Kate Davis and Sarah Vas are third-year PharmD candidates at the Purdue University College of Pharmacy.
The Purdue University College of Pharmacy APhA–ASP Chapter was honored to receive the 2023 APhA–ASP Chapter Operational Leadership Award at the 2023 APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Phoenix. This recognition was a testament to the inclusive environment and culture we strived to establish among the leadership team at the beginning of the academic year.
With our university having shortened 12-week semesters, Zoona Ahmad, chapter president, and Sarah Vas, chapter president-elect, knew that developing a strong supportive network early on in the year would enable our leaders to feel equipped for a fast-paced semester ahead. Through several impactful team-building initiatives, including semesterly leadership retreats and an annual awards showcase called “The Pharmies,” our chapter strived to celebrate both individual and joint accomplishments while empowering one another as developing leaders.
Connection and cohesion
During chapter leadership retreats, team-bonding exercises curated connection and cohesion among members. These activities were followed by reviewing pertinent Purdue University policies for organizations, celebrating members’ successes, and setting goals to ensure another outstanding semester. The retreats allowed our leadership team to properly plan and execute ideas for each patient care project as well as outline policy, advocacy, and professional development efforts.
Pushing boundaries
At Purdue, we recognize the importance of an engaged and confident set of leaders and members. To foster this dynamic, we organized speed-dating events to give our members exposure to the possibilities that lie within APhA–ASP as well as build community among the chapter members. Through the speed-dating events, our leadership team also had the opportunity to promote the projects they were passionate about and receive feedback from peers. By empowering our leadership team to push boundaries and try new ideas, such as selling toothpick holders with bullet points for each year in the PharmD program (i.e., P2, P3, etc.), we created a strong foundation for our entire organization, which ultimately led to consistent engagement at meetings and events.
We prioritized creating a collaborative environment by hosting social events; implementing weekly polls about members’ interests; and having our “Chapter Note Box,” which provided a safe space for members to voice concerns. These efforts allowed us to exchange ideas, share experiences, adapt in difficult circumstances, and most importantly develop critical skills that will help us as future pharmacists.
A time to celebrate and reflect
“The Pharmies” culminated our successful year and allowed our leadership team to showcase how ideas were brought to fruition. Most importantly, it enabled members to reflect on impactful moments, practice gratitude, and acknowledge the hard work that went into each and every event.
This awards ceremony focused on the positives of the year, helping our leaders identify their strengths and feel confident and equipped in pursuing future leadership roles.
Award validates our commitment
As our chapter entered this past academic year (under the presidency of Sarah), we have continued to uphold a standard of excellence and strived to keep the momentum going. Through our focus on enhancing engagement, we were able to surpass our membership registration goal and support more events offered to the community. Receiving this award validated our commitment to the growth of our members and highlighted our dedication and hard work as a chapter. This recognition fuels our motivation to push our chapter further and continue advancing the development of our individual chapter leaders and members.