The College of Pharmacy celebrated its 100 years of formal pharmacy education in the Maritimes on Saturday, October 29, 2011, by holding a Gala Evening which included a reception, dinner and silent auction at Pier 21.

The evening, hosted by Rita Caldwell, Director, College of Pharmacy, was attended by over 260 alumni, current and former faculty, students, and friends of the College.  Three former directors in attendance, Dr. J. Gordon Duff, Dr. David Yung and Dr. Frank Chandler, along with the current director, spanned 50 years of administrative leadership.

Greetings were given by the three Registrars, Susan Wedlake, Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists, Sam Lanctin, New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society, and Neila Auld, Prince Edward Island Pharmacy Board.  Dr. Tom Traves, President, Dalhousie University brought greetings on behalf of Dalhousie University.  Dr. J. Gordon Duff gave the toast to our first 100 years of formal pharmacy education.

Mrs. Lillian (Campbell) MacMillan, Class of 1935, joined us for our celebration.  She was recognized for being the graduate present from the “oldest” graduating class (76 years). Lillian celebrated her 101^st birthday days after the event.  Both the class of 1981 (30 years) and the Class of 1991 (20 years) held reunions and Dr. Bev Wilson, a former faculty member, travelled all the way from South Africa for the event.  Dr. Mary MacCara, a current faculty member at the College, provided an entertaining journey through the College’s history with excerpts from her new book “Dispensing Knowledge”.

A silent auction raised over $3,600 for the Dr. Michael Mezei Memorial Fund.