Agnes Scott’s Inaugural White Coat Ceremony: A new chapter in the college’s health care education
Thirty students in the Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes ’65 and James B. Hawkes Physician Assistant Program bring a combined 84,060 hours of patient care experience to their graduate training.
DECATUR, Ga. — Before receiving their white coats, the 30 students in Agnes Scott’s inaugural physician assistant (PA) cohort had logged a combined 84,060 hours of patient care experience, averaging more than 2,800 hours per student. At the inaugural White Coat Ceremony for the Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes ’65 and James B. Hawkes Physician Assistant Program, the Class of 2028 took a formal step toward clinical practice.
As they received their white coats and recited the Physician Assistant Professional Oath, the students pledged to lead with integrity, competence and dedication to the well-being of their future patients. The ceremony marks a milestone in the Master of Medical Science program, which builds on Agnes Scott’s decades of success in pre-medical education. The cohort completed their orientation and started class on October 13.
President Leocadia I. Zak explained that the ceremony builds on the college’s long record of preparing health care professionals. “We recently celebrated 30 years of preparing aspiring physicians and other health care professionals through our post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs—supporting career changers, strengthening academic preparation and helping students take their next steps toward a future in health care.” President Zak went on to explain to the students, “The values at the heart of the PA profession are the values at the heart of Agnes Scott. You did not just choose a program—you chose a community that shares your purpose.”
Dr. LeAnne Martinelli, program director of the Cornwall Hawkes PA Program, described the importance and symbolism of the white coat ceremony. “As students receive their white coat and begin their journey to be a PA, may the white coat serve as a symbol of commitment to lifelong learning and a promise to serve every patient with knowledge, integrity, and humanity.”
The 24-month program comprises 102 graduate credits. During the first year, students complete on-campus coursework and dedicated service learning. In the second year, they undertake supervised clinical practice across major areas of medicine, including community health, emergency medicine, general surgery, women’s health, behavioral medicine and pediatrics.
The Class of 2028 represents Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, New York and Texas. It includes four returning Agnes Scott students: two 2026 graduates of the college’s post-baccalaureate programs and two Agnes Scott undergraduate alumnae.
“As a first-generation graduate, Agnes Scott College provided me with the academic foundation, personal growth, and immersive experiences that helped prepare me for my future career as a physician assistant. Receiving my white coat symbolizes the dedication, hard work and perseverance that brought me to this moment. It represents a transition from being a student to a healthcare professional and my commitment to providing ethical and compassionate care to my future patients.”
– Corliss Felder, ’22, Cornwall Hawkes PA Student, Class of 2028
“I have dreamed of receiving my white coat for so long. I am a nontraditional student. I had a seven–year gap in between graduating with an undergraduate degree and joining this PA school program. Last year I made the choice to give PA school another real shot by retaking my core classes through Agnes Scott’s pre-allied health program. The professors helped me to grow as a student and in self–confidence. During my time in the pre-allied health program I grew to think of Agnes Scott as home. When I learned that Agnes Scott was in the process of starting its own PA program it felt like a serendipitous moment. A school that I already loved, offering me the chance to chase my dreams. I cried when I got that acceptance call, and I am sure I will be crying from pure joy when I receive that white coat with an Agnes Scott’s patch! I feel so blessed to be a part of this inaugural cohort!”
– Candacie Hatcher, PB’26, Cornwall Hawkes PA Student, Class of 2028
The program is based in Hopkins Hall, which was recently renovated to meet the PA program’s needs thanks to a generous donation of $15 million from trustee emerita Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes ’65 and her husband, James B. Hawkes, in whose honor the program was named. The building includes 3-D Anatomage tables, a clinical examination suite, an instructional laboratory, state-of-the-art classrooms, a third-floor student lounge and private study rooms.
Prospective students can find current prerequisites, application steps and admissions guidance at agnesscott.edu/pa.
Accreditation Status
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Agnes Scott College’s Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes ’65 and James B. Hawkes Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Agnes Scott College. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-agnes-scott-college/.
About Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College is a private liberal arts college for women in Decatur, Georgia, located seven miles from Atlanta. Founded in 1889, the college prepares students to lead with confidence, think across disciplines and enter the world with a record of experiences that demonstrates what they can do. Agnes Scott has been ranked the No. 1 most innovative liberal arts college in America for nine consecutive years and integrates global learning, Atlanta-based experiences, faculty mentorship and career preparation throughout the undergraduate experience. The college’s students and alumnae are known for their intellectual curiosity, leadership and ability to make an impact in the rooms they enter. While Agnes Scott’s undergraduate college is for women; its graduate and post-baccalaureate programs, including the PA program, enroll students of all genders.
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Ceremony Information
Inaugural White Coat Ceremony
Mary Lou Cornwall Hawkes ’65 and James B. Hawkes Physician Assistant Program
Monday, October 26, 2026
2 to 4:15 p.m.
Presser Hall, Gaines Chapel, and Rebekah Scott Hall
Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia
agnesscott.edu/pa
