Two Panola County residents were among the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy students who were awarded their traditional white coats in a ceremony hosted in Oxford recently.

The white coat is a symbol of professionalism, and the ceremony marks the beginning of their professional journey toward becoming a pharmacist.

Alandria Eppenger of Como and Lynesha Farmer of Batesville were among the white coat students.

Founded in 1908, the UM School of Pharmacy is ranked among the top 25 pharmacy schools in the nation and houses the internationally-renowned National Center for Natural Products Research.