While campus and Drake’s Pharmacy program have changed over the past five decades, Bill Morris, PH’65, says there’s one thing that hasn’t: the strong bond he has with his graduating class.
The Class of 1965 has planned and executed reunions on their own accord, the first in 1990 (former dean Burl Benton attended), a second in 2005, and a third last fall (when Professor Emeritus Boyd Granberg got to catch up with some of his former students). Morris has been a part of planning all three.
“We were the first group to graduate with the 5-year plan,” recalls Morris, describing the mostly male group of 58 who came to know each other well through both studies and involvement in the professional fraternity Kappa Psi. “Out of the whole class, only one person didn’t stay in pharmacy.”
Most members of the class have, until the last few years, continued practicing in the field. Morris himself recently retired in 2011 after spending 40 years with Walgreens.
Each of the three reunions have been hosted in Des Moines, and people have traveled from California, Montana, and the East Coast to attend. Nearly two dozen made it back to campus for their 50th.
“There were 12 of us that have been to all of the reunions, and we were tight when we were in school together,” says Morris said. “It’s weird because at this reunion we could pick up some of the same conversations we were having ten years ago. It was great!”