GULFPORT, Miss. (Special) — The inaugural class of the William Carey University (WCU) School of Pharmacy on the Tradition campus in Biloxi graduated April 10 during commencement exercises at First Church, Gulfport.
“The graduation of our inaugural class of pharmacy students is, indeed, an exciting time for William Carey and the Gulf Coast. This is another step in the growth of William Carey’s ability to meet the needs of Mississippi and the Gulf South region,” said WCU President Tommy King.
The WCU School of Pharmacy is an accelerated program, enabling students to earn a doctor of pharmacy degree in 34 months instead of the more usual four years. Classes meet year-round in four terms. One of only a handful of accelerated pharmacy programs in the country, the WCU School of Pharmacy accepted its first students in July 2018.
Keynote speaker John Read has served since 1993 in the Mississippi House of Representatives, but he has also been a pharmacist for over 50 years.
“When I entered the practice of pharmacy in 1970, it was quickly evolving from the traditional role of compounding, labeling, and dispensing into something much more connected to the patient experience,” Read said. “I have seen our role become integrated with physicians and other health professionals, all focused on improving patients’ health outcomes and quality of life.
“There’s a common thread that has remained the same — the desire to help people. When I took my first job, I had no idea how close I would get with many customers. I’ve celebrated the good times and I’ve also grieved with people in some of their darkest moments. I have become part of their families, and they have become part of mine.
“Don’t forget the person. There are people and families behind every prescription you fill. You can minister to the mind, the soul, and the spirit as much as medicine can help the body. Get out, talk to people. Learn the names and the stories of the people you serve.
“Don’t allow yourself to simply be part of an assembly line trying to keep up. Don’t forget the person because maintaining true human connections keeps you grounded in the root reason you went to pharmacy school – to help people.”
Honors graduate Warren Patrick Hutto of Gulfport, elected by his classmates to represent them during commencement, addressed fellow members of the Class of 2021 as a pharmacist at the start of his professional life.
“In Matthew 22, Jesus says, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself,’ Hutto said.
“Our primary call is to enter an intimate relationship with our creator and savior. To trust Him and to grow with him more every day. As we leave this place, take the time to ask your heavenly father to be an active part of your life.
“The second calling that Jesus gives us is to love people, and that can be seen lived out in a career, the vocation of pharmacy. Using your specialized skill set to serve and to help people in need, just as Jesus modeled for us… compassion and understanding for the lost and the hurting. An interesting thing happens when you love God and you love people. You will have opportunities to change the world.
“Class of 2021, it is time for you to become the men and women that God created you to be. It’s time for you to use the profession of pharmacy as an outlet of God’s grace. Let’s go change the world.”
Michael Malloy, dean of the School of Pharmacy, said, “This is the culmination of five years of implementing Dr. King’s vision of starting a School of Pharmacy at William Carey University. It took great effort, creating a culture and community of family, perseverance, and ultimately leading to success by all the faculty, staff and especially the students.
“This could not have been achieved without all the support we received from the pharmacy community in the state and all of those preceptors and institutions who embraced our students on their clinical rotations. We hope this is the beginning of a long and successful tenure for the School of Pharmacy.”
This summer, the WCU School of Pharmacy will host site visits toward final accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the national accrediting body for schools of pharmacy in the United States.
For more information, visit https://www.wmcarey.edu/school/pharmacy.
WCU and the two other Mississippi Baptist institutions of higher learning, Mississippi College in Clinton and Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, are supported by gifts to the Lord through the Mississippi Cooperative Program.
