Pharmaceutical sciences faculty receives Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award

College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions faculty member Joshua Reineke is the latest recipient of the South Dakota State University Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award. 

Reineke was named recipient of the award at the 2024 Celebration of Faculty Excellence in February. 

Reineke is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, teaching in both the pharmacy professional program and the pharmaceutical sciences graduate program in the areas of pharmacokinetics, drug delivery and polymer science and coordinating the graduate student seminar course and department seminar series. Reineke is also director of the Haarberg 3D Research Center. 

Reineke mentors graduate students in the pharmaceutical sciences programs, including Cindy Venegas Mata. Venegas Mata is a student in the pharmaceutical sciences Ph.D. program. 

“Dr. Reineke has been the consistent positive light in my Ph.D. journey,” Venegas Mata said. 

She noted that with Reineke as her graduate mentor, she always leaves his office feeling better than when she entered. 

“I believe he is the right person for this award because my experience is not unique,” she continued. “He truly cares about his students’ success in their Ph.D. and always keeps their best interest in mind.” 

The award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring is given out each year to one outstanding graduate student mentor. Last year the award was presented to Darci Fink, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics.