Irma Lerma Rangel COP honors faculty and staff at awards banquet

(KINGSVILLE, TX) — As the 2008-09 academic year came to an end, the Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy gathered to honor faculty, staff and students May 20 during the college’s awards banquet.

Selected by the student body as Teachers of the Year were Mary Chavez, Pharm.D., chair and professor of pharmacy practice; Lacy Daniels, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences; and Joseph Rinka, Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacy practice. Dr. Chavez also was selected as the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s Teacher of the Year.

The Teaching Team of the Year honor went to Mr. John Bowman, associate professor of pharmacy practice; Angela Peterson-Ford, instructor of pharmaceutical sciences; Dr. Rinka; Rajat Sethi, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences; and Kris Virga, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, for the Cardiovascular Diseases Course.

The recipients of this year’s Staff of the Year awards, selected by the faculty, were Elaine Demps, Ph.D., director of instructional technology, and Rachel Garza, administrative assistant for pharmacy practice.

Third-year pharmacy students Jennifer Thompson and Sebastian Perez received plaques and recognition for winning the college’s spring patient counseling competition.

Cullen M. “Mike” Godfrey, J.D., chief legal officer for the Texas A&M Health Science Center, served as guest speaker for the awards banquet.