Winter 2012 - Western University of Health Sciences

CONVOCATION & WHITE COAT
August 6, 2011
On August 6, 2011, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy welcomed 118 students into the class of
2015 at a White Coat ceremony held at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California (thank you to Walmart for
their generous sponsorship of the White Coat ceremony this year). Cynthia Jackevicius, PharmD, Director, Residency and
Fellowship Training Program and Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice & Administration, gave the keynote address to
the students and their families. Key points of her address to the students included: 1) Be open to and interested in all
possibilities since you don’t know what opportunity will present itself and ultimately influence your career path. Find your
passion and inspiration to get you through the days, weeks and years of hard work during pharmacy school; 2) Do
everything you can to succeed, including being happy. As the Nobel laureate Albert Schweitzer said: “Success is not the key
to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful;” and
3) Remember that patient care is an art and a science, encompassing both the mind and the heart. Patients will trust you
because you are wearing a white coat. Consider how you will be of service to patients and create your own distinct mixture
of humanism, science and caring as a student pharmacist. ■
Below: Dean Daniel Robinson greets Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, at the Convocation Ceremony. Bottom left: students receiving
their white coats during the White Coat Ceremony. Bottom middle: Brett Boschetto, PharmD ’15 receives his white coat from Fadi Khasawneh, PhD, BPharm, Assistant
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Below right: James Scott, BS, MEd, PharmD, Associate Dean of Experiential and Professional Affairs, Associate Professor of Pharmacy
Practice and Administration, and Cynthia Jackevicius, PharmD, MSc, BScPhm, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration.
12 | RxBound WesternU, College of Pharmacy