The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy

06/01/2026

PharmDawg Days of Summer Spotlight: Shifa Taj, PharmD ☀️

Shifa Taj, a Ph.D. student and graduate assistant in Pharmaceutical Health Services, Outcomes and Policy (PHSOP), is making the most of her summer through research and professional development opportunities.

In May, Shifa attended ISPOR 2026 in Philadelphia, where she presented two research posters under the mentorship of Dr. Smita Rawal. Her work explored naloxone availability in rural community pharmacies and buprenorphine dispensing trends among adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorder. She also represented the University of Georgia as a member of the ISPOR Student Chapter Quiz Bowl team, which advanced past the first round of competition. This summer, Shifa is serving as a Summer Fellow at the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health (CEVR) at Tufts Medical Center. During the fellowship, she is contributing to the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) Registry, conducting an independent research project, and participating in health policy seminars with leading experts in the field.

We're proud to see Shifa representing the College of Pharmacy and advancing research that helps improve health outcomes and inform healthcare decision-making!🎉🐾

05/26/2026

Calling all PharmDawgs! Join us at the 2026 Georgia Pharmacy Association Convention for the UGA College of Pharmacy Alumni & Friends Reception 🐾 💊

The reception will be held Thursday, June 18, from 6-7 p.m. at the Amelia Foyer and 8 Flags Patio at the Omni Amelia Island Resort. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are invited to reconnect with colleagues, expand their professional networks and celebrate the community.

Please register by June 10. Register here: https://apps.dar.uga.edu/html-emails/-/gail-email/join-us-at-the-uga-alumni-friends-reception-at-gpha-12

We look forward to seeing you in Amelia Island!

05/21/2026

Celebrating the people who make our college extraordinary! 💊

We recently recognized our faculty and staff during the 2025–2026 Awards Luncheon, celebrating award recipients, faculty promotions, and milestone years of service. Thank you to everyone who helps make our PharmDawg community so special through your dedication, leadership, and commitment to excellence.

Read more about the awards luncheon here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/faculty-staff-awards-luncheon-celebrates-pharmdawg-achievements-mlk8e

05/18/2026

05/15/2026

Congratulations to the 50 graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences program — the largest graduating class in the program’s 12-year history! 🎓🎉

On May 8, students, families, faculty and staff gathered at the UGA Performing Arts Center to celebrate the BSPBS Class of 2026. Dr. William T. Beck, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Chicago Retzky College of Pharmacy, delivered the keynote address.

Special awards were presented by Dr. Gurvinder Singh and Dr. Deborah Elder:
Valedictorian: Katherine Priest
Academic Excellence Award: Eli Sims and Jenny Wu
Excellence in Leadership Award: Kellyn Brisendine and Lauricee White
Excellence in Research Award: Johnathan “Jackson” Burns and Meghana Gudi
Excellence in Service Award: Gemma Aniezue and Blythe Jones

Later that evening at Sanford Stadium, Dean Kelly Smith presented the graduates to President Jere Morehead, who officially conferred their degrees.

So proud of the BSPBS Class of 2026 and excited to see what’s next for these graduates! ❤️🖤

05/12/2026

Congratulations to our 15 graduate candidates! 🎓

The College of Pharmacy graduated 11 master’s students and four doctoral candidates during two UGA Graduate Commencement ceremonies held May 7 at Stegeman Coliseum.

Master’s students crossed the stage in the morning, while Ph.D. candidates were hooded in the afternoon. Those hooded included Dr. Lindsay Davenport, Dr. Vincente Pinon, Dr. Fredejah Royer and Dr. Autumn Tobin.

Master’s graduates were Jackson Britt, Harshala Divekar, Logan Griffin, Hannah Knight, Tucker Lesperance, Anya Muir, Joshua Robinson, Audrey Rogers, Erik Valentin, David Wahl and Abby Young.

Learn more about these graduates and their future plans: https://rx.uga.edu/15-pharmacy-graduate-candidates-move-tassels-at-spring-26-commencement/

05/08/2026

Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2026, you did it! 🎓💊

Congratulations to all 124 graduates! We celebrate your hard work, unwavering dedication, and commitment to the profession of pharmacy. As you move forward, may you continue building on the legacy. Go Dawgs! ❤️🖤

05/07/2026

Great pharmacists are shaped by great mentors, and at the UGA College of Pharmacy, our preceptors make that impact every day. They guide, challenge, and support students while helping connect classroom learning to real-world patient care.

We’re proud to celebrate our 2025–2026 APPE Preceptors of the Year, recognizing six outstanding educators across key practice areas:
⭐ Health System APPE: Dr. Brittany Watson, Atrium Health Navicent
⭐ Community APPE: Dr. Rishi Naik, Kroger Pharmacy (Fountain Oaks)
⭐ Ambulatory Care APPE: Dr. Rashad Hanna, Tifton VA Clinic
⭐ Acute Care Medicine APPE: Dr. Pam M. Ku, Wellstar MCG Health
⭐ Acute Specialty Care APPE: Dr. Deanne Tabb, Piedmont Columbus Midtown
⭐ Elective APPE: Dr. Jody C. Rocker, Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home

Selected through student nominations, these preceptors are known for their dedication to teaching, mentorship, and helping students grow in confidence and clinical skills.💊

Read more and meet each honoree: https://rx.uga.edu/shaping-the-future-uga-college-of-pharmacys-2026-preceptors-of-the-year/

05/05/2026

PharmD Class of 2026 commencement or academic fashion show? 🎓

05/01/2026

Members of the Class of 2026 gathered this week to recognize four years of academic success and accomplishments—and celebrate enduring PharmDawg friendships.

During the annual Awards and Recognition Dinner held Wednesday evening at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel, the class reminisced their CoP journey since they arrived in August 2022. Highlighting the evening were professional awards and superlatives presented to students. In addition, Commencement hooders, who were selected by the students, were recognized and include Drs. Josh Caballero, Jordan Khail, Devin Lavender, and Brian Seagraves.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients:
R.C. Wilson Award: Hunter Johnson
Durward N. Entrekin Pharmacy Student Leadership Award: Bryan Gomez
McKesson Award: Elena Duvall
Merck Awards: Danielle Obijeski, Abigail Powell, Rylan Wilkenson
PharmDawg Awards: Gisele Beaubien, Jill Foster, Carryl Laserna, Tiana Singletary
Redfearn Award: Bayard Taylor
Viatris Excellence in Pharmacy Award: Sarah Grace White
Kenneth L. Waters Award: Zoe Krenz
APhA-ASP Senior Recognition Certificate: Bryan Gomez
NCPA Chapter Member Excellence Award: Madison Marquess

We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2026 at Commencement this Saturday!