The Class of 2023 at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy received their doctoral hoods this morning, officially becoming part of the college’s 14th graduating class.
The Hooding and Commencement ceremony was held in the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts, where 66 student pharmacists earned the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
This ceremony, which was live-streamed at youtube.com/@etsupharmacy for those unable to attend, was part of ETSU’s commencement weekend.
Dr. Debbie Byrd, dean of ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, thanked the graduating class for the mark they left on the college.
“We are so pleased you chose to go on the journey to become a pharmacist with us,” said Byrd. “You made this college your own, and you’re leaving it a better college of pharmacy than the one you found.”
Byrd also praised their impact on the opioid crisis, as well as their success in research, leadership and their student organizations, which has led to multiple national honors.
Members of the graduating class helped the college’s American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Operation Substance Use Disorders (SUDS) win the top honor for service organizations in the country for educating the community about prescription drug misuse. The committee has become the most nationally recognized in the country.
In addition, Byrd thanked the graduates for their support of the $2.5 million annual appropriation to the college that the state legislature approved last month, pending the governor's signature. This appropriation will be the first state funding for the college since its founding, and as a result tuition is on track to be lowered in the coming weeks for future pharmacists attending ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Brian Noland, ETSU president, addressed the graduates, noting their significant accomplishments both in the region and in national leadership positions within student organizations.
“Your resilience and determination to persevere have not gone unnoticed,” said Noland. “Gatton student pharmacists have continued to win national awards and earn service accolades, which is at the very heart of our purpose and vision: to improve the lives of the people of this region.”
Jonathan Holan, who spoke on behalf of the graduating class, talked about their experience through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We seized the opportunity to serve our patients on the front lines, providing thousands of vaccinations while growing as pharmacists,” said Holan. “The faculty and staff at Gatton did all they could to support us, rapidly adapting to the virtual format and consistently addressing each of our concerns. We will forever be thankful for their support and flexibility. There were certainly some rough patches, but while we may not have expected it, we successfully rode that surf and made it to where we are today.”
Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for Academics, also spoke at the ceremony.
“As you conclude your time at ETSU and begin your career in pharmacy, I encourage you to remember the mission of this college and to stay true to its principles,” McCorkle said. “Remember the value of team-based care. Focus on how you can improve health care for everyone, never forgetting the lessons you have learned about the importance of providing excellent care to everyone, including the underserved.”
In addition to the doctoral hooding, several individual awards were presented, including
academic awards to Jonathan Holan and Samuel Richmond, who earned the Pharmacy Valedictorian Achievement Award recognizing the highest-ranking
students in the graduating class. They achieved perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
In addition, Holan earned the Guy B. Wilson Jr. Leadership Award.
Other awards included the college’s Patient Care Award to Stephen Crispi; the college’s Outstanding Service Award to Regan Bell; the Gary Mabrey Community Service Award to Rochelly Rivera Matos; the Merck Award for Pharmacy Excellence to Jacqueline Aramburo and Samuel Richmond; the Viatris Institute of Pharmacy Excellence in Pharmacy Award to Rachel Stout; the United States Public Health Services Excellence in Pharmacy Award (top 10 national recipient) to Taylor Coston; the Wolters Kluwer Health’s Fact and Comparisons Award for Outstanding Communication Skills to Veronica Blankenship; and the Baeteena M. Black Leadership Award to Morgan Thomas.
The ceremony and reception were sponsored by Food City Pharmacy.
ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy was founded in 2005 by the community with a mission to develop progressive, team-oriented pharmacists who improve health care, focusing on rural and underserved communities. The college has earned numerous national awards and accolades for service, scholastic achievement and clinical training. Learn more at etsu.edu/pharmacy.