The Champions Club at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium saw a flurry of activity on August 11, when the nearly 250 members of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. class of 2029 gathered for the kickoff to PharmDiscovery Week. New students from the Gainesville, Jacksonville and Orlando campuses began their training with a series of informational sessions, including instruction on popular Gator cheers and traditions, before enjoying a lunch spent in conversation with college faculty.
For Allen Biju Mathew, a first-year student studying at the Gainesville campus, the day felt like a reassuring reminder that he’s embarking on the right professional path.
“Pharmacy wasn’t my initial career choice; it was something I learned about when I was studying physical therapy and working at Publix. It was my co-workers who motivated me to pick pharmacy. Being able to care for people was a big deciding factor, too,” Biju Mathew said. “All my co-workers were UF pharmacy alumni, so they were always telling me how it’s the best place to go for my training. Now that I’m here, I’m excited to meet new people, make new connections and learn more about opportunities for me in pharmacy.”
Bryanna Zermeno, a first-year student studying at the Jacksonville campus, said the start of her pharmacy training served as the fulfillment of a multigenerational dream for her family. In making her abuelo’s, or grandfather’s, wishes come true, there’s only one place Zermeno wanted to be: the University of Florida.
“My abuelo was friends with the pharmacists in our neighborhood, and he would always tell me that one day, I’d make a great pharmacist. One time, he got extremely sick. When he got better, he asked for his pharmacist. He meant me. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to have this career,” Zermeno said. “In speaking to students during the interview process, the UF College of Pharmacy felt very welcoming, like home. You know that gut feeling you get when you belong somewhere? That’s how I felt.”
Class of 2029 Statistics
Aug. 11-15, 2025
Photos from PharmDiscovery Week
The UF College of Pharmacy welcomed its new Pharm.D. students to campus during PharmDiscovery Week.
