Not far from Eric Egelund’s desk hangs a bulletin board covered in brightly colored stationery and hand-written thank you notes. For the clinical associate professor of pharmacy education and practice at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Jacksonville campus, glancing over at the plethora of appreciative messages he’s received from his students is a never-ending source of motivation.
“This is truly my dream job. I absolutely love coming into work all the time, but if I ever feel discouraged at all, I just look at the cards and think about all the students who’ve come through these halls,” said Egelund, Pharm.D., Ph.D. “My favorite part of the job is seeing how they grow from first-year students to confident, knowledgeable pharmacists. I always tell them, these four years of training go by very quickly.”
Egelund’s commitment to mentoring students through their pharmacy education was recognized with the 2026 UF College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award. Bestowed by the college each year, this recognition honors educators for their excellence, innovation and effectiveness in teaching with a $2,000 gift and a plaque.
Egelund has served as the primary facilitator or co-facilitator for more than a dozen College of Pharmacy courses. He developed the syllabus for an interprofessional pilot course in HIV and spearheaded a certificate program with the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education. He’s a member of eight college advisory or working groups, and he participates in research projects with students from all three campuses.
A former student of the UF College of Pharmacy Jacksonville campus himself, Egelund is motivated by a deep desire to pay it forward to an institution that shaped his career and life. After receiving his Pharm.D., in 2009, he completed his graduate studies in the UF Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research under the mentorship of Charles Peloquin, Pharm.D., the Jack C. Massey Endowed Professor and director of the UF Infectious Disease Pharmacokinetics Laboratory.
Today, Egelund guides tomorrow’s pharmacists toward their goals by combining a flexible mindset with honest, compassionate practices modeled during his own training.
“Something I gleaned from my graduate school mentor, Dr. Charles Peloquin, that had a big influence on my teaching philosophy was to be myself when I was teaching,” Egelund said. “I took that to heart: To be able to be vulnerable, to let students know when you’re tired or if you made a mistake, is very important. It’s about being aware of yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses.”
Before attending pharmacy school, Egelund was a chicken farmer on his family’s farm. Long hours and grueling tasks taught him the value of remaining flexible, a principle that he now imparts to pharmacy students.
“Being a chicken farmer was a lot of hard work, like 50-60 hours a week. That’s where I learned to be flexible, because if it could go wrong, it would go wrong,” Egelund recalled.
“Today, that mindset is very helpful when it comes to technology in the classroom malfunctioning, or any number of things that can go wrong. Flexibility is the key to teaching, much like it is in pharmacy and the real world as well.”
Another principle that guides Egelund’s teaching philosophy is the respect he shows his students, whom he views as junior colleagues deserving of the same courtesy and gratitude afforded to senior colleagues. Egelund’s inviting approach was echoed by the students who nominated him for the award.
“Dr. Egelund is always available for us, whether it’s to discuss school and events, or life and personal issues,” one student said in Egelund’s nomination materials. “He genuinely cares about every student while also providing a fun learning environment. Classes with Dr. Egelund are a fun learning opportunity, not a stressful class we all dread. Without Dr. Egelund, pharmacy school wouldn’t be the same.”
The students’ praise mirrors Egelund’s approach toward making them feel valued.
“Hopefully, my students see me as kind, approachable and always willing to help them. I hope they know that they can come to me anytime they want, with any questions,” Egelund said. “Sometimes, students will stop by my office and say, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry for bothering you,’ but they’re not bothering me. That’s our job here as instructors. Our students are our number one priority.”