CougaRx News

Update From the Dean

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Thank you for another incredible evening at the Crimson Gala. Each year, I am amazed by the enthusiasm of our alumni, partners and friends who come together to celebrate our college and support our students. Somehow, you managed to make this year’s Gala even more memorable than the last!

We are still tallying the final numbers, but I am proud to share that the Gala raised more than $80,000 for student scholarships. Those gifts bring us closer to our End-of-Year Giving Challenge goal of $150,000 by December 31. Reaching that goal will unlock an additional $150,000 in matching gifts from our generous donors, allowing us to provide a total of $300,000 in support for student success. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this possible.

The momentum across the college this year has been remarkable. Our students are actively exploring the many ways they can make a difference as pharmacists, and that enthusiasm was on full display at our recent PharmD Career Fair. Students and employers engaged in meaningful conversations about the evolving role of pharmacists and the opportunities available to our graduates. Our dedicated PharmD Career Fair is just one of the ways we connect students with the profession and help prepare them for successful careers. The results speak for themselves: 95% of our Class of 2026 had secured employment at graduation.

I was also particularly proud this fall to celebrate one of the many alumni who are helping redefine what it means to be a pharmacist. In partnership with Cascadia Pharmacy Group and our network of alumni who own and operate independent pharmacies, we dedicated a space to Cascadia Pharmacy Group in honor of Jeff Harrell, PharmD ’01. Jeff has helped change the way we think about the role of the community pharmacist—demonstrating how independent pharmacies can be both innovative and economically sustainable while remaining deeply connected to the health of their communities.

I also want to highlight Associate Professor Senthil Natesan who was named one of the Provost’s Featured Faculty. Senthil exemplifies what makes WSU so special and that is our faculty’s passion to support student growth and knowledge in health care and science. Senthil is also a brilliant scientist, leading innovative research that applies generative AI and computational modeling to drug discovery, pharmacokinetics, and membrane protein biology—work that has brought recognition to the college and the University.

While there is much to celebrate this fall semester, there is much more to come. Interest in our PharmD program continues to grow, with record applications. That growing demand is a powerful reflection of the quality of our program, the opportunities available to our graduates and the reputation our alumni have helped build over generations. As we welcome an increasingly strong and engaged group of future pharmacists, I am excited about what lies ahead—and grateful to have you as part of the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences community.

Thank you for continuing to champion our students, our profession and our college. I look forward to sharing all that we accomplish together in the year ahead.

Sincerely,

Julie Akers (’00), Dean