DAYTON–Last May, the Washington State University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Spokane conferred doctoral degrees on a number of graduates, and one of them was 2015 Dayton High School graduate, Keelin Hovrud.

Hovrud, the daughter of Todd Hovrud, Dayton, and Marchand Hovrud, of Boise, Id., and granddaughter of former Elk Drug owners Paul and Marcene Hendrickson of Dayton, and Jerome and Diane Hovrud of Pomeroy, is another in a long line of pharmacists in the family.

The Hendricksons owned and operated Elk Drug in Dayton for 46 years. Keelin's aunt, Melanie Kaiser, is also a pharmacist. She was employed at Elk Drug and Dayton General Hospital for 10 years, and is now at Sixth Street Pharmacy in Spokane.

A cousin, Tory Knebel, is also a graduate of the WSU pharmacy program, and he is presently behind the counter at Elk Drug and fill prescriptions at Dayton General Hospital as well.

What's so appealing about the pharmacy field to members of this family? "I chose to pursue pharmacy because it is the perfect blend of math, science, and being able to work with and help people," Hovrud told the Dayton Chronicle.

"As a child, I was able to see my grandfather and aunt enjoy their careers and I was also able to watch them impact the lives of their patients in a positive way so that was definitely a big factor in my decision to pursue pharmacy as well," she said. "I have really enjoyed my time in pharmacy school and can't wait to use what I have learned as I start my residency program with the VA!"

After graduating, Hovrud shipped out to Veteran's Administration Puget Sound Health Care.

Her boyfriend, Alex Coy, also graduated from WSU with a degree in Hospitality. At graduation, as a hailstorm pelted the couple, Coy dropped to a knee and proposed.

In her studies at WSU-Spokane, Hovrud was able to meet the Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Leid is a Waitsburg native.