“It starts from where you’re sitting”
Daniel Schreiber is a third-year PharmD candidate at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.
On a night of recognition, inspiration, and celebration in late March, student pharmacists from across the country gathered for the APhA–ASP Opening General Session (OGS) at the 2023 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Phoenix, AZ. As a type of orientation and a formal welcome to the annual meeting, OGS presents student pharmacist attendees an opportunity to prepare for the weekend and all the exciting information and experiences that accompany it while also providing a platform to reflect on the previous year’s successes of APhA–ASP Chapters nationwide.
The APhA–ASP OGS promotes the role of student pharmacists in advancing the profession of pharmacy and enacting change on a patient level within our communities while also empowering the individual student pharmacist through recognitions like APhA Student Leadership Awards and Student Pharmacists Got Talent. With the APhA–ASP National Executive Committee serving as our hosts and moderators of the evening, OGS was filled with the uplift and encouragement of our peers and friends.
Keynote speaker’s words resonate
To maintain the momentum of inspiration, a core component of the OGS is the much-anticipated APhA–ASP keynote address. Alex Varkey, PharmD, MS, FAPhA, APhA’s 2023–2024 president-elect and keynote speaker, employed a relaxed storytelling approach to his address, which reflected on his time in our seats and the impactful result of student involvement. As he made his way from the audience to the stage, Dr. Varkey’s poignant message of advocacy, drive, and gratitude resonated with his words: “It starts from where you’re sitting.”
As the kickoff to APhA2023, his words extended beyond the obvious implication of the meeting starting at the OGS. As student pharmacists, we have the ability to use the lessons learned from APhA–ASP to bring innovation, creativity, and passion within our chapters and communities. On an evening speckled with awards and recognition of the inspiring work of student pharmacists nationwide, the OGS inspired attendees with the work that can be done by each of us.
Award winners announced
In addition to Dr. Varkey’s inspiring words, the APhA–ASP National Executive Committee presented the following awards.
Operation Immunization
- National Winner: The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
- First Runner-up: University of Southern California
- Second Runner-up: Idaho State University
Operation Immunization is supported by Walgreens.
Operation Heart
- National Winner: University of Maryland
- First Runner-up: University of the Pacific
- Second Runner-up: Washington State University
Operation Reproductive Health
- National Winner: University of Pittsburgh
- First Runner-up: University of Maryland
- Second Runner-up: University of Florida
Operation Reproductive Health is supported by Merck.
Most Improved Chapter Award
University of Texas at El Paso
Chapter Operational Leadership Award
Purdue University
Patient Care Award
University of Missouri–Kansas City
Chapter Professionalism Award
South Dakota State University
Chapter Policy and Legislative Award
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outstanding IPSF Activity Award
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston
APhA Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award
Andrew Bzowyckyj, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES
Distinguished New Practitioner Award
Scott Sexton, PharmD
APhA Student Leadership Awards
- Ellie Balken, South Dakota State University
- Allison Eppenaur, University of Missouri–Kansas City
- Mai Le, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston
- Cristian Rodriguez, Loma Linda University
Student Pharmacists Got Talent Performers
- Camryn Cooper, University of Montana
- Zachary Matthew, Washington State University