UM Pharmacy Celebrates First Year of Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis Program

The program enrolled 15 students in its inaugural year from Mississippi, California and Utah. Students’ academic backgrounds ranged from public health and psychology to chemistry, sports medicine and pharmacy. Courses have also opened as electives for students in other degree programs across the Ole Miss campus, expanding the program’s reach.

Program leaders say the first year brought expected growing pains as well as successes.

“The first year of any program presents a wonderful opportunity to serve new students,” said David Colby, the program’s organizer and a professor in the school’s Department of BioMolecular Sciences.

“Our team has done an incredible job of providing our students with science-based education and a sense of belonging and community, which can be difficult in an online setting.”

Students are also encouraged to participate in the annual International Conference on the Science of Botanicals, hosted each spring in Oxford by the National Center for Natural Products Research and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The event gives program students an opportunity to meet with industry and government professionals in person, as well as connect with faculty and classmates offline.

As the program moves into its second year, developments continue to be underway, including a graduate certificate in medical cannabis that is on track to launch in fall 2026.

In the meantime, faculty continue to refine courses and expand partnerships with the dietary supplements and medical cannabis industries. Program leaders noted that those relationships have already led to industry-sponsored scholarships for current students.

For some in the first cohort, the program has been more than academics; it has been a career accelerator. Meridian native Isaiah Byrd, who works in the medical cannabis industry while completing his degree, said the curriculum has married the scientific and regulatory parts of his work.

“This program has given me a deeper understanding of compliance, regulations and product development in the dietary supplement and medical cannabis industry – all while expanding my knowledge of pharmacology, plant chemistry and scientific research,” Byrd said. “It’s helped me bridge my real-world experience with advanced scientific and regulatory insight.

“I’m especially inspired by the focus on natural product development and the evolving landscape of medical cannabis.”

For other students, the program has offered a path back to higher education. After raising her children, student Angela Frye, of Layton, Utah, returned to complete a bachelor’s degree in nutrition. Then, at the age of 52, she enrolled in the dietary supplements and medical cannabis master’s program.

“From day one, the professors leading the program have been nothing short of incredible,” Frye said. “Their guidance, responsiveness and genuine interest in their students have made this journey both educational and deeply rewarding. This program is opening doors to opportunities I never imagined.”

Caroline Bonds, of Iuka, who works in the dietary supplements industry, said she uses what she learns in the program every day of her professional life. The program has helped her sharpen her leadership skills, strengthen her company’s operations and gain confidence in her abilities.

Bonds advises anyone considering the program to take a leap of faith.

“The return on investment has been incredible,” Bonds said. “Because of this program, I’ve stepped into a leadership role at my company and gained the confidence to help grow our supplement line, understand the science behind our products and educate patients and pharmacies on how they work.”

With expanded offerings on the way and growing interest from both professionals and undergraduates, program leaders expect the second year to be as busy and promising as the first.