ACP 2009 Commencement

May 16, 2009

ACP Graduates 59 Students Dr. Susan Mayhew, Dean

Reprinted with permission from the Virginia Mountaineer

The Appalachian College of Pharmacy celebrated its second commencement ceremony on Saturday at Riverview Elementary/Middle School with the graduating class of 2009.A total of 59 students made up the second graduating class, who all received their Doctor of Pharmacy degrees and ceremonial robes during the event on Saturday morning.

The ceremony began with the marching of the students and the playing of the National Anthem. ACP President Mickey McGlothin welcomed all family and friends of the students in his address and reminded the students that while commencement marked the end of the academic period, it is the beginning of a new journey. "Now that you are here, you have been trained to think like pharmacists, act like pharmacists and be pharmacists," McGlothin said in his opening remarks. McGlothin asked the graduating class to stand and look around in the audience of family, friends and spouses and asked the student to applaud them for their support. Also, McGlothin praised the hard work and dedication of the faculty and staff of ACP. "We are blessed with a hard working staff and faculty," McGlothin said. In his closing remarks, McGlothin expressed his admiration for the class of 2009 and its accomplishments at the pharmacy college. "We are very proud of all the graduates," he said. "We will follow your profession with invested interest."

ACP Dean Susan L. Mayhew then introduced commencement student speaker Ed Talbott, a native of Buchanan County. Talbott, was a graduate of Grundy Senior High School who went on to graduate from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in physics. Talbott would then serve in the U.S. Navy.
"Today, we leave here as pharmacists," Talbott said. "Now we get ready to go out into the world and leave our mark."Talbott said he did not expect to be the student speaker representing the class of 2009, but joked that he was the "elder statesman." Furthermore, Talbott expressed to the students that they had accomplished a crowning achievement of entering and graduating from graduate school with a doctorate degree, which is no easy feat.

"I've have done many things during my time on earth," Talbott said. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

Talbott touched on the hard work the students did on their own as well as relying on each other to get through the difficult times, forging friendly bonds that will last lifetimes. "We studied and worked together," Talbott said. "We are more than just a class, we're a family and this is a bond not easily broken."
Finally, Talbott said the students at ACP came from many different places throughout the U.S. and the world and they all will achieve a common goal in helping others in the field of pharmacy. He encouraged them to keep reaching for dreams and strive in accomplishments. "We are the University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy Class of 2009," Talbott said. "Our voices will be heard and we will make a difference."

Following Talbott's student address, Mayhew introduced Pharmacy Management Services Professional Compounding Centers of America, Inc. Vice President William Letendre, MS, RPh, MBA, FIACP. Letendre reminded the students graduating last Saturday that he was once a young, ambitious pharmacy student like them. "Back in 1970, I was sitting right where you are right now," Letendre said. Letendre said this was a critical time for the pharmacy profession and market and it is a time of much change, considering the high cost of health care services and medicines. Letendre also told the graduating students that he hoped that they will become the leaders who will take initiatives in improving health care services and help bring affordable care to Americans. "Your career choices are only limited by your imagination and willingness," Letendre said.

During his address, Letendre said to the students there was a wide range of 500 special pharmacy related professions they could pursue and the marketplace is always looking for hard workers and new leaders. Also, Letendre said there are great opportunities for the pharmacy entrepreneur for those who wish to open their own business. "Decide for yourself on how pharmacy is to be practiced," Letendre said to the graduating class. "You are the future leaders of our profession and you shall expect nothing less."

In his closing statements, Letendre told the students to never compromise their integrity, pursue goals and take risks because, "leaders take risks." "You are only limited by your imagination," Letendre said. "Go out into the marketplace and make a difference."

ACP Chairman Frank Kilgore and McGlothin assisted in awarding the degrees to the graduating class, which was then followed by the pharmacist's oath directed by Mayhew. The ceremony ended with a reception event at the college's Garden campus.

Members of the ACP graduating class of 2009 include: Thomas Wesley Adams, Brandy L. Barber, Heather Michelle Bray, Joseph Stephens Broten, Aaron Steven Burnette, Amber Michelle Copeland, Gavin Seth Counts, Deanna R. Donaldson, Christopher Matthew Edelen, Adekunle Enigbokan, Steven Dale Finkenbinder, Wendy Gayle Stout Fleenor, Seth Edward Graham, William B. Hardy IV, Ida Misty Nichole Harris, Jennifer Marie Hasis, Shannon Colby Haynes, Eric Shane Hendrick, Kim-Tu Ngoe Ho, Lisa Marie Howard, Jeri Lynn Howard, Johnna Brianne ison, Stephanie Rose Jones, Pascal Kemelong, Felix Kigen Kipchirchir, Kynsi Leigh Kline, Anita Mary Koshy, Ai Li, Michael Wayne Logsdon, Daniel Manobianco, Amanda Reene Matney, Gregory H. May, Lara Alicia May, Noella Endam Mbah, Kalina Beth McGlothin, Paul Anthony Meozzi, Abdolali Moradimehr, Roger Brendan Napier, Luong Nguyen, Mital Patel, Zankhana A. Patel, Thao Pham, Andrea Rachelle Raines, Jamie Nicole Ratliff, Stephanie Dye Roberts, Chastity Amber Robinson, Mohamad Husein Salem, Amy Beth Showers, Jessica Nikole Slone, Stacy Lynn Sowers, Tabitha Noel Stanley, David Levi Steinberg, Jackie Lee Stiltner II, Adam Joseph Stitt, Edgar F. Talbott III, Bridgette Reene Thacker, Hoang Mai Tran, Mark A. Yap, Amanda Susanne Young.