News @ VCU School of Pharmacy

Graduation day(s): Dean’s frequent-flyer miles on the rise

School of Pharmacy Dean Victor Yanchick is the first to admit he’s a man on the move.

Even during commencement season, he can’t catch a break: He’ll be working four – count ’em, four! -- pharmacy graduation ceremonies this year:

• May 9 at University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy in Storrs
• May 14 at University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in Iowa City
• May 16 at VCU School of Pharmacy in Richmond
• May 22 at University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

The dean will make opening and closing remarks at the VCU hooding and diploma ceremony and will deliver commencement addresses at the other three schools.

“We are excited that Dean Yanchick will be our 2009 College of Pharmacy commencement speaker,” says Lisa Meyer. “Dean Yanchick began his academic career here at UT Austin. He was an associate dean and professor at the time he left to take over as dean at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy.” Meyer is administrative manager for the Dean’s Office at UT Austin College of Pharmacy.

Patricia McCormick at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy echoes Meyer: “I am delighted Dean Yanchick will be able to deliver our commencement address.” McCormick is a program associate with the university’s Office of Academic Affairs. Yanchick earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacy at the University of Iowa … followed by a Ph.D. from Purdue.

Elizabeth Anderson, director of marketing and communications for the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, notes that the M.S. and Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences graduates will be included, as well as the Pharm.D. graduates, at commencement. “They are recognized at our ceremony and they graduate immediately following our event.”

So the big question is … who has time to write three commencement speeches that will resonate with such a wide variety of students? Yanchick smiles: While parts will be tailored to individual audiences, there also might be similarities among his addresses.

“My major message,” he says, “is ’Get a life. Balance your life. That’s most important.”

William Zellmer, ASHP writer-in-residence, will deliver the main address at the VCU School of Pharmacy convocation May 16 at St. Paul’s Baptist Church. Zellmer also spoke at the school’s National Advisory Council meeting May 1.

The School of Pharmacy expects to award 122 Pharm.D. degrees, five Pharm.D. nontraditional-program degrees, four M.S. degrees and five Ph.D. degrees.

The all-university commencement -- earlier that day at Richmond Coliseum -- will confer 2,378 undergraduate degrees, 152 certificates, 454 professional degrees and 1,117 graduate degrees. Francis Collins, former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, will speak.

Submitted By:
Cynthia McMullen
5/11/2009