Pharmacy reaches 10-year milestone

By Dillon Holsonback

In January 2018, the College of Pharmacy celebrated 10 years since the enrollment of its first class. Many gathered to celebrate this milestone, reflecting on the program’s tremendous growth and looking forward to what the future holds.

The college started to take shape after then-president David B. Burks sent out a questionnaire to pharmacists in Arkansas assessing the need for a college of pharmacy taught from a Christian worldview. Dr. Julie Hixson-Wallace was hired to establish HUCOP and served as the founding dean from August 2006 to May 2016. She shared that this anniversary signifies an amazing accomplishment.

“Having been literally the first person in the college, it is amazing to ponder all the influence we’ve had in our first 10 years,” said Hixson-Wallace. “From being a one-person show with no students to a full college, it is neat to think of the legacy that has already been created. The professional, physical and spiritual lives of hundreds of people who have passed through the college have been changed by HUCOP. Thousands of others have been and will continue to be influenced by the alumni, faculty and staff of our program.”

Hixson-Wallace shared that those who have passed through the college’s doors have supported and respected one another and are bound together through the common experience.

“I hope to see a continuing strong pool of classes that produce pharmacists who become even better known for their excellence as practitioners and servant leaders,” Hixson-Wallace said.

Current dean, Dr. Jeff Mercer, said he hopes to build on the great foundation established by Dr. Hixson-Wallace and continue preparing students for the advanced pharmacy practice opportunities that await them.

“HUCOP has made its mark as a well-established, accredited and successful college of pharmacy,” Mercer said. “We strive to teach from a creational perspective and emphasize the importance of Christian service in the care of our patients. Our faculty are qualified to teach anywhere, but they have chosen to be at Harding because they delight in truly knowing our students. It may sound a bit cliché, but students are so much more than a number here. We take great care in choosing each member of our program, and we strive to be a caring, committed and connected community of mission that is centered around the needs of our students.”

Dr. Mallory Turner was a member of the college’s inaugural class from 2008 to 2012 and now serves as an assistant professor and clinical pharmacist in the college.

“I enjoy interacting with the interdisciplinary health care team at the hospital, and truly love teaching students both in the classroom and in the clinical setting,” Turner said.

Turner feels that the Christian atmosphere was the main thing that brought her to Harding.

“I loved knowing that I could learn how to be a pharmacist with the emphasis of being a servant and displaying a Christ-like attitude to all of the patients I serve,” Turner said. “Harding’s mission aligned very closely with my own idea of the type of practitioner that I wanted to become, and the faculty and staff modeled these qualities and served as wonderful examples for the students.”

Turner shared that the faculty, staff and board members — both past and present — have sacrificed to make the college what it is today.

“That legacy lives on in the strong program that HUCOP has become,” Turner said. “As a member of the inaugural class, it is inspiring to me to see how the school has grown and how it continues to abide by the mission and goals that were originally established. While 10 years seems like a long time, I am confident that this is only the beginning of a long legacy as the foundation that has been laid in these first 10 years is strong and will continue to support HUCOP’s growth.”

Dillon Holsonback, staff writer