Student speakers to take center stage at December commencement exercises 

Augusta University will hold its December undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies at the Augusta Marriott in the Convention Center Dec. 10-11. The Graduate Hooding will begin at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, followed by the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11. 

Natalie Mseis-Jackson will serve as the student speaker for the Graduate Hooding Ceremony, and Landon Gilbert will serve as the student speaker for the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. 

Natalie Mseis-Jackson – Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine  

Raised in Jerusalem, Palestinian-American Mseis-Jackson came to the United States in search of an academic environment that truly supports students with learning differences. Living with dyslexia and dyscalculia, she sought a place where resources are provided for students with learning disabilities to succeed. Today, that journey has come full circle as she graduates from the Biomedical Sciences PhD Program and the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine with a PhD in Neuroscience. 

She successfully defended her dissertation, “Modulating NeuroD1 Dynamic Expression Levels to Improve Astrocytes-to-Neuron Conversion by Using Retro-NeuroD1-124T Novel Construct,” in June. She is now working with Catherine “Lynn” Hedrick, PhD, co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, as a postdoctoral fellow. 

Previously, she earned an associate’s degree in science from Scott Community College and a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from Winthrop University. 

Since arriving at Augusta University, Mseis-Jackson has received incredible support from her family, classmates, professors and committee members. Her parents and family members never let her forget her potential and continually offered encouragement, and her husband stood by her side through every late-night study session, providing unwavering strength when she needed it most. 

“The most extraordinary part of reaching the end of my PhD journey was welcoming my son,” Mseis-Jackson said. “I had Ezekiel in November 2024, and we just celebrated his first birthday. After my short maternity leave, I began writing my thesis with him curled on my lap as I wrote. Although Ezekiel is very small, his presence has been a powerful force. His sweet smile and excitement and persistence to learn new things gave me the strength to persevere through the challenges. I hope I’ll be an inspiration for him to look up to as he gets older.” 

While Ezekiel’s curiosity has motivated her recently, her own curiosity has always been at the center of her work, fueling her fascination with the human body’s unknowns. 

“We’re always working toward the big picture, one question, one answer and one discovery at a time,” she said. “As scientists, we tend to forget the impact of our work because we spend so much of our time in the lab, far from direct patient interaction. That’s what makes Augusta University extraordinary. Here, we collaborate with clinicians, we meet patients and we’re reminded every single day why our work matters. It pushes us to ask better questions, to design stronger experiments and to pursue answers that truly make a difference in people’s lives.” 

During her doctorate, Mseis-Jackson served as a graduate student mentor from 2021-25, committee chair for seminar speaker invitations from 2022-23 and was the director of community relations for the Service Program in Neuroscience Education from 2022-24. She also published several scientific papers and was awarded for her excellence in research in 2024. 

At commencement, she hopes to pass along the value of compassion, understanding and the unwavering perseverance and resilience that carry us through even the most challenging paths. 

“I share my story with the hope that I might encourage someone else who is facing their own challenges,” she said. “I have a hidden learning disability that no one would know just by looking at me, and it has shaped the way I learn and move through life. It also taught me that everyone learns differently and that patience and understanding make a tremendous difference while teaching and mentoring one another. My journey has been one of hope and perseverance, and, if it can help someone believe that determination can make the impossible possible, then sharing it is more than worth it.” 

Landon Gilbert – James M. Hull College of Business  

Gilbert is earning a Bachelor of Business Administration from the James M. Hull College of Business, where he’s found lifelong connections and friendships.   

His four years at Augusta University can be traced back to his father’s words, “You have to give back to your community so it can give back to you.” That message first guided him in high school, volunteering over 500 hours of service in his hometown of Jefferson, Georgia. It later became the foundation of his college journey, inspiring him to engage in meaningful student organizations and volunteer opportunities.   

He was a member of the Student Advisory Council and served as president of the Hull Business Society and as the sergeant-at-arms for the Delta Chi Fraternity. His service also extends outside campus, volunteering at the American Red Cross, local food banks and with local coffee shops.    

“I remember when Hurricane Helene came through Augusta, and I was fortunate enough to live downtown so I didn’t have to go without running water and electricity like some did,” Gilbert said. “Being able to see the needs of people that didn’t have those basic things like water and electricity really reinforced what it means to volunteer and give back to the community.”  

Moments like these have highlighted the impact of service and the importance of support, something that Gilbert has found in his mom, dad, girlfriend and AU faculty. His support system has motivated and guided him to graduation, especially the smiling face of Stacy Roberts, DBA, lecturer of management at the Hull College of Business.   

“My time at Augusta University has been a big learning experience,” Gilbert said. “You come into college thinking that you know everything. This is a chapter that’s closing but one that’s also opening, and it’s one that everyone goes through in a different way, whether that’s through college, the workforce or the military. It’s a transition from the person you were coming out of high school to the silhouette that stands before you today.”  

At graduation, Gilbert hopes to remind students that dedication matters most when life gets difficult. He wants every graduate to leave with a message they can carry through future setbacks as they carve their own path.