The Washington State University College of Pharmacy celebrated with alumni and donors at its annual spring recognition event, Friday, April 21, on the WSU Health Sciences campus in Spokane, Washington.
The event, called Celebrating Generosity, is hosted by the college every spring to celebrate and say “thank you” to its alumni and donors who have made significant contributions to the college in the past year, and to present the college’s annual awards. This year, the college hosted a special continuing education presentation for pharmacy alumni in the afternoon. The presentation showcased the college’s recent work with Albertsons Companies and the state of Idaho to provide certification training to pharmacy technicians to deliver immunizations in Idaho. (read more on this here)
College benefactors along with new endowment funds established within the last year were recognized, including Robert and Judi Higgins who are the college’s newest benefactors. The Higgins family has two scholarship endowments with the college, the Nelson L. Higgins Memorial Scholarship and the Barbara Higgins Memorial Scholarship.
Individual and corporate support has allowed the college to award over $350,000 in student scholarships for the 2016-17 academic year. Private support provides for more than just scholarships. Student travel grants, the alumni-student mentor program, and the Preparing for Your Career in Pharmacy seminar series are examples of how the college brings alumni, innovators, entrepreneurs, and community partners together to prepare practice-ready graduates who will lead tomorrow’s health care solutions.
WSU College of Pharmacy awards presented during the evening included:
WSU Pharmacy Students of the Year:
These awards are selected by the faculty and recognize a student from each class-year who has shown a commitment to academic performance, leadership, scholarship, service, and professionalism.
- Zachary Miller (Yakima) and Joanna Gourley (Spokane), class of 2020
- Meredith Matsen (Yakima) and Boris Zhang (Spokane), class of 2019
- Kathryn Rand, class of 2018
WSU Pharmacy Teachers of the Year:
These awards are based on nominations provided by the students in each class year and recognize outstanding teachers that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and effectiveness in teaching; and who contribute to fulfilling the college’s student-oriented mission.
- PY1 – Damianne Brand-Eubanks, Pharm.D.
- PY2 – Brenda Bray, MPH, Pharm.D. and Anne Kim, Pharm.D., MPH, MIT
- PY3 – Joshua Neumiller, Pharm.D.
- PY4 – Alyson Blum, Pharm.D.
- Graduate program: Shobhan Gaddameedhi, Ph.D.
- Trainee of the Year: Yili Zhong, Ph.D.
- Teaching Assistant: Madalyn Brown
National awards presented during the event included:
- U.S. Public Health Service “Excellence in Public Health” Pharmacy Award: Vincent Quach, class of 2018
- National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Student of the Year: Lauren Pollock, class of 2018
Earlier this month, the college hosted a smaller Celebrating Generosity reception specifically for the alumni and community partners in Yakima, Washington, to recognize the contributions of those who have made the Doctor of Pharmacy program extension there so successful.
Both events were made possible by support from Walgreens. Corporate partners at the Spokane Teacher’s Credit Union, Boeing Employee Credit Union, Fred Meyer, Rite Aid, Rosauers, and QFC were recognized along with community partners at the Washington State Pharmacy Foundation, Spokane Pharmacy Association, Danial and Susan Baker, Jacquie Ewell, Frank and Monica Cholaj, David Bell, John Oftebro, Gerald Danquist, the College of Pharmacy Class of 1965, and the alumni volunteers who make up the Dean’s Advisory Council and the WSU pharmacy alumni community CougaRx Nation board.
[Lori J. Maricle] 4/28/17