Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Student Society

07/15/2026

Join me in congratulating Associate Dean Zaweski on this well-deserved milestone! Thank you for 10 years of exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication to the Valpo PA Program. Your commitment to our students, faculty, and alumni has helped shape our program into what it is today. Congratulations on your recent promotion, and here’s to many more years of success!

We are marking 10 years of dedication and leadership from Joseph Zaweski, MPAS-PA-C! Join us in celebrating his decade of service to CONHP as Associate Dean for Health Professions and Program Director for the Physician Assistant Studies program.

Over the past 10 years, Associate Dean Zaweski has been instrumental in shaping the PA program—from helping launch the program to guiding it through accreditation and building a strong foundation for student success. His vision, leadership, and commitment to preparing future healthcare professionals have made a lasting impact on our students and our college community.

Thank you, Associate Dean Zaweski, for a decade of dedication, innovation, and service. We’re grateful for all you do and excited for the continued journey ahead!

07/10/2026

🩺🔐 One final challenge before graduation…

Each year, our graduating Physician Assistant students put their knowledge, teamwork, and clinical reasoning to the test in our annual Medical Escape Room Challenge!

Working together, students solved patient cases, interpreted diagnostics, unlocked clues, and raced against the clock to “escape” using the skills they’ve spent the past two years developing. It was a fun way to celebrate how far they’ve come while reinforcing the clinical decision-making they’ll soon use in practice.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 on successfully completing one final challenge before crossing the graduation stage! We can’t wait to see the incredible impact you’ll make as future PAs.

07/02/2026

🩺A big thank you to the wonderful families who volunteered their children for our Pediatric Physical Exam Lab!

Our PA students had the opportunity to practice age-appropriate physical exam skills on infants, toddlers, school-aged children, and adolescents, an invaluable hands-on experience that helps build confidence and clinical competence.

We are so grateful to our families for helping prepare the next generation of physician assistants!

University Graduate School

05/18/2026

Proud to be here in New Orleans representing the Valpo PA Program at the AAPA Medical Challenge Bowl!

Our students put in countless hours preparing for this experience, and it’s been great seeing them step up, compete, and represent Valpo alongside PA programs from across the country.

Even better has been seeing current students and alumni come together to support one another and celebrate the profession. Moments like this are a reminder of the strong community that makes the Valpo PA Program so special. 💛

05/17/2026

Congratulations to the Valpo PA Program Class of 2026! 🎓

Yesterday marked an exciting milestone as our students celebrated commencement. While there is still important work ahead through clinical rotations, this moment recognizes the dedication, resilience, and growth that brought them to this point.

We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished so far and cannot wait to celebrate again at their long white coat ceremony at the conclusion of clinical year. The future of medicine is bright with this group. ❤️

05/15/2026

Big week for our PA students! 💛

After completing ACLS certification Monday and Tuesday with our very own faculty ACLS instructors, they successfully wrapped up their cardiology module yesterday. We’re so proud of all their hard work and growth this semester.

Now we’re headed to New Orleans to compete at the National Conference Medical Challenge Bowl🎉💪🏻

12/04/2025

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of one of our long-standing preceptors, Dr. Wayel Kaakaji. Dr. Kaakaji was a highly respected neurosurgeon who dedicated more than 25 years to serving the Northwest Indiana community.

A graduate of the University of Texas Medical School, he completed his neurosurgery residency at the Cleveland Clinic, followed by fellowship training at Oregon Health Sciences University. His expertise, humility, and passion for patient care made him an exceptional clinician—and an extraordinary teacher.

Many of our PA students had the privilege of learning from Dr. Kaakaji. His impact on our program, and on the future providers he helped shape, is immeasurable.

We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Kaakaji’s family, loved ones, colleagues, and all whose lives he touched.
We remain profoundly grateful for the years he devoted to educating and mentoring our students. His legacy lives on through the countless clinicians he inspired.

May he rest in peace. 🕊️