Story submitted by Kappa Psi

Last month, the Wayne County Pharmacists Association held its annual awards and installation ceremony. During the event at Ford's Garage in Dearborn, WCPA awards from 2021 and 2022 were announced and presented to their respective recipients. This was the first time since the pandemic that the annual event was held in-person. The gathering was an auspicious one, especially for Wayne State University Warriors, several of whom were honored by the WCPA and their colleagues from the pharmacy profession.

Wayne State alumni received the Thomas J. Schaut Presidential Service Award in recognition of distinguished leadership to the association - Matt McTaggart (2021 awardee) and Daniel Lobb (2022 awardee).

WSU alumna Ghada Abdallah received the 2021 John H. Webster Award for exemplary contributions to the profession of pharmacy and Larry Wagenknecht, former CEO of the Michigan Pharmacists Association, received the 2022 John H. Webster Award.

The 2021 Roland T. Lakey Award for outstanding contributions to the association was given to WSU Professor Emerita Geralynn Smith, while Doug Samojedny was granted the 2022 Roland T. Lakey Award.

Wayne State University's Mu Omicron Pi chapter of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity was bestowed the 2021 Gordon Goyette Jr. Humanitarian Award for their exemplary service to the community. Nominated by Professor Emerita Smith, she noted the Kappa Psi Brothers' many initiatives serving communities in Detroit including, educating the public about COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic, promoting childhood literacy through their Reach Out & Read philanthropy, addressing food insecurity through various outreach programs on and off campus, promoting civic engagement and voter registration, as well as their fraternity's work with World Medical Relief. This marks the first time that an entire organization was bestowed this award.

The 2022 Gordon Goyette Jr. Humanitarian Award was awarded to student pharmacist and Kappa Psi brother Joseph Paul Javier. Nominated by WCPA board member Greg Baise, Javier's various accomplishments serving the community were highlighted. These included his involvement in different nonprofit organizations advocating for social justice and equitable access to health care, political engagement and advocacy for legislation supporting the advancement of the profession of pharmacy as well as better health outcomes for the medically underserved, and his various leadership roles in student pharmacist associations like FAWN: Fighting AIDS with Nutrition, where he has worked to bring lifesaving liquid nutrition to patients living with HIV both locally and abroad.

The WCPA 2023 board members installed after the ceremony were Ghada Abdallah, Greg Baise, Andrew Britton, Jessica Efta, Stephanie Everard, Sarah Hill, Nour Ghamrawi, Valerie Kelly-Bonner, Matt McTaggart, Nohal 'Nano' Mekkaoui, John Mohler, Karen Purcell-Kobel, Thomas Rolands, Maria Young, and WSU Applebaum Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice Insaf Mohammad.

MPA President-elect and Wayne State PharmD program alumna Sarah Hill was present to swear in WCPA's 2023 Executive Board: Doug Samojedny as chairman, Daniel Lobb as president, Keith Binion as president-elect, Mark Bomia as treasurer and graduating WSU Applebaum student pharmacist Ali Khanafer as secretary.

About us

The Doctor of Pharmacy program at Wayne State University is a four-year curriculum in the heart of Detroit. Approximately 100 students are enrolled in each year of the program. WSU Applebaum information meetings for prospective students take place at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. The application process for the Doctor of Pharmacy program begins each July.

An anchor in urban health care

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built on more than 100 years of tradition and innovation in the heart of Detroit. We have grown deep roots in our city, harnessing its powerhouse hospital systems and community service organizations as vibrant, real-world training grounds for students, with an ongoing focus on social justice in health care. And our research at all levels - from undergraduates to veteran faculty members - translates into creative solutions for healthier communities.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students.