College of Pharmacy

2024 News

Leading the charge against opioid abuse in South Carolina

Alumna Chelsea Townsend is focused on improving the state's ability to identify and stop the unintended distribution of prescription drugs without impacting the intended use of the medications.

Pharmacy students and faculty celebrate Macy's Parade and rivalry win

Pharmacy students Logan Acker, Lexi Baldinger, pre-pharmacy student Kinsey Carraway, and Dr. Betsy Blake had an eventful Thanksgiving celebration as they traveled to NYC for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

New Faculty Member joins College of Pharmacy

The USC College of Pharmacy is pleased to welcome Raeann Carrier, Ph.D. as a clinical associate professor in the Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences department.

Ph.D. alumna pays it forward

Phyllis Perkins once considered attending medical school but after volunteering at the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center, she found herself more intrigued by pharmacy.

Student Spotlight: From Pharm.D. to Ph.D.

Macie Goodman played trombone in the Carolina Band while earning her Bachelor's degree. She completed the Pharm.D. program in 2023 and is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

What pharmacy is all about

Alumnus John Holladay uses his experience and background to provide students with a valuable connection between basic science and clinical pharmacy.

Adventures in pharmacy at EdVenture

The College of Pharmacy's latest outreach initiative reaches even younger future pharmacists - partnering with EdVenture Children's Museum in downtown Columbia.

Student group increases interest in pharmaceutical industry careers

The Industry Pharmacists Organization is one of the newest student organizations at the USC College of Pharmacy and was recently named top overall chapter by the national organization.

Preparing the next generation

Alumna and faculty member Caroline Asbill's journey at the University of South Carolina began in orientation as a nursing student. By the end of the day, she had switched her major.

First graduates of the GPA Pathway are on their way

Launched in 2018, the GPA Pathway targets exceptional high school students by issuing a provisional early acceptance into the Doctor of Pharmacy program at USC.

Brain Focused: Research aimed at new therapies for depression, anxiety

Two faculty members are collaborating to pursue research aimed at helping people affected by depression, stress and anxiety with a developmental research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Renewed grants, funding growth solidify research leadership

Professor Jun Zhu was awarded his first R01 grant in 2009 to improve cognitive care for survivors of HIV. Since then, he and his colleagues have consistently maintained major federal funding, driving advancements in global health care.

Students head to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Two College of Pharmacy students are also members of the Carolina Coquettes dance team, and they have an exciting trip coming up in November.

Improving access to care in rural South Carolina

Tate Owen's role as a clinical pharmacist with Tandem Health, a federally qualified health center, allows her to work alongside a collaborative team of caregivers serving patients in rural areas of South Carolina.

Gamecock Pharmacist tackles diabetes in South Carolina

Donna Avant sees the impact that diabetes has on her community and is passionate about helping patients navigate the disease as an administrator for the City of Charleston Diabetes Program.

Bridging the health care gap

More than a quarter of South Carolinians call a rural area home, but these populations have a higher incidence of medical emergencies and are at greater risk of death because of barriers to access to timely medical care.

USC Pharmacy Team Claims Second Place in National Business Plan Competition

The USC College of Pharmacy continued its strong showing in national competitions, securing second place at the 2024 Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition.

Alumni Spotlight: Teri Holcomb, '23

Alumna Teri Holcomb is a proud first-generation college graduate. She attributes her success in pharmacy school to her military experience and deep love for family.

Q&A with Billy Caudle, '81

Gamecock alumnus Billy Caudle encourages future pharmacists to explore their options and consider non-traditional career pathways. Learn more about his experience in the pharmaceutical industry in our latest Q&A.

College of Pharmacy Alumni Spearhead Rural Health Care Initiative

Alumni Nancy Goodbar and Sara Beth Sears are at the forefront of an innovative medication management program at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood, South Carolina.

Newest Walker Leadership Scholars Named

The Walker Leadership Scholars program has selected its newest scholars for the Class of 2027, Noah Raganschmalz and Alex Wetherley.

USC research funding jumps double digits

The University of South Carolina reached a new research milestone in fiscal year 2024, attracting $309 million in sponsored awards during the one-year period that ended on June 30.

2024 Outstanding Alumni Announced

The College of Pharmacy announces the recipients of the 2024 Outstanding Alumni Awards - Kyle and Pamela McHugh, Outstanding Alumni and Ranarda Jones, Outstanding Young Alumna.

Dunn Named Professor of the Year

The College Honors and Awards Committee is proud to announce that Brie Dunn, associate dean for Outcomes Assessment and Accreditation has been named as the 2024-2025 Professor of the Year for the College of Pharmacy.

Q&A with Cherrie Carse, '84

Cherrie Carse recognized the importance of advancing her education and sought her Doctor of Pharmacy degree many years after graduating with her bachelor’s degree. Learn more in our alumni Q&A.

Welcome to the Class of 2028

The College of Pharmacy welcomed the Class of 2028 during the annual White Coat Ceremony held August 23 at the Koger Center.

COP Researcher Receives Renewed Grant

Jun Zhu's grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to further explore the connection between neurocognitive impairments and depression in people living with HIV has been renewed.

NCPA Champs Seek Back-to-Back Titles

For the third consecutive year, the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center's Business Plan Competition team has earned a spot among the top three teams in the nation.

Walker Leadership Scholars Take on D.C.

As part of their leadership training for the Walker Leadership Scholars program, Chancellor Nguyen and Maegan Lamb spent a few days in May in our nation's capital, learning about policy development and honing their leadership skills.

COP Ranked in Top 25 in Research Funding

According to the latest American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy annual report COP is now ranked in the Top 25 for both funding from federal funding and total research dollars received.

COP Named Community Pharmacy Center of Excellence

The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy has been selected as an inaugural Academia-Center for Transformation Community Pharmacy Center of Excellence, one of only 17 nationally.

Summer Camp, Pharmacy Style

The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy hosted 14 students for a week in June as part of the Carolina Master's Scholar Adventure series for Adventures in Pharmacy.

Q&A with Jared Ham, '16

If Gamecock alumnus Jared Ham has learned one thing, it is that plans and interests are bound to change. Learn more about his career journey in our latest alumni Q&A.

Putting USC students on the map

Nearly half of USC pharmacy students pursue postgraduate training. To ensure these students have the greatest chance at success, the college provides a preresidency educational track.

Professor of the year -- Michael Wyatt

Michael Wyatt, who serves as chair of the Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences department in the College of Pharmacy, has become a favorite professor among first-year pharmacy students.

Ph.D. alumnus champions leadership

After earning his Ph.D. in pharmaceutics in 1996, Donald A. Godwin headed west to join the faculty at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy.

Giving so others have a chance

When his 26-year-old daughter passed away from Ewing's sarcoma, pharmacy alumnus Raymond Jackson Powers established the Diane Powers Owen Memorial Scholarship.

Community-based Residency Program finds success, adds sites

As far back as 2010, the USC College of Pharmacy has benefited by partnering with community pharmacies to provide postgraduate pharmacy residency training.

Beyond the classroom

For student pharmacist Alexandria Coleman who has a degree in kinesiology with a focus on nutrition, taking care of her body is such a priority that she turned her passion for nutrition into a successful business.

Rx for Success

LaShaunda Rutledge helps pharmacy students find ways to improve their learning ability - from time management and organization to connecting with others and understanding the importance of self-care.

Raising the bar

Several USC College of Pharmacy students are making great strides in the pharmacy world, being among the first to join new leadership programs from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Laughter really is the best medicine

In 2013, Cory Jenks launched his journey as an improv comedian and began working with other health professionals to share how he applies his improv skills to create a better experience for his patients.

Providing care on the island of rural health

The lack of health care in rural areas is problematic for both patients in need of care and health care providers. Pharmacists are often the only available provider in these communities.

