WesternU College of Pharmacy celebrates 30 years of innovation, excellence and a bright future ahead
Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Pharmacy celebrated 30 years of accomplishments and growth while raising money for student scholarships at its anniversary gala Feb. 28, 2026.
Every decade of our existence has been better than the one before as we continue to climb to newer heights to become one of the best colleges of pharmacy in our state and indeed our nation, said College of Pharmacy (COP) Dean and Professor Sunil Prabhu, BPharm, PhD. COP was the first pharmacy school to adopt the block system of education. The College introduced an innovative 3.5-year PharmD program and has built vibrant collaborations with Cal Poly Pomona and several community colleges.
“In all this, our students continue to make us proud with their achievements. Our fabulous alumni are making their mark with remarkable careers. Our early faculty members, some of whom are present today, helped build the foundations of our College, to our current faculty and staff so selflessly dedicated to the success of our students, working together to make the College stronger and more vibrant,” Prabhu said. “But we could not achieve this success without the support of many key stakeholders – our Board of Trustees, University administration, our alumni, our friends and supporters of the College, and perhaps most importantly, our own family members. Thank you all for your support and for being here tonight to celebrate this huge milestone for the College.”
Dean Prabhu offered a toast to celebrate 30 remarkable years of the College of Pharmacy.
“Our students, faculty, staff, alumni and valued partners have all worked together to create a tradition of excellence that has continued to elevate our profession. Thank you for your dedication,” Prabhu said. “Here’s to our shared past, our proud present, and our bright future ahead. And to the next 30 years of Create, Care, Connect, which is our motto, shaping the future of our College and of this profession. Thank you, and cheers!”
The gala was held at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles. Katherine Taglyan, PharmD ’20, is a COP alumna, and the Taglyan family donated half of all beverage proceeds from the event to scholarships. COP also raised money by holding a silent auction and an opportunity drawing for prizes.
COP gave special recognition to its sponsors, alumni and supporters. The College presented commemorative plaques to Platinum Sponsor Walgreens, Gold Sponsors 986 Pharmacy and California Specialty Pharmacy, and Silver Sponsors CVS Health, Ralphs Pharmacy, Elite Clinical Care Pharmacy, the College of Pharmacy Deans Advisory Council and Drs. Guru and Sucheta Betageri.
“It is an absolute honor to be with you tonight as we celebrate 30 years of excellence at WesternU College of Pharmacy. On behalf of Walgreens, we want to first congratulate faculty, students, alumni, and especially Dean Prabhu for building a program that has shaped literally generations of pharmacists,” said Walgreens Vice President of Enterprise Pharmacy Practice Dr. John Collaizzi. “Thirty years is more than a milestone. It represents thousands of graduates, countless patient interactions, and an enduring commitment to advancing the profession of pharmacy.”
COP alumnus Bhavesh Desai, PharmD ’02, spoke on behalf of California Specialty Pharmacy.
“Standing here tonight, I am reminded how fortunate I was to receive my PharmD as part of the Class of 2002 and how much this institution has shaped my career and values. This College did more than teach pharmacology and therapeutics. It instilled a deep sense of responsibility. A responsibility to patients. Responsibility to our profession. And responsibility to give back to our communities and to the institution that helped us grow,” Desai said. “I remain deeply grateful to the faculty who invested their time, expertise and high standards in us. Their commitment to education and mentorship laid the foundation for everything that followed in my professional journey.”
WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA, lauded COP’s steadfast commitment to the communities that pharmacists serve.
“I also would like to reflect on 30 years of extraordinary excellence. I see a college that has demonstrated truly transformative progress, especially in the following ways: educational innovation and program growth, expanded clinical practice and patient-centered care, and advancing scholarship, research and discovery,” Farias-Eisner said. “That progress did not happen by accident. But it happened because that product is that of relentless, steadfast, and often heroic work of our deans, our faculty, our staff, and the devotion to the students and to the mission that has really been unparalleled. And, of course, our students and alums are among our proudest assets because you carry the banner of the college into the communities across our state and our nation and the world. It is your excellence and leadership that continues to elevate the reputation of this College and University.”
COP honored alumni with special service awards and also recognized longtime supporters as Honorary Alumni.
COP alumna Carissa Bortugno, PharmD ’11, received the Alumni Achievement Award. She said she is honored and grateful to be recognized by WesternU, a place that played such a big role in her life and her career.
“My time at WesternU gave me more than an education. It gave me a framework for leadership. I learned that success is never achieved alone, that leadership is about responsibility, and that the strength of any accomplishment comes from the strength of the team behind it,” Bortugno said. “Today, many decisions I make as a leader in health care are grounded in the lessons I learned during my time at WesternU. To the students here tonight, and that I sometimes see in the halls of my hospital, I want to tell you that the relationships you build will shape not only your career, but your character. Invest in them, learn from them, and lead with them.”
Dean Prabhu closed the evening’s festivities by thanking everyone for attending.
“I encourage you all to stay connected, especially our alumni in the audience. We need you. We love you. You need to be part of us again,” Prabhu said. “So please stay connected with us. Every one of you has contributed to rich history of the College. With 30 years behind us, a long and prosperous legacy is being built. Let us continue working together to ensure the College grows, evolves and moves boldly into the future.”
Distinguished Alumni Award
Matthew Rim, PharmD ’11
Alumni Achievement Award
Carissa Bortugno, PharmD ’11
Hari Chandana Mulamalla, PharmD ’13, MSPS ’09
Rising Star Award
Kevin Mancilla, PharmD ’22
Distinctive Service Award
Kevin Mai, PharmD ’18
Create. Care. Connect. Award
Symba Center
Honorary Alumni
Ken Thai, 986 Pharmacy
Linh Lee, PharmD, Ralphs Pharmacy
Paul Huynh, PharmD, Walgreens
Ramesh Upadhyayula, RPh, Desert Outpatient
Victor Law, RPh, Alpha Plus Network
