2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR GRADUATION CEREMONY CELEBRATED WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM

On Thursday, June 22^nd, the Mersin University Faculty of Pharmacy held its graduation ceremony at the Prof. Uğur Oral Cultural Center. The event was attended by Vice Rector Prof. Ahmet Hakan ÖZTÜRK, our Faculty's Dean Prof. Necmiye CANACANKATAN, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Prof. Ayda ÇELEBİOĞLU, Chairman of the Board of the 25^thRegion Pharmaceutical Cooperative Msc. Pharm. Özgün SAĞIR, Chairman of the Board of the Güney Ecza Cooperative Pharm. Tarkan BİR, faculty members, administrative staff, our graduating students, and their families.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, followed by a musical performance by artists Gökay DİNÇER and Oral Mustafa AKÇA. After the performance, the opening speeches commenced.

Vice Rector Prof. Ahmet Hakan ÖZTÜRK began his speech by expressing condolences for those who lost their lives in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He emphasized that the wounds caused by the earthquake would be healed as soon as possible.

Addressing the graduates, Prof. ÖZTÜRK said that "Dear graduates, you have successfully walked this long path, and now you are graduating. From now on, it is essential that you continually develop yourselves professionally and keep up with innovations. The negative conditions created by the pandemic and the earthquake may have affected your education at times. Therefore, it will be beneficial for you to find opportunities to address any gaps you may feel in your knowledge. Never let your sense of belonging to the university from which you graduated diminish. Each of you is a valuable asset. Follow the path laid out by the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which is the path of reason and science." He concluded his speech by thanking the faculty members and families who worked hard to ensure that the graduates were well-prepared.

Dean Prof. Necmiye CANACANKATAN also began her speech by remembering those who lost their lives in the February 6^th, 2023 earthquake and offering her condolences and well-wishes to all affected citizens. She paid special tribute to 4^th-year student Ela Fedva GÜLERYÜZ, who passed away during the earthquake. Prof. CANACANKATAN stated, "In recent years, rapidly advancing new diagnostic and treatment methods in the health sector, smart drug and drug delivery technologies, and targeted therapies developed for specific purposes will surpass the known treatment methods in the health sector. Therefore, one of our most important goals is to enhance the quality of pharmaceutical education. Among the 59 Faculties of Pharmacy providing education, our Faculty is one of the 14 fully accredited Faculties. Our Faculty has graduated a total of 950 pharmacists."

Prof. CANACANKATAN concluded her speech with, bu ifadeler daha iyi olmuşş "I believe that no matter which area of the pharmacy profession you serve in, whether in our country or abroad, you will adhere to the pharmacy oath and provide the best service possible. You are the future of our profession. I want you to know that we will always be by your side in achieving all your goals and in every moment you need support."

Pharm. Tarkan BİR, Chairman of the Board of the Güney Ecza Cooperative, emphasized that they are one of the two professional organizations supporting the students from their first to their fifth year and that they will continue to stand by the young pharmacists in the future. He wished all the graduates success in their professional careers.

Msc. Pharm. Özgün SAĞIR, Chairman of the Board of the 25^th Region Pharmaceutical Cooperative, noted that the graduates were now putting the final touch on a story they began writing five years ago. He emphasized that pharmacy is not just about the education received but is a profession open to lifelong learning. He assured that their professional organization would always keep its doors open to young pharmacists.

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Faculty Valedictorian Pharm. Seda Nur HORTOĞLU expressed that the pharmacy profession quickly became her greatest passion. HORTOĞLU stated, "We are healthcare professionals who prepare and deliver the most appropriate forms of drugs using effective, plant-based, animal-based, or synthetic chemicals targeting the mechanisms of diseases. We are the patients' closest and first health advisors. I would like to thank each of our families, who played a significant role in our journey, and all the esteemed professors who did not hesitate to share their light with us and touch the lives of their students. As a healer, I promise always to do my best in the light of science."

Fifth-year representative Pharm. Hasan YAVUZ also shared his thoughts, stating, "Today, we are officially leaving our university with our graduation certificate. This document is not just a piece of paper; it is proof of our efforts and achievements. Throughout our years at the Faculty of Pharmacy, we worked hard to learn our profession in the best way possible, despite many challenges and obstacles. Today, we are reaping the rewards of those efforts."

Following the speeches, Faculty Valedictorian Pharm. Seda Nur HORTOĞLU received her plaque and certificate from Vice Rector Prof. Ahmet Hakan ÖZTÜRK, Faculty Salutatorian Pharm. Beste TURUÇ received hers from Dean Prof. Necmiye CANACANKATAN, and Faculty Third Pharm. İlayda Yalçın received hers from Msc. Pharm. Özgün SAĞIR, Chairman of the 25^th Region Pharmaceutical Cooperative.

After the top-ranking students received their plaques and certificates, the other graduates were presented with symbolic diplomas by the faculty members of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Later, Faculty Valedictorian Pharm. Seda Nur HORTOĞLU nailed the plaque of her graduating class to the yearbook. The ceremony concluded with the graduates taking the pharmacy oath, led by Asst. Prof. Zeynep Nil ÜNAL, and the graduates throwing their caps into the air to the 10^th Anniversary March.