Events
White Coat Ceremony Celebrates New Biotech Students
RALEIGH, N.C. (September 5, 2025) – Wake Tech biotech students celebrated the beginning of their education journey Friday at a special White Coat Ceremony held at the Southern Wake Campus.
FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, one of the college's key industry partners, donated 1,000 lab coats for current and future students honoring their commitment to becoming life sciences professionals.
The lab coats were presented to students in the college's Biotechnology associate degree programs and BioWork non-degree training, along with dual-enrolled students from the Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies, the Vernon Malone College and Career Academy and East Wake High School.
Sarah Gaskill, head of external relations at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, and Garrett Harris, a Wake Tech graduate who now works as a Manufacturing Associate 3 at FUJIFILM, were the guest speakers.
"We look forward to seeing the next great things you'll do and accomplish in innovative ways to impact our industry and, ultimately, patients around the world," Gaskill said. "We hope you wear your white lab coat with pride and that you will carry that same pride and excitement to the work you will do every day."
Harris, who went on to earn a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from North Carolina State University after Wake Tech, encouraged the students to make the most of their biotech training.
"I've had a great time working at FUJIFILM the last couple of months, and I highly recommend it," he told the students. "Wake Tech was a fantastic resource for me, and I'm so happy with my decision and investment, and I hope you all have the same experience."
As students recited their oath to practice biotechnology with skill and safety, proud family and friends cheered them on.
"We are here to join in unity with the many professionals that have come before us in this field of science as you receive your first white coat," said Leslie Isenhour, dean of the Biotechnologies Division at Wake Tech. "From today until your journey with Wake Tech ends, I hope you recognize the significance of this moment as you put on your coat and remember the responsibility that comes with it."
BioWork student Wakilat Balogun said she's grateful for the lab coat and the special ceremony.
"It's been very exciting being part of the BioWork program," she said. "Coming from a manufacturing job and wanting to dive into biotech has been very thrilling. I am ready for my new beginnings."
This is the third year of the lab coat partnership. The goal is to expose Wake Tech students to the importance of careers in life sciences and cultivate a talent pipeline for local biotechnology companies. The lab coat donation also eases a significant cost for students.
Wake Tech offers two Biotechnology degree tracks: the Bioanalytical Lab Technology degree program is designed to meet the increasing demand for skilled laboratory technicians, while the Bioprocess Manufacturing degree prepares students for employment in pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. The BioWork program is an accelerated non-degree course that leads to an entry-level position as a bioprocess technician and can provide course credit toward an associate degree.
More than 725 students are currently studying biotechnology at Wake Tech. Enrollment in both degree and non-degree training has quadrupled over the past four years. The college has added several new biotechnology certificate options as part of its associate degrees.
Biotechnology apprenticeship programs are also growing. In January, the college launched a biomanufacturing apprenticeship program with Amgen to train workers for their planned expansion in Wake County. In July, the college kicked off a biomechatronics apprenticeship in partnership with CSL Seqirus, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies and Eli Lilly and Company that will prepare advanced maintenance technicians.
FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), operates facilities in Research Triangle Park and is building a manufacturing site in Holly Springs that will be one of the largest end-to-end cell culture CDMO facilities in North America.
