CPHS 2024 Commencement Ceremonies
Monday, June 3rd, 2024
The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) held the annual Professional Hooding and Commencement Ceremony for professional program students on Saturday, May 18th, 2024. The CPHS Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences undergraduate students participated in the University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony held on Sunday, May 19th.
Receiving their degrees and doctoral hoods during the CPHS Hooding and Commencement Ceremony were:
- 49 Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) students
- 76 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students
- 8 Master of Athletic Training (MAT) graduates
- 9 Master of Health Informatics and Analytics (MSHIA) graduates
- 3 Master of Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) graduates
In addition to the doctoral and master’s degrees, many of the graduating students also received additional degrees or designations.
The Hooding and Commencement Ceremony included reflections from three of the graduating class student government representatives. Olivia Freehill (OTD), Tessa Laska (MAT), and Meghan Ryan (PharmD) reflected on their experiences from the time they stepped foot on Drake’s campus to graduation and provided words of encouragement for the graduates as they start their careers. These students also led their classes through the Oath of an Occupational Therapist, the Oath of an Athletic Trainer, and the Oath of a Pharmacist.
Drake University Provost Sue Mattison conferred the degrees. Rick Knudson, PH’98, Pharmacy Consulting Director with Huron Consulting Group in New York and chair of the College’s National Advisory Council, welcomed the graduates into the Drake CPHS alumni network.
Pharmacy graduate awards announced during the ceremony included:
- Abby Riewer – Viatris Excellence in Pharmacy Award
- Erin Maxwell – Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information Award of Excellence in Clinical Communication
- Gustavo Flores – APhA Senior Recognition Certificate
- Kayla Olstinske – Russell Johnson Outstanding Community Practice Graduate Award
- Peyton Braun – Merck Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence, and
- Nirjan Bhattarai – Jerry L. Karbeling Memorial Leadership Award.
