Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2030
WHITE COAT CEREMONY Saturday, August 15, 2026 10:30 AM UGA Performing Arts Center
THE WHITE COAT CEREMONY The faculty, staff, and administration of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy are pleased to welcome the Class of 2030 as well as their families and friends to this important occasion. The annual White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage that marks the beginning of a student’s professional studies in the Doctor of Pharmacy program. While this is undoubtedly an exciting time for incoming students and their families, the White Coat Ceremony is a solemn occasion. As you celebrate with us today at the White Coat Ceremony, we ask that you honor the significance of this event as students formally and publicly accept the challenges that lie before them on their professional journey. Today, students will wear their white coats for the first time and pledge their commitment to the lifestyle, attitudes, and behaviors befitting a healthcare professional. Such a commitment involves effort, sacrifice, and dedication; it should not be entered into lightly. Worn to classes, labs, and practical training experiences, the white coat serves as a constant reminder of the responsibilities our student pharmacists must embrace as critical members of healthcare teams whose primary concerns are the health, comfort, and welfare of humanity. During the next four years, your encouragement and enthusiasm will be invaluable to our students—your loved ones—as the path they have chosen is certainly not an easy one. We congratulate you and the incoming students on their dedication to a most worthwhile and satisfying profession. We look forward to getting to know our new class of students and enjoying their successes along the way.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER Caroline Kicklighter, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, is a skilled leader in medical affairs and clinical pharmacy currently serving as Senior Director, Medical Lead in Medical Affairs at Kardigan, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cardiovascular therapies. Her experience includes the pharmaceutical industry, health informatics, managed care, and clinical pharmacy services. Caroline is recognized for her strategic vision, launch excellence, and commitment to advancing patient outcomes through evidence-based medicine. Her career includes strategic roles at Novartis, Pfizer, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Kaiser Permanente. Caroline has expertise in health economics and research, market access, real-world evidence generation and developing clinical pharmacy services. She has led product launch strategies across multiple therapeutic areas, including establishing value-based collaborations with national payers and health systems. She is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and has received multiple industry awards for excellence and collaboration. Caroline received her BS and PharmD degrees from the University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy and her MBA from George Washington University. She currently resides in Denver, Colorado.
PROGRAM Audience please stand.
PROCESSIONAL
Faculty Marshals: Vivia Hill-Silcott, Ph.D. ’15 Director of Student Success Danielle Vitale, Ph.D. ’16 Director of Admissions and Career Development Jason Zastre, Ph.D. 2025 Pharm.D. Teacher of the Year
WELCOME
SPONSOR'S GREETING
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
PRESENTATION OF WHITE COATS
Kelly M. Smith, Pharm.D. ’92, ’93 Dean
Chelsea Pepples, Pharm.D. ’13 Pharmacy Practice Coordinator Kroger Company
Caroline Kicklighter, Pharm.D. ’94 Senior Director, Medical Affairs Kardigan, Inc. Duc Do, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Recitation Faculty Facilitators
PLEDGE OF PROFESSIONALISM
Austin Schorey, Pharm.D. Candidate ’28 Chair, Dean’s Student Advisory Council
CLOSING REMARKS
Andrew Darley, Pharm.D. ’12, Ed.D.’25 Assistant Dean for Professional Education
RECESSIONAL
Audience please stand.
A reception will immediately follow the ceremony at the College of Pharmacy in the first and second floor lobbies of the Pharmacy South Building.
