Celebrating PharmCATS, the Class of 2026!
The University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy honored its spring 2026 graduating class at Centennial Hall on May 15.
The Coit College of Pharmacy celebrated the fourth graduating class of its Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences by conferring 78 bachelor degrees. The four-year degree was launched in fall 2018 and offers a curriculum aimed at preparing graduates for employment in a variety of biomedical research settings, as well as preparing them for post-baccalaureate education in graduate or health-professional studies. These two innovative undergraduate majors allow students to understand healthcare through the lens of medications – how they work, how they’re developed, and the direct impact that they have on patients’ health outcomes. Both majors integrate chemistry, physiology, and biology to provide an interdisciplinary foundation for careers in healthcare, research, industry, and more.
Taylor Camacho gave the undergraduate response and will pursue her doctor of pharmacy degree with the Coit College of Pharmacy in fall 2026.
"As students, we each carried different stories, challenges, and dreams into this moment, and we did not arrive here alone. This achievement belongs not only to us, but also to the families who sacrificed, the mentors who believed in us, the friends who encouraged us, and the communities that helped make this day possible," she said.
The graduate programs celebrated and hooded ten Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and two Master of Science in Health & Pharmaceutical Outcomes graduates, eight Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates and six Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Toxicology graduates.
Hannah Jackson, a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences, gave the master's student response during the ceremony. "What united us was more than just coursework; it was the willingness to listen, help and try again when things didn’t go as planned. This collaborative spirit helped shape us into who we are and prepare us for the next chapter in each of our lives."
The College conferred doctor of pharmacy degrees to 133 graduates. Some of the graduates choose to accept positions in community or health-system settings. Others continue their education by pursuing a graduate degree. Among the Class of 2026, 69 students have applied and successfully matched for postgraduate pharmacy residency training.
Jason Agundez and Ali Qasemi were selected to give the PharmD Cohort class response during the ceremony. "As we leave here today, it is important to remember something that we’ve heard time and time again - that pharmacy is a small world. Stay connected, continue to support one another, and never stop learning," Qasemi said.
Interim Dean Brian Erstad, PharmD, encouraged graduates to make themselves indispensable and to find their moral compass.
"Try to make yourself indispensable. Find your own moral compass, it is critically important. When you hear that little voice that's saying 'this is wrong', listen to that little voice because often its right. When you start disregarding that, it becomes easier and easier over the years. You have to be active, you have to exercise to do it. When Aristotle refers to virtue ethics he says the greatest virtue of those are the ones most useful to others," Erstad said.