Published on April 18, 2017 by Sarah Waller  
Pharmacy Pinning Oneill 2017
Cardinal Health’s Chris Lanctot, left, awards a scholarship to third-year pharmacy student Angela O'Neil.

Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy honored 111 third-year students at the recent professional pinning ceremony.

The annual event recognizes students as they make the transition from a predominately classroom environment to advanced pharmacy practice experience. It is a testament to how Samford ensures lasting success through steadfast adherence to its mission of preparing pharmacies who transform lives.

Patrick Devereux, a 2005 Samford pharmacy alumnus, and incoming president and chief executive officer of FMS Pharmacy, provided the keynote address.

Devereux challenged students to find excellence in the ordinary.

“It’s easy to get burned out over work, but when we reset ourselves, we rediscover the true mission of what we do and the impact our daily tasks have on those we serve,” Devereux said. “Sometimes, I have to stop and reset. When I do, I realize I am still crazy passionate about this profession like I was when I decided to go to pharmacy school nearly 20 years ago as a teenager working at a pharmacy. When I do this, I excel at the daily work that I do, and my patients are better for it.”

During the ceremony, the school also presented two of its highest honors.

Third-year pharmacy student Angela O’Neil is this year’s recipient of the Cardinal Health Annual Independent Pharmacy Scholarship. Established in 2012 by Cardinal Health, the award provides a full-tuition scholarship for the final year of pharmacy school.

Cardinal Health’s vice president for independent sales Chris Lanctot was present to make the announcement. “Take this opportunity to do good for your patients in the future,” Lanctot told O’Neil.

Professor Pamela Sims was this year’s recipient of the Margaret Self Propst Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award. Crouch said this is the highest teaching honor given by McWhorter School of Pharmacy.

“[Sims] is one of those people who always sees the bright side of a situation, and she never fails to amaze the class with the wealth of knowledge she is lecturing on without a single note in her hand,” Couch said, reading student comments.

The top performers in the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment were also recognized. 

Sarah Waller is marketing and communication coordinator for the College of Health Sciences.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.