The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) held its annual Professional Hooding and Commencement Ceremony for professional program students on Friday, May 16, 2025. The CPHS Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences undergraduate students participated in the University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony held on Saturday, May 17th.
Receiving their degrees and doctoral hoods during the CPHS Hooding and Commencement Ceremony were:
- 40 Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) students
- 67 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students
- 7 Master of Athletic Training (MAT) graduates
- 10 Master of Health Informatics and Analytics (MSHIA) graduates
- 5 Master of Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) graduates
The Hooding and Commencement Ceremony included reflections from three of the graduating student government representatives. Mackenzie Laughlin (OTD), Kayla Batdorf (PharmD), and Darinka Stepan (MAT) congratulated their peers and wished them luck in the next chapter of their careers.
“We’re stepping into a world that needs us. A world where people of all ages and backgrounds face barriers to living fully,” Laughlin said. “But we know how to help. We’ve been trained not just in assessments and interventions, but in empathy, creativity and resilience.”
These students also led their classes through the Oath of an Occupational Therapist, the Oath of an Athletic Trainer, and the Oath of a Pharmacist.
Drake University Provost Sue Mattison conferred the degrees. CoraLynn Trewet, PH’03, welcomed the graduates into the Drake CPHS alumni network.
“Today, you are going to take home a degree. But it’s not about what you take in life, it’s about what you give,” Trewet said. “So, what do you have to give? Go give it. Give them your all.”
Pharmacy graduate awards were announced at a P4 Success Symposium and Celebration held the day prior, including the following award recipients:
- Anna Holden – Viatris Excellence in Pharmacy Award
- Amisha Tayal – APhA Senior Recognition Certificate
- Jacob Miller – Russell Johnson Outstanding Community Practice Graduate Award
- Anna Braun – Merck Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence
- Kaitlyn Thomas – Jerry L. Karbeling Memorial Leadership Award