Lasting Impressions | Fall 2016

28 © NSU LASTING IMPRESSIONS Alumni Impressions Growing up in Iran, Amir Akhavan ’s childhood dream was to become a carpenter. “ ere was something magical about the creativity and cra smanship of carpentry,” he recalled. But with a father and older brother in the medical eld, his destiny did not lie in wood and hand tools. “I grew up admiring my dad and brother as health care professionals, and I knew that I wanted to be in the health care eld,” said Akhavan, who earned his D.M.D. degree from NSU’s College of Dental Medicine in 2014. “I realized that, in dentistry, I can be creative and use cra smanship to serve my patients and create a beautiful and healthy smile that would bring them joy and con dence.” Akhavan’s mother had been a nurse before leaving the profession to raise a family, which also includes an older sister who is a fashion consultant and entre- preneur in Switzerland. ough he gave up on carpentry, he didn’t skip hands-on creativity completely. As an undergraduate, he took several courses in visual arts and sculpting. Strong Alumni Network Builds Successful Careers BY SANDI DRAPER