A hush fell over the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 24 when a swell of dramatic music signaled that the 238 members of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy class of 2029 were entering the room. One by one, the first-year pharmacy students took their seats and prepared for an occasion that they’ll remember forever: the White Coat Ceremony.
This annual celebration marks an important milestone in pharmacy education. By striding across the stage and donning the white coat — a universal symbol of professionalism and integrity — pharmacy students take a critical step toward developing their patient-centered practice. The event kicked off with opening remarks by Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm., dean and professor in the UF College of Pharmacy, and featured a talk from Annemarie Rodriguez, a fourth-year Pharm.D. student at the Jacksonville campus.
Students also heard a keynote presentation from Neil MacKinnon, Ph.D., M.Sc., president of Central Michigan University and a professor in the CMU College of Medicine, who spoke about perspective, mess ups and change.
“You are entering the profession of pharmacy at an ideal time to build upon the changes [occurring in health care] and to be an advocate for other changes. You have the support of your amazing faculty and a strong network of pharmacist alums from UF. I have no doubt that you will have the right perspective, you will learn from your mess ups when they occur, and you will be a big part of changing pharmacy practice,” said MacKinnon, who received a doctoral degree in pharmacy health care administration from UF in 1999.
Aaliyah Justiniano, a first-year student at the Jacksonville campus, looks forward to a bright future in which she can combine her loves for chemistry and patient care into one satisfying career. Before the ceremony began, Justiniano shared some words of encouragement and praise for her classmates.
“Everyone here is extremely deserving. Despite it being pretty early on in our training, we have gone through a lot already. This program is extremely fast-paced,” she said. “I think it’s really important for every student here to not compare themselves to others and to just be really proud of themselves.”
First-year, Jacksonville-based student Taiven Rhoden has worked as a pharmacy technician since graduating high school, and recently, he had the opportunity to shadow a nuclear pharmacist in compounding and dispensing radioactive drugs used for diagnosing and treating cancer and heart conditions. He said the welcoming environment at the UF College of Pharmacy provides him with the support he needs to pursue his professional dreams.
“At the Jacksonville campus, we’re really a family,” he said. “I know all my classmates very well, even some of the second-years and third-years. Having that sense of camaraderie means you have people walking beside you along the same path, as well as people ahead of you to look up to.”
After each student took their turn at center stage, representatives from each campus led the class of 2029 in reading the class creed, a statement of shared values that the students drafted during their first week of pharmacy school. Desiree Aguilar, a first-year student at the Orlando campus, described donning her white coat as receiving a stamp of approval that solidifies her journey toward becoming a pharmacist. No matter where her career takes her, Aguilar is already sure of the values and commitments that will guide her.
“My main goals are to be a helper and to improve patients’ lives. I’ve already witnessed the impact that pharmacists can have from being a tech and an intern in the pharmacy: I’ve helped so many patients with costs for medications, getting a new prescription for their medication or even filling their orders if another pharmacy doesn’t have it in stock. All those little things can really change someone’s life,” she said.
The UF College of Pharmacy thanks CVS and Walgreens for their sponsorship of the event.
Jan. 24, 2026
UF College of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony
