College of Pharmacy welcomes Class of 2024 with White Coat Ceremony

The College of Pharmacy celebrated 88 members of the incoming Class of 2024 with its annual White Coat Ceremony, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students don their white coats for the first time at the ceremony, which symbolizes the next step in their journey to becoming a pharmacist.

The ceremony was held on Zoom, where first-year pharmacy students took turns sharing their names and hometowns before putting on the white coat. While some students were unable to be with others, some had the chance to celebrate along with their loved ones from the comfort of their own homes.

“We perform these rituals to reflect on what has taken place in the past and what our future will be,” said Rick Kasmer, Pharm.D., J.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy in his opening remarks. “Donning the white coat for the first time is a tangible symbol of the extraordinary journey you’ve embarked upon, and I suspect you will carry the image with you forever.”

During the ceremony, Dr. Kasmer presented Jamie Whited, health care supervisor for Walgreen’s in Northeast Ohio, with the Dean’s Leadership Award for several years of support and leadership for the College and its students.

Neil MacKinnon, Ph.D., dean of the University of Cincinnati Jaime L. Winkle, R.Ph. College of Pharmacy, served as the keynote speaker, offering students helpful advice on what to expect as a pharmacy student and ways they can contribute to the profession.

In a typical year, the students are helped into their white coats by second-year students called coaters, who are selected by their peers. While this was not possible with a socially distanced virtual ceremony, this year’s coaters – Maher Abbo, Miranda Galleher, Destiny Patrick and Paige Tulcewicz – shared inspiring words to welcome the incoming pharmacy class.

“To me, wearing the white coat represents a commitment to professionalism, integrity and compassion for the patients you will serve,” remarked Galleher.

“If you ever find yourself feeling in over your head, remind yourself why you chose to become a pharmacist,” noted Tulcewicz. “Remind yourself that you will change hundreds of lives over the course of your career. You got this!”