Pharmacy students bring home NCPA business competition title

Patti Fabel, executive director of KPIC, emphasizes that winning such a challenging competition not only reinforces the demanding work of the students, it provides invaluable benefits.

Futuristic care is now reality

A USC College of Pharmacy alumna is taking the immersive technology of virtual reality and incorporating it in ways for U.S. veterans to receive advanced care.

PEEP Awards Honor Top Preceptors

The Palmetto Experiential Education Partnership is recognizing its 2024 recipients of the PEEP Awards for their dedication and excellence as outstanding preceptors.

Spring 2024 College of Pharmacy Awards

The culmination of the Spring semester is an exciting moment for our students, faculty and staff. It is a time when we come together to celebrate the many successes of our Gamecock Pharmacy community.

College of Pharmacy Celebrates the Class of 2024

The College of Pharmacy awarded 98 doctor of pharmacy degrees and one doctor of pharmaceutical sciences degrees during hooding and commencement exercises in early May.

Seeking a Repeat as Champions

Last year's national championship NCPA Business Plan Competition winners are seeking another national title for the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.

Q&A with Sepideh Manafi, '93

Gamecock alumna Sepideh Manafi has quickly risen to the top in the field of retail pharmacy. Learn more about her journey in our latest alumni Q&A.

10 Tips for Pre-Pharmacy Freshman at USC

Gamecock pre-pharmacy student Mallory Ayers shares her top ten tips for freshman year in our latest Creators@COP blog post.

Health Watch: How to safely dispose of medicine and supplements

Professor Jordan M. Ballou explains how to properly dispose of medication and supplements to reduce accidental or intentional misuse and limit environmental impact.

Pharmacy lab assistant accepted to M.D./Ph.D. program

Since the time she conducted her first research experiment as a student at the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, Darby Porter was hooked on research.

Pharmacy students bring home another national championship

An interdisciplinary student team representing health sciences at the University of South Carolina is bringing home first place from this year's CLARION National Case Competition in Minneapolis.

College of Pharmacy Celebrates Most Successful 2024 Match Day

The USC College of Pharmacy is celebrating its most successful Match Day in the college's history, with the highest PGY1 match rate among pharmacy programs in both South Carolina and the Southeastern Conference.

Medical, pharmacy students match for residencies, shape future of health care

More than 200 Gamecocks learned where they’ll work as resident pharmacists and physicians during national Match Day events on March 13 and 15.

Broude Receives Full Professorship

As we celebrate Women's History Month, we congratulate Eugenia Broude, Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, the first woman to receive a full professorship in the College of Pharmacy.

Right where I belong

Gamecock student pharmacist Lana Sukkar shares why she chose the University of South Carolina for pharmacy school in our latest Creators@COP blog post.

Gamecock pharmacists awarded at SCSHP

Two faculty members and alumni of the USC College of Pharmacy were recognized by the South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists during their recent annual meeting.

Navy submarine engineer's journey to community pharmacy

Noah Raganschmalz spent nearly a decade working on nuclear systems as part of a submarine crew in the U.S. Navy. Today, he’s pursuing his goal of becoming a community pharmacist.

Annual Career Expo highlights diverse pharmacy paths

The College of Pharmacy's annual Career Expo, now in its sixth year, continues to provide opportunities for students to learn more about the many careers available to them with a pharmacy degree.

Tessa Hastings Wins APhA Award

Assistant Professor Tessa Hastings was named the recipient of the 2024 Clinical Research Paper Award by the APhA Academy Of Pharmaceutical Research And Science.

Venturing down the road less traveled

Gamecock student pharmacist Alexa Risser shares her favorite aspects of the College of Pharmacy Greenville campus in our latest Creators@COP blog post.

Finding my purpose beyond pills

Gamecock student pharmacist Alex Coleman shares how she found her calling within pharmacy in our latest Creators@COP blog post.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.