UGA College of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2027
PINNING CEREMONY Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 2 pm UGA Performing Arts Center
PROGRAM Processional • Audience, please stand.
Welcome • Kelly M. Smith, PharmD ’92,’93, Dean
Sponsor’s Greeting • Taylor Truelove, PharmD ’11, Healthcare Supervisor, Walgreens
Introduction of Keynote Speaker • Stephanie Mae Langga, Class President
Keynote Address • David Pope, PharmD ’04, Chief Pharmacy Officer, XiFin Pharmacy Solutions
Presentation and Pinning of Students • Joshua Caballero, PharmD, Associate Professor • Duc Do, PhD, Associate Dean, Student Affairs & Enrollment Management • William Huang, PharmD ’04, Clinical Instructor • Jordan Khail, PharmD, Lecturer • Brian Seagraves, PharmD ’04, Academic Professional
Presentation of I.Z. Harris Award • Andrew Darley, PharmD ’12, Assistant Dean, Professional Education
Closing Remarks • Stephanie Mae Langga, Class President
Recessional • Audience, please stand.
Reception will immediately follow the ceremony at the adjacent Georgia Museum of Art building.
Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2027 Simin Abbas Sergio Alejo Mina Amirkhani Jordan Austin Hyunseo Bae Jake Barnes Caroline Barrett Emily-Rose Barron Karsin Bass Cheryl Bates Meagan Beall Ethan Benton Pranav Bhatt Tristen Blocker Anneslei Breyne Renita Bridgemohan Aubriana Brown Sydney Bumgarner Kyndell Bynum William Luke Campbell Peyton Cathcart Li Chang Alexis Chapman Julio Chavez Cindy Chen FNU Christy Joby Clovis Compaore Zoie Cooke Lamb Diego Couvillion Talexiah Crane Symone Crowder Ajdin Cubro William Culpepper Bailey DeFoor Derrik Duarte Michaela Duke Emily Dyke Gordon Elrod Jr. Leah Eubanks Madison Fenton Legend Foster Cenovio Fraire Fataba Gailor Kathleen Gannon Emily Giles Aya Haddad
Tashnia Haq Allison Hardwell Kara Harper Nicholas Harriger Logan Hartzell Viola Hasko William Helton III Ellen Hendrix Alyn Herndon Devin Hicks Josy Hill Torre Hillhouse Nicholas Holthaus Maria Ibrahim MD Islam Jerin Jamil Christopher Jang Sidney Jones Ashley Jorgensen Melina Kelley Ajla Kojic Yu Li Lam Aleesia-D'nest Lampkin Stephanie Mae Langga Brandon Lanier Rebecca Lau Angie Lee Victoria Li Michael Lim Margaret Elizabeth MacMillan Laura Elizabeth Mason Sevyn McCollum Adrianna McCoy Samantha McDonald Marlee McMullan Paige Miller Emily Moore Spencer Morris Stacy Moua Ariel Najarian Diana Nguyen Diana L. Nguyen Linh Nguyen Emily Nieman Anthonia Oladeji Jessica Osborn
Olivia Ostrander Caroline Owens Savannah Pannell An Ngoc Thien Pham Baylie Jade Phillips Maurissa Proffitt Ansley Reese Madison Reyome Garrison Rhudy Caleb Roberson Kendall Rogers Collin Sanders Carly Schnable Averi Schrews Randall Schwartz Daniel Shin Steven Shine Maddie Sikes Ethan Smith Mary Katherine Smith Zachary Stacy Madelyn Stone Joshwa Summer Lillie Sumner Annie Swan EmmaLi Taghan Abdugaffar Tashbulatov Cassidy Terry Tanner Thomas Jacob Thomasson Olivia Thrift Caroline Turpin Cooper Boone Utley Romina Valdes Daussa Emily Vargas Marggie Vazquez Janessa Vo Olivia Walega Alyssa Watson Madison Wiklund Analise Williams Dawson Williams Kaila Williams Marlie Wingate Amy Xu
History of the Pinning Ceremony at the UGA College of Pharmacy The history of Pinning Ceremonies for healthcare professionals dates back centuries, yet UGA Pharmacy was a trend setter in this time-honored tradition. In the early 1200s, the nursing profession initiated the ritual of pinning future nurses, symbolizing that they had earned the privilege of serving and caring for others. Through the years, other health professions embraced this ceremonial rite of passage. Yet, it took the field of pharmacy almost eight centuries to adopt this symbolism—and the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy was the trailblazer. Under the leadership of then-Dean Svein Øie, UGA Pharmacy established the first pinning ceremony in the United States in 2000 for Doctor of Pharmacy students as they concluded their third year of study. Other schools and colleges in the country quickly followed suit. Recognizing a student’s transition from “learner” to “practitioner,” the ceremony is considered a formal send-off for students transitioning to their final, experiential year of their Doctor of Pharmacy training. It symbolizes the passage of the torch of knowledge and the completion of classroom and academic studies—into a world of professionalism and practice.
The I.Z. Harris Award The I.Z. Harris Award was established at UGA Pharmacy in 1957 by Irving Zulie Harris, a 1915 alumnus and significant donor to the College, who was a successful pharmacist, chemist, and entrepreneur. Unique in its selection process, the I.Z. Harris Award recognizes an outstanding third-year student selected from nominations submitted by fellow classmates.
A special thank you to our sponsor: