California Pharmacists Association honors WesternU College of Pharmacy student and dean emeritus

The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) will honor two members of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy family with prestigious awards.

CPhA named fourth-year College of Pharmacy student Quyen Nguyen as the 2025 Student Pharmacist of the Year and WesternU COP Dean and Professor Emeritus Daniel Robinson, PharmD, FASHP, as the 2025 Pharmacist of the Year. They will receive their awards at the Western Pharmacy Exchange April 4-6, 2025 in San Diego, California.

“The College of Pharmacy proudly celebrates two individuals who have received coveted awards from the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) for 2025,” said COP Dean Sunil Prabhu, BPharm, PhD. “First, Dean Emeritus Robinson receiving the ‘Pharmacist of the Year’ is a testament to his lifelong efforts to improve the role of the pharmacist in our state. Having previously received the CPhA Lifetime Achievement Award a few years ago, it goes to show that Dr. Robinson’s impact on our profession still continues to be strong.

“For Quyen to receive such an honor of being the ‘Student Pharmacist of the Year’ tells me that we are doing things right at this College,” Prabhu added. “She has made the College and our University extremely proud. As she graduates in May of this year, Quyen’s achievement will serve as an inspiration to future cohorts of our student pharmacists. It is indeed a great feather in her cap and the recognition by CPhA of her commitment to the profession of pharmacy and her selfless efforts to promote the profession is proof of that.”

Nguyen has volunteered in a number of leadership roles for CPhA and other organizations throughout her time as a PharmD student. She is the first in her family to pursue higher education, which resulted in her feeling lost at times. She got involved with CPhA and other organizations to develop a network that would help her explore the profession and help her connect with mentors.

“I ended up loving the interactions not only with pharmacists but with other student leaders. I could tell we have the same drive and passion and goals,” Nguyen said. “As I discovered more about the profession, it turned to a point where I want to give back to other students who were in my position who don’t know how to navigate these things.”

Nguyen said she received a lot of support during her residency application process. She is hoping to enter an ambulatory care residency.

“This year I felt that support more than ever when I was researching programs,” Nguyen said. “I was able to reach out to them for advice and dig deeper into the programs. A lot of people helped me out with the application process. I love the relationships I was able to build.”

Dr. Robinson, Dean & Professor Emeritus at the College of Pharmacy, served as COP Dean from 2006 to 2021. Prior academic appointments have included the University of Nebraska and the University of Southern California, where he served nineteen years, thirteen years as department chair of pharmacy practice.

Dr. Robinson has served as president of the National Rho Chi Honors Society and as an advisor to the health care industry.  He has been an active member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and the International Pharmaceutical Federation. During his academic career he has established over 20 international affiliations in over 10 countries. He has contributed significantly through national associations in the areas of patient safety, interprofessional education, advocacy, and assessment. Dr. Robinson served on the Board of Trustees for the California Pharmacists Association and the Dean’s Advisory Council for the National Community Pharmacists Association.  Dr. Robinson has chaired a number of task forces and workgroups focusing on creating a standard of care regulatory environment that advances pharmacy practice in California.  In 2018, Dr. Robinson was inducted into the CPhA California Pharmacist Association Hall of Fame.

“I am humbled and so very honored to be recognized for this award,” Robinson said. “Over the past several years, I have been privileged to work with many colleagues in California who have shared my passion for improving the regulatory environment for pharmacy in ways that benefit both pharmacists and the patients we serve. I am proud of our achievements and thankful for the support and encouragement of WesternU throughout the process.”