School of Pharmacy Confers First Bachelor’s Degrees

On May 12, the Wegmans School of Pharmacy officially conferred degrees upon its first Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies graduates.

Seven students—Xiaodi (Nook) Chen, Renee Deruchia, Allison LeFever, Natalie Lugo, Albania Mitchell, Anna Morris, and Martin Peace—successfully completed the requirements for the new degree and received their diplomas at the College’s 64th Commencement Ceremony. 

“We are pleased to be able to award the bachelor’s degree in pharmacy studies for the first time,” said Dr. Christine Birnie, dean of the School. “We’re proud that our students have the opportunity to engage in a liberal arts education as part of this new program.”

For Peace, a third-year pharmacy student, completing his bachelor’s degree was a no brainer. Upon hearing about the new program, he did an audit of his undergraduate work and realized he was just two credits shy of the requirements.

Mitchell, a second-year pharmacy student, also found she was close to completing a bachelor’s degree. She enjoyed the variety of subject matter the degree offered.

“The bachelor’s degree allows current pharmacy students to take more of the liberal arts core classes, and not just classes in the sciences,” she said. “This allows you to be introduced to many interdisciplinary areas, become a well-rounded student, and eventually a well-rounded, diversely-educated pharmacist.”

Peace also felt the undergraduate experience helped sharpen his time management and study skills, preparing him for the challenges of an advanced pharmacy degree.

“Taking those classes allows you to explore how you as an individual learn best and that is one of the most important skills that I learned,” he explained. “Knowing how I personally needed to study to retain information was important, so I was not trying to figure out how to study while in the midst of pharmacy school.”

But Peace’s rationale for completing the degree wasn’t all business.

“The main reason was for my parents,” he said. “Completing the program would mean that I was the first one in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree. It meant so much to my family; I wanted to make them proud.”