by Michaela Carpenter, Public Relations Writer
Cedarville University’s School of Pharmacy will celebrate the entry of 46 new students to its professional Doctor of Pharmacy program at its sixth annual white coat ceremony Saturday, Sept. 9, at 10:30 a.m. in Cedarville’s Dixon Ministry Center.
The ceremony will not only mark each student’s entry into the professional pharmacy program at Cedarville, but also their recognition as healthcare professionals by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
“The white coat commemorates the students’ commitment to the profession and to be a respected healthcare professional and maintain integrity in all that they do,” said Marc Sweeney, Pharm.D., dean of the school of pharmacy.
For students receiving their white coats, this ceremony is meaningful in a variety of ways.
“The white coat ceremony signifies our entrance into the medical profession. It reflects our hard work within our undergraduate studies and our readiness to develop into competent pharmacists through our professional schooling,” said Ryan Mayer, a first-year professional pharmacy student, who will receive his white coat at the upcoming ceremony.
“For me, the white coat represents my desire and ability to care for others, because the central goal of a Christian pharmacist should be to care for patients in every way that we can.”
There are now 166 students enrolled in Cedarville’s professional Doctor of Pharmacy program and 255 enrolled in the professional and undergraduate programs combined. This reflects continued growth in the school of pharmacy since it launched in 2012.
“The fact that we have had continuous growth in our enrollment is exciting,” said Sweeney. “It’s a mark of success as we continue to welcome new students into our program.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.