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Pinning Ceremony Recognizes Class of 2026 Completing Didactic Coursework

June 19, 2025

MCW School of Pharmacy Class of 2026 Pinning Ceremony

The MCW School of Pharmacy awarded school pins to 38 students during the Class of 2026 Pinning Ceremony, recognizing their completion of didactic coursework and transition to full-time clinical rotations. During their third and final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum, students will be immersed in the practice setting for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs), where they'll be exposed to various pharmacy specialties.

“You can look at this milestone as a point of success, overcoming a challenge and progressing towards the future,” said Ehab Abourashed, PhD, MS, BPharm, assistant dean for academic and curricular affairs and professor. “You have achieved a lot in these two years – completing the didactic course curriculum and IPPE rotations to gain experience in the field. Now, it’s time to be more immersed in your training and look forward to the next milestones: graduation and your licensure exam.”

Stacy Reid, PharmD, BCPS, assistant dean of experiential education and assistant professor, encouraged the Class of 2026 to be role models for younger students and to keep an open mind throughout their upcoming clinical rotations.

“While some of you may know exactly what you want to do with your career, others of you may have no idea. Both of those and anything in between is okay,” added Dr. Reid. “Every rotation is a chance to try something new and maybe find something unexpected that you’re passionate about. While pharmacy is a small world, there are endless possibilities.”

Several exemplary students were recognized during the ceremony.

  • The Pharmacist of the Future Award, recognizing a student who their peers would trust to be their own pharmacist, was awarded to Madelyn Lechmaier.
  • The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Outstanding Student Chapter Member Award was awarded to Alexandra Baxter for enhancing student engagement in the ACCP student chapter and expanding the presence of ACCP through community engagement, education, promotion, research opportunities or professional stewardship.
  • The Inclusive Excellence Award, recognizing accomplishments in exemplifying MCW’s values of being inclusive, caring for others and treating all with respect was awarded to Abby Cruz.
  • The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin presented the PSW Student Good Government Award to Hannah Odekirk, in recognition of demonstrating a strong commitment to the advancement of the practice of pharmacy in the legislative arena.

MCW School of Pharmacy Class of 2026 student ambassadors

A group of nine students received a student ambassador pin, recognizing their commitment to recruiting and retaining future pharmacy students. A few of these students received the Outstanding Student Ambassador Award: Bailey Dusso, Ammar Mousa, Kalan Narance and Joshua Wendlick.

The MCW School of Pharmacy also celebrated the 2025 Instructors of the Year.

PY1 Instructors of the Year:

  • Biopharmaceutical Sciences: Abhay Chauhan, PhD, MPharm, BPharm, associate professor
  • Clinical Sciences: Mathew Letizia, PharmD, director of professional laboratories (year 1) and assistant professor

PY2 Instructors of the Year:

  • Biopharmaceutical Sciences: Phil Mosier, PhD, assistant professor
  • Clinical Sciences: Zach Hovis, PharmD, BCACP, assistant professor
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