WSU Welcomes 85 New Student Pharmacists at White Coat Ceremonies
Monday, August 25, 2025
The college welcomed 85 new student pharmacists over the course of Pharmacy Prep Week this August, culminating with White Coat Ceremonies held in Spokane and Yakima where students are presented with their official white coats which they will wear throughout their four years in the Doctor of Pharmacy program.
Our incoming students hail from across Washington and 17 other states, and a handful of countries, representing both small rural towns and large urban centers. These students will go on to impact, and save, lives in fields ranging from community pharmacy to specialties in pediatrics, oncology, research, ambulatory care, and more.
White Coat Ceremony keynote speaker, Crystal Bryan (’12), Chief Clinical Officer at Cascadia Pharmacy Group
“Four years seems like a long time, but in the context of your life it is one relatively short opportunity to launch your career,” said keynote speaker Crystal Bryan (’12), Chief Clinical Officer at Cascadia Pharmacy Group.
A dedicated alumna of the college, and experienced pharmacist, Bryan shared the importance of taking advantage of the time in pharmacy school to seek out new experiences and explore the pathways open to students. But she also emphasized the importance of supporting one another as part of the Coug community which is unique to WSU.
“These people will become some of your best friends and your biggest layer of support these next four years and beyond… lean on them, be vulnerable and remember they are your peers, not your competition!” said Bryan.
The White Coat Ceremony represents the student pharmacists’ entry into the profession, while celebrating the hard work, dedication, and perseverance which brought them to the pharmacy program. The simple white coat is symbolic, representing new students’ entry into the profession and a promise they make to their community and future patients to dedicate themselves to professional excellence.
The ceremonies are made possible by Walgreens Corporation which sponsored the white coat ceremonies and receptions, as well as underwriting the cost of the white coats that will be worn by our student pharmacists throughout their pharmacy education. Incoming students were coated by Walgreens representatives Ashley Bruck (’00) and Steve Webbenhurst in Spokane, and Peter Bonilla (’21) in Yakima in recognition of the company’s support.
Support from companies such as Walgreens as well as individual donors helps the college prepare the next generation of providers and researchers to help shape the future of health care. For information on how you can support WSU’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, please visit our giving page or contact Kelly Sylvester at kelly.sylvester@wsu.edu.
By Tia Weyrauch
