvin prepares to leave UToledo, she is excited to take the skills she has learned and apply them to her residency and future career. The 35-year-old mother of two will be starting her residency at Memorial Healthcare System in Pembroke Pines, Florida, for General Surgery.<\/p>\n Reflecting on her time at UToledo, Colvin is grateful for the friendships she made and the collaborative spirit of her class.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all wanted each other to succeed,\u201d she said. \u201cI didn\u2019t feel intense competition.\u201d<\/p>\n She also credits the faculty for being receptive to feedback and caring about the students\u2019 success.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very thankful for Toledo. I was never treated differently,\u201d she said. \u201cI felt like I always had people in my corner.\u201d<\/p>\n Colvin\u2019s husband, Mike, has been a constant source of support as well throughout her medical school journey. He made many sacrifices to support her dreams, including working from home so that she can focus on her studies.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a long, hard road and he\u2019s always been supportive to let me go after my dreams,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m very appreciative of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>