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Fuqua School will hold commencement exercises for the Class of 2021 on Friday, May 28, at 6 p.m. on the front lawn of the upper school campus.

In keeping with the tradition of inviting alumni to deliver the commencement address, this year’s guest speaker will be Dr. Bann Al-Shammaa.

Al-Shammaa is a 2003 graduate of Fuqua School and earned her medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2011. She completed her pediatric residency in 2014 also at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Al-Shammaa is board certified in pediatrics.

Al-Shammaa practices at Inova Cares Clinic for Children in Falls Church. She is a clinic champion in the fight against childhood obesity. She helped create a community outreach program to teach children and parents how to combat childhood obesity through realistic diet and exercise options.

Al-Shammaa was the recipient of a teaching award in 2017-2018 which recognized teaching performance in the top 10% of all Inova Children’s Hospital faculty. At the University of Virginia School of Medicine, she served as chief resident during her fourth year of residency. When she is not caring for children in the clinic, she enjoys teaching yoga at a local studio as a certified yoga instructor.

“We are thrilled and honored that alumna Dr. Bann Al-Shammaa has agreed to be a part of this year’s commencement exercises for the Class of 2021,” Head of School Paul “Chance” Reynolds said. “Dr. Al-Shammaa is an excellent example of someone who used the foundational skills provided by a Fuqua School education to continue to fulfill her own boundless, individual potential in life.”