On May 19, the UCSF School of Pharmacy celebrated 118 new pharmacists at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, honoring a class defined by perseverance, leadership, and a commitment to advancing patient care across every corner of the profession.

The event began with a processional and a warm welcome from Dean Kathy Giacomini, PhD, BSPharm, who opened her remarks by invoking the city of San Francisco’s 176th birthday.

“On May 19, 1850, the city of San Francisco was officially established…going from a tiny settlement to a major, iconic, foggy city that we all know and love,” Giacomini said. “You and the city are on the same trajectory: humble beginnings, a little chaos along the way, and now — fully established and ready to make an impact.”

Representing pharmacy’s range

Among the Class of 2026, 42 percent were the first in their families to attend college, while 93 percent were the first to earn a doctoral degree. Students arrived at UCSF from backgrounds spanning biosciences, anthropology, biomedical engineering, business management, criminal justice, environmental studies, genetics, kinesiology, psychology, and more.

Giacomini emphasized the growing impact pharmacists have across health care today, from community pharmacies and hospital systems to industry, research, regulatory affairs, entrepreneurship, and emerging models of care. She pointed out that pharmacists are the most accessible health care providers, with 89 percent of Americans living within 5 miles of a pharmacy.

She proudly noted that 80 percent of the Class of 2026 matched for postgraduate residency programs, while others obtained fellowships and are seeking additional advanced degrees.

“This is a remarkable milestone. It reflects years of perseverance and dedication in our three-year, rigorous curriculum,” Giacomini said. “And it reflects your commitment to improving the health of the communities we are privileged to serve.... As you embark on your next chapter, we’re depending on you to continue to build bridges, to close gaps in patient care, to innovate in ways that improve health for all.”

The learner experience

The ceremony featured speeches from graduates Balpreet Badhesha, PharmD, and Elizabeth Arden Nguyen, PharmD, who shared themes of adaptability in the face of uncertainty.

Badhesha, a first-generation college student from Kerman, California, served as cultural humility in health care coordinator and vice president of external affairs for the Student National Pharmaceutical Association. She matched at Community Regional Medical Center, where she will pursue acute care clinical pharmacy training focused on underserved communities.

“As we step into a profession that desperately needs compassionate, brilliant, adaptable pharmacists, I hope we remember the best parts of these years,” Badhesha said. “How we lifted each other, how we learned from each other, and how we made it through —together.”  

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Nguyen completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and served as class president for the Class of 2026. She gained clinical experience as an intern with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Owens Pharmacy.

“There’s no class syllabus telling us about what to expect or what comes next,” Nguyen said. “For the first time in a long time, the map is completely blank, and we get to draw the path."

Recognizing excellence

During the program, the Joseph & Vera Long Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to recognize faculty who go above and beyond to support and inspire their students. Crystal Zhou, PharmD, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, was selected by the class after their first year. Conan MacDougall, PharmD, MAS, professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, was selected by the class after their second year.

The ceremony also honored the Bowl of Hygeia Award nominees — Joanna Feng, PharmD;  Jason Lam, PharmD; Sebastian Lowe, PharmD; Wendy Rivera, PharmD; and Vicki Tran, PharmD — for their commitment to community service and professional excellence. The award, named after the internationally recognized symbol for the profession of pharmacy, went to Lowe, whose late father is a UCSF School of Pharmacy alum, and was presented by Pharmacy Alumni Association President Matt Bryant, PharmD ’92.

In addition, three outstanding preceptors were selected from across the school’s introductory pharmacy practice programs: Chelane Au, PharmD; Alan Tan, PharmD, BCPS; and Justin Quintal, PharmD.

Five other outstanding preceptors were selected from across the school’s experiential programs: Raymond Ho, PharmD ’04; Nancy Nguyen, PharmD; Aashu Patel, PharmD; Scott Takahashi, PharmD; and Florence Tan, PharmD.

Affirming a commitment to patient care

This year’s commencement speaker was J. Robert Powell, PharmD, whose distinguished career spans more than 20 years in academia, 17 years in pharmaceutical development at Glaxo, Parke-Davis, and Roche, and six years at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where he has shaped drug development from early clinical trials through regulatory approval. Powell also completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacokinetics at the UCSF School of Pharmacy, where he solidified his commitment to optimizing drug therapy for all patients.

UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, conferred the Doctor of Pharmacy degrees, congratulating the Class of 2026 on achieving what he acknowledged might have seemed impossible at times.

“Our goal at UCSF has always been to train you for a lifetime of caring, imagination, and discovery,” Hawgood said. “We want you to make a difference in the world, and we trust that we have prepared you well for the journey you will encounter.”

Giacomini and Executive Vice Dean Sharon L. Youmans, PharmD ‘85, MPH, performed the traditional hooding of graduates, and before the ceremony concluded, Leslie Benet, PhD ’65, who was selected as Alum of the Year, led the graduates in reciting the Oath of a Pharmacist, affirming their commitment to patient care, ethical practice, and lifelong learning.