The Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy recently conducted its annual Professional Commitment Ceremony in the ONU Sports Center.

Dr. Chet Kaczor, Ohio Pharmacists Association president elect and director of pharmacy services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, was the keynote speaker at the event. He spoke on “Passion, Purpose and Positivity: Your Prerogative.” Kaczor earned his doctor of pharmacy from ONU’s College of Pharmacy in 2006.

The event marks the transition from the students’ first three years of ONU pharmacy education to their final three professional years in the direct-entry program.

During the annual professional commitment ceremony, third-year pharmacy students receive their white coats from their pharmacist mentors – a symbol of this milestone in their journeys to become pharmacists. Each student received his or her white coat from one of more than 100 alumni who were on campus to serve as mentors for the students as they progress in the pharmacy profession.

Steven J. Martin, dean of the Raabe College of Pharmacy said, “We are thrilled to provide our students with opportunities to take center stage as they display their educational aspirations to become pharmacists in front of our University community, family, friends and mentors.

"Developing the skills to improve health and outcomes for their future patients will be further developed through the opportunities they have to connect with mentors for educational and career advice as they progress from student-pharmacists to registered health care providers.”          

In addition to receiving their white coats, students take an oath of professional commitment to signify their commitment to the profession and their future patients.

Kaczor was installed as president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) in April 2016. He also was awarded the 2016 Pharmacy Leadership Award from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

As an active OPA member since 2004, Kaczor has served on multiple committees, including Legal and Regulatory, Public and Professional Relations, and Long Range Planning, in addition to serving on the Board of Trustees. Kaczor also has been instrumental in the creation of several focus groups for the OPA, including the “new practitioner experience” and provider status group.

He recently received the ONU William L. Robinson Young Alumni Award.