As we do every year, the School of Pharmacy proudly hosted our Recognition and Awards Ceremony to celebrate the achievements of our graduating PharmD and MS students. This year’s ceremony was especially meaningful as we graduated the inaugural cohort of students from our standalone Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences program.
The event was held on Friday, May 16, in the Taylor Meade Performing Arts Center on our beautiful Forest Grove campus. The celebration was attended by members of our academic community and School leadership, University leadership including the Provost and Executive Dean, our alumni speaker Kelle Miyama, and representatives from Albertsons Companies, who generously sponsored the ceremony and the post-event reception.
Families and guests enjoyed opportunities to take photos, explore the campus, visit the University Bookstore, and celebrate with graduates on the outdoor patio under the canopy of Forest Grove’s iconic trees. The reception following the ceremony created a warm and joyful space for connection, reflection, and celebration.
This year also marked a new tradition: for the first time, we were able to hood our graduates during our School ceremony, ahead of the University-wide Commencement on Saturday. This allowed for a more personal and meaningful farewell to our students, shared in the presence of peers, faculty, preceptors, and loved ones.
The program featured the distribution of , recognition of the , and heartfelt celebrations of each graduate’s accomplishments. We honored their dedication, perseverance, and the many contributions they made during their academic journey. It was a proud moment for our entire School community, as we collectively sent our graduates off to the next stage of their professional lives.
The event was a joyful reminder of our core purpose: to educate and empower students who entrust us with their professional training. It also highlighted the collective effort and commitment of our faculty, staff, and partners in creating a nurturing and successful learning environment.
-Written by:
Marketa Marvanova, PharmD, PhD, BCGP, BCPP, FASCP | Dean & Professor | School of Pharmacy
