Russellville native Genessee Fernandez receives her white coat as she enters the Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy.

The Harrison School of Pharmacy’s Class of 2019 joined the Auburn Family Aug. 15 as friends and family joined the incoming student pharmacists at the 2015 White Coat Ceremony. Among the new student-pharmacists is Russellville native Genesee Fernandez.

Fernandez, the daughter of Fernando and Irma Fernandez, is a 2010 graduate of Russellville High School. Prior to coming to Auburn, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 2014 at North Alabama.

The White Coat Ceremony, one of the most anticipated milestones in a pharmacist’s path, signified the end of the Foundations of Pharmacy orientation week and the beginning of the four-year journey of pharmacy school. The presentation white coats, used to recognize healthcare professionals throughout the world, represents the next crucial stage of education, in which the student-pharmacists will actively engage with patients and other professionals.

Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy is ranked among the top 20 percent of all pharmacy schools in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report. Fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the School offers doctoral degrees in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, while also offering a master’s in pharmaceutical sciences.