DOCTOR OF PHARMACY STUDENTS Recitation Team 1
Recitation Team 2
Samuel Akinleye
Haley Blair
James Bass
Adrian Bradford
Avani Chandak
Olivia Chen
Holden Dinkins
Brinson Dotschay
Sabrina Fung
Micah Gilmour
Anna Gibbs
Keeli Holloway
My Hoang
Anna Johnson
Emily Jasrotia
Tyler Lane
Anna Kossifidis
Asia Loney
Vi-Anna Kotze
Milo Lyons
Maryam Najeeb
Cody Neiber
Sophia Oyelere
Gabrielle Nelson
Rieley Parker
Het Patel
Meredith Phillips
Brantley Philmon
Kacy Ann Sears
Jonas Ramirez-Velazquez
Chelsea Thomas
Soomin Seo
Brittan Walker
Fapronia Wasif
Karlee Wells
Lana West
Faculty Facilitator:
Faculty Facilitators:
Christy Wilhight, Pharm.D., Clinical Assistant Professor
William Huang, Pharm.D. ’04, Clinical Instructor Cathy White, Ph.D., Associate Professor
CLASS OF 2030 Recitation Team 3
Recitation Team 4
Logan Bramlett
Lois Adewoye
Alan Catano
Addie Brunston
Shirley Chen
Landon Cliett
Tahlia Ferguson
Alexander Deen
Riley Gladin
Carl Fettes
Elena Hong
Octavius Green
Katelyn Horacek
Emmilyn Horlander
Megan Irvin
Joseph Hosseini
Jordyn Jones
Madalynn Kalinowski
Hayley Laurendeau
Diamondkim Le
Avery McDaniel
Giovanni Medina
Salma Najam
Kathy Nguyen
Bhavya Patel
Nupur Patel
Ashwardh Pulipaka
Mia Price
Kyala Shabani
Connor Rhoades
Kathryn Tedder
Kylie Skrzypinski
Selena Tran
Liam Trantham
Tamia Travick
Angela Wingate
Faculty Facilitator:
Faculty Facilitator:
Wided Najahi Missaoui, Pharm.D., Ph.D. ’18, Clinical Associate Professor
Lindsey Welch, Pharm.D. ’08, APPE Director
DOCTOR OF PHARMACY STUDENTS Recitation Team 5
Recitation Team 6
Adriel Ammah
Abbey Anderson
Amelia Carter
Reagan Carter
Dawn Collins
Anna Conley
Elizabeth Fill
Jasmine Flores
Taina Francis
Annya Forbin
Alexis Gresham
Olivia Grove
Sydney Hoye
Carson Huff
Zamya Jones
Han Jin Kim
Jeemin Kang
Swetchiana Koa
Melissa Le
Sofie Leong
Sanaa Merrell
Faraz Mirza
Priya Patel
Olawale Olorunfemi
Gillis Roberson
Leena Omer
Shiniyia Shonia
Soham Patel
Britney Sorrells
Joshua Robinson
Celena Sperbeck
Dante Sanchez
Micaleb Swails
Bryar Speegle
Anna Wilson
Carter Voiselle
Derrick Worthy
Aaron Wills
Faculty Facilitators:
Faculty Facilitator:
Virginia Fleming, Pharm.D. ’06, Clinical Associate Professor
Jason Zastre, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Robin Southwood, Pharm.D., Clinical Associate Professor
CLASS OF 2030 Recitation Team 7
Recitation Team 8
Lillie Barnes
Jenniffer Arauz
Micah Brown
Melisa Cehic
Luis Corona
Justin Diep
Robert Evans
Thomas Doronsky
Kenneth Gonzalez
Kyndall Frenelle
Ella Helton
William Hilliard
Lauren Iorio
Valerie Hollimon
Nicholas Kirka
Paige Koller
David Lee
Aaron Mayo
Madison Levine
Emma Nelson
Ainsley Myers
Ha Thien An Nguyen
Ashton Ortiz
Jalon Palmer
Vachan Patel
Krish Patel
Rileigh Robinson
Hoang Phuc Phan
Tori Taylor
Lelia Schilke
Carrie Twente
Midhila Thomas
Fatima Uddin
Vi Vu
Ruogu Wang
Connor Whiddon
Faculty Facilitator:
Faculty Facilitator:
Nicholas Castillo, Pharm.D. ’24, Community Practice Experience Coordinator
Michelle McElhannon, Pharm.D. ’94, ’95, Public Service Assistant
Pledge of Professionalism As a student of pharmacy, I believe there is a need to build and reinforce a professional identity founded on integrity, ethical behavior, and honor. This development, a vital process in my education, will help ensure that I am true to the professional relationship I establish between myself and society as I become a member of the pharmacy community. Integrity must be an essential part of my everyday life and I must practice pharmacy with honesty and commitment to service. To accomplish this goal of professional development, I as a student of pharmacy should: DEVELOP a sense of loyalty and duty to the profession of pharmacy by being a builder of community, one able and willing to contribute to the well-being of others and one who enthusiastically accepts the responsibility and accountability for membership in the profession. FOSTER professional competency through life-long learning. I must strive for high ideals, teamwork, and unity within the profession in order to provide optimal patient care. SUPPORT my colleagues by actively encouraging personal commitment to the Oath of Pharmacist and a Code of Ethics as set forth by the profession. INCORPORATE into my life and practice, dedication to excellence. This will require an ongoing reassessment of personal and professional values. MAINTAIN the highest ideals and professional attributes to ensure and facilitate the covenantal relationship required of the pharmaceutical care giver. The profession of pharmacy is one that demands adherence to a set of rigid ethical standards. These high ideals are necessary to ensure the quality of care extended to the patients I serve. As a student of pharmacy, I believe this does not start with graduation; rather, it begins with my membership in this professional college community. Therefore, I must strive to uphold these standards as I advance toward full membership in the profession of pharmacy. I voluntarily take this pledge of professionalism. *Developed by the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists/American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Deans (APhA-ASP/AACP-COD) Task Force on Professionalism; June 26, 1994.
Special thanks to Kroger Pharmacy for their generous support of the Pharm.D. Class of 2030 White Coat Ceremony.