Spring semester is in full swing at the School of Pharmacy and with it brings multiple ceremonies that celebrate student achievement, symbolically connecting them with the pharmacy profession. The Hooding Ceremony and Commencement honors the academic achievement of our Pharmacology & Toxicology (BS), PharmD, and graduate students and welcomes them as new Badger alumni. The Pinning Ceremony for third-year PharmD students marks an important transition from academic to experiential learning and serves as a formal send-off to their advanced pharmacy practice experiences. The White Coat Ceremony officially welcomes first-year PharmD students to the profession by receiving their first white coat and reciting the oath of a pharmacist.    

While honoring our students, these ceremonies further strengthen the relationship between students, alumni, and the School. It is through the generous donations of Badger pharmacists that the White Coat and Pinning Ceremonies are so successful. For example, donations to the Student Success and Support Fund in 2016 provided a white coat to each first-year PharmD student, a pin for each third-year student, and sponsored ten students to attend a national pharmacy conference. We hope that more alums participate in this campaign in 2017 to continue purchasing white coats and pins as well as expand the number of student travel grants offered. All donations to this fund directly support the professional development of student pharmacists and serves as an important example for future Badger pharmacists to follow. 

Spring ceremonies are also the time when students ‘pay it forward’ by making donations to their class scholarship funds to support future Badger pharmacists. It is important for our students to remember the investment made in their education by alums and honor their generosity by helping the next cohort of students soon to follow. This investment in future healthcare providers and researchers helps disseminate new knowledge that improves patient health which in essence is the Wisconsin Idea. This act of giving also continues to build the School of Pharmacy community. Richard Cornuelle (1927-2011) stressed the important connection between community and philanthropy when he stated: “Community is a consequence. It results when people come together to accomplish things that are important to them and succeed. People who are uninvolved cannot feel this connection.”

I encourage everyone to connect with the School of Pharmacy this spring by attending our spring ceremonies and making an investment in our current and future students to grow our Badger community.