WesternU welcomes more than 900 students to the health professions

Welcome Week is always a bustling, boisterous time for students, faculty and staff. Students form bonds with their classmates that will resonate throughout their careers and their lives. Faculty and staff provide support and reassurance to students eager to learn but possibly nervous about what lies ahead.

WesternU held Welcome Week in Pomona, California for more than 900 students Aug. 4-8, 2025, culminating with white coat ceremonies Aug. 8-9 for all eight colleges. WesternU students shared their Welcome Week experiences, expectations for the academic challenges ahead, and goals for the future as they received their white coats and equipment.

First-year College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific student Hannah Vu said she was nervous before Welcome Week and was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and encouraging the staff and students have been.

“Typically in medical school I think you expect more of an edge and competition, but that wasn’t the case at all,” Vu said. “They encourage us to lean on each other, support each other, and foster relationships with each other.”

College of Pharmacy student Arnel Ibarra, who is earning his PhD in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, also appreciated the collaborative environment at WesternU.

“It feels like everyone is here to help each other out. Other programs I visited felt like they were super competitive,” Ibarra said. “Here they want to help you succeed.”

Ibarra is interested in cancer research and also sharing his knowledge with others.

“I found a passion for teaching. I also want to be a research professor where I mentor other students,” he said. “I really want to teach other people about science and also keep learning as a researcher.”

First-year College of Dental Medicine student Kate Hernandez said it’s exciting getting to know her classmates because everyone has a different story to tell. She worked in a pediatric dental office that took state insurance and helped immigrants and refugees.

“I want to provide more than what I was able to as an assistant,” Hernandez said. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to go out there and help people.”

First-year Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies student Ethan Carroll majored in English at UCLA. He wanted to do something in medicine but was not sure which avenue to pursue, until he met a PA who visited as a guest speaker and talked about the many interesting experiences as a PA and the flexibility of the profession.

“I thought of the options I had, PA gives me the most diverse and widest specialization, the widest training,” he said. “With our peers, we will be able to fill in each other’s gaps and support each other. If someone is not as strong on a subject, but I have solid experience, I am able to help elevate them. And I’ll get an understanding of where they’re coming from.”

College of Veterinary Medicine students Caisey Sears, Jada Boggs and Shahdee Delir are roommates this year, first connecting online and then meeting in person a few weeks before Welcome Week.

“It’s exciting meeting our future colleagues. They’re not just classmates, they’re people we’re going to be working with,” Delir said.

Sears moved from Massachusetts, so becoming fast friends with her roommates was helpful.

“It makes me feel a lot better. I found good people,” she said.

Everyone greets you with a smile on their face, said College of Optometry student Sahil Dhindsa.

“Everyone is very friendly. That energy radiates around the room and makes you want to learn, and want to get to know more people,” he said.

He was inspired to join the profession because of his sister, who is also an optometrist.

“Seeing her lifestyle, how she works with other people and changes their lives for the better, is something I saw myself doing,” Dhindsa said. “Her work-life balance as well is the perfect fit for me.”

College of Pharmacy student Marco Damalis, PharmD Class of 2028, said everyone he has met at WesternU from the first Preview Day he attended has been very approachable and friendly. While working as a pharmacy technician at City of Hope, an intern there, COP alumnus Parker Sin, PharmD ’25, gave him advice about the prerequisite classes he needed and helped him with his admissions materials.

“I think I feel more happy about the white coat ceremony than my undergraduate graduation. It’s just been my goal to get into pharmacy school,” Damalis said. “Finally getting to my goal is a big achievement for me. I’m very happy to be here.”

Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) students in the College of Health Sciences started their program in the summer, so they are already familiar with campus and are well into their rigorous academic program. Welcome Week and the white coat ceremony provide encouragement, MSMS student Alexander Rosales said, whose goal is to enroll in COMP.

“Fall semester is packed. This is a reminder to keep pushing forward,” he said. “This is something I’m taking in with pride. Also, I’m happy to be here with everyone.”

First-year CHS Doctor of Physical Therapy student Enrique Santana said he played football in high school and college and became interested in physical therapy after tearing his meniscus and needing surgery. He learned more about anatomy to better understand his injury and what he needed to rehab, which led him to majoring in kinesiology in college.

“I find it rewarding to get people back to their goals,” Santana said. “I enjoy seeing people function back to how they normally would before their injury. And I enjoy being able to give back to other people, sharing the knowledge I have with them.”

First-year College of Podiatric Medicine student Salvador Enrique Villafana said podiatric medicine appealed to him because of the beautiful idea of restoring the human condition of patients.

“The skill set I would really like to acquire is motivating patients who may feel vulnerable, distressed, overwhelmed,” Villafana said. “Let’s try to get to those souls and really make them feel human.”

College of Graduate Nursing MSN-E student Brook Williams said she has worked in health care for a long time as a phlebotomist. She also earned a master’s degree in global health.

“I want to be more hands-on and incorporate the knowledge I have. I love helping people,” Williams said. “I see how happy my friends who are nurses are with their career.

“Every time I would give a report, I saw the nurses knew every detail about their patient, and they were so kind of top of everything,” Williams added. “I see the different roles they play in the hospital, the different things they can do. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It will make me feel fulfilled in my life.”