2022 Graduate Students Recognized for Excellence

Each spring, the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy celebrates excellence in the graduate programs, highlighting the dedication and hard work of our Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science Candidates. Students are awarded for research and outstanding academic success. This year, the ceremony was held in the HSIB Forum with faculty, students and award namesakes and representatives including Metta Lou Henderson, PhD. Nathan Cherrington, PhD, and Georg Wondrak, PhD, presided over the event and shared words of congratulations and admiration for all the participants in the program. 

"This special event is held each year to thank and honor our donors for their generosity and contributions and to celebrate the achievements of our faculty and graduate students," Dr. Cherrington shared.

Dean Rick Schnellmann, PhD,  also included words of encouragement saying, "Today, we recognize and celebrate our graduate students for outstanding accomplishments in research."

Graduate Research Awards

The following graduate research awards are handed out each year to deserving graduate students in the College of Pharmacy. 

• The Caldwell Health Sciences Research Fellowship is dedicated in memory of Mary Caldwell, who worked at the University of Arizona for 55 years as a biology and bacteriology professor and then as a researcher. It is awarded to reward and encourage graduate students who are conducting original research.
• The Joseph B. Ryan Memorial Award was established by Joey Nell Leonard in memory of her father, Joseph B. Ryan, a prominent Phoenix pharmacist who operated a number of drug stores in Arizona. This fund is awarded to UA College of Pharmacy alumni who are interested in the MS/PhD program.
• The William & Betty Milleson Fink Graduate Student Fellowships was established in 2010 by Bill and Betty, friends of the College. Bill was a registered pharmacist for more than 60 years and held one of the oldest pharmacy licenses awarded by the State of Arizona, and Betty worked at Arizona for 34 years. The award is given to a full-time Health and Pharmaceutical Outcomes graduate student with a 3.5 GPA.
• The Hugh E. Laird II Award was provided by generous contributions from colleagues, past students, and friends will provide a bi-annual award of $2,000 to be used for two years to a full-time Pharmacy graduate student enrolled in the College of Pharmacy at The University of Arizona. Preference will be given to graduate students in the PharmD-Ph.D. graduate program and graduate students who are in their second year or later of their graduate studies.
• The Glenn Sipes Graduate Travel Award was started by Dr. Glenn Sipes, this award is intended to fund travel expenses for graduate students who are pursuing a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology and will enable and encourage them to advance their research by participating in scientific meetings. Travel to conferences and scientific meetings remains an important aspect of graduate education where students network with fellow scientists and researchers. This award will continue to encourage students to participate and reduce the burden of costs associated with travel.

The graduate awards were selected by the Research Affairs Committee, who was comprised of the following pharmacy faculty:

• Nathan Cherrington, PhD, Chair
• Rhys Axon, PhD, MPharm, MS 
• Kathryn Mattias, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP
• Wei Wang, PhD
• Gregory Thatcher, PhD
• Tyler Gallo, PharmD

Graduate Track Awards

Graduate track awards recognize students from each of the four graduate program tracks who have showcased academic excellence and outstanding research throughout the past year. Recipients were selected for two categories based on either GPA or research nominations. The executive committee then made the selection, and the Track Directors announced the awardees to the Grad Student Council.

Faculty Teaching & Mentor Awards

Graduate faculty members were also honored at this year's event. Students nominate faculty who contribute to the high-quality learning environment and help maintain high scholarly standards. In addition, they also nominated faculty members who provide advice and opportunities to enhance career development and actively publish work featuring graduate students.