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Student Leadership Awards

2024 Student Leadership Awards recipient

Joseph Miles Azurin, Loma Linda University

Joseph Miles Azurin, Loma Linda University

Joseph Miles Azurin is a third-year student pharmacist from Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy. As a graduate of the University of the Philippines Manila with a B.S. in Pharmacy, he is passionate about acute care pharmacy and international healthcare with the ultimate goal of becoming a critical care pharmacist. Since 2015, Joseph's pharmacy experience encompasses roles in diverse fields including hospital, community, specialty, industrial, and research settings. As a student leader in the Philippines, he has served in several influential positions at local, national, and international levels through multiple pharmacy-related organizations, such as UPPhA, FJCPPhA, and IPSF-APRO.

As the APhA-ASP local chapter president, he has organized numerous university, local and California-wide projects such as the Southern California Pharmacy Mixer. He serves as Loma Linda University’s representative and liaison for professional associations and conferences, including CSHP, CPhA, and ISHP. Working internationally as the incoming APhA-ASP National Contact Person, he remains connected with other countries through the IPSF, delivering speeches on international affairs, and has served as a delegate for the United States at the 68th IPSF World Congress in Bali, Indonesia. With community service as a priority, he serves the underserved population of the Inland Empire as the PLS Clinic Coordinator at the Riverside Free Clinic and was the student leader in international medical mission trips to Mexico and the Philippines.

An exemplary student from the Rho Chi Honor Society, he devotes time to tutoring peers and underclassmen, alongside volunteering at various immunization clinics and outreach programs. In recognition of his service and leadership, he received the Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award from the United States Public Health Service and is the 2024 APhA Foundation Ton Hoek Scholarship Recipient. In his free time, Joseph indulges in his passions for playing the guitar and creating computer graphics.

Priscilla Liu, University of Kansas

Priscilla Liu, University of Kansas

Priscilla Liu is a third year (Classof2025) student pharmacist from the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy in Lawrence, KS. She was born and raised in Macon, Missouri and received a BS in Pharmaceutical Studies and Minor in Business in 2023 from the University of Kansas. At her chapter of American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), she has served as President-Elect and currently serves as chapter President. She is on the Board of Trustees at the Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA). Through these positions she implemented new opportunities for student pharmacists relating to policy, advocacy, and patient care.

In addition to Priscilla’s involvement in APhA-ASP and KPhA, she is also a member of Kappa Psi, Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) Leadership Society, and Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists. She has completed the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Well Being Ambassador Program to enhance well-being and resilience in personal lives and professional practice. She also participated in the PLS Leader Academy program that is designed for strong advocates to expand upon self-awareness and is a mentor through her chapter’s mentorship program at the University of Kansas. Outside of pharmacy organizations, she also served two terms as Vice President of Finance-Accounts Receivables at the Tau Chapter of Alpha DeltaPi.

Priscilla is currently an intern pharmacist at The University of Kansas Health System-St. Francis Campus in Topeka, Kansas where she has recently completed their Clinical Intern Development Program. Priscilla will serve as Chair of the APhA-ASP Awards Standing Committee for the upcoming term, will attend the 2024 Global Leadership Summit, and has been selected for the APhA Experiential Program in Association Management and Leadership where she will spend four weeks this fall in Washington, D.C. in the Student and New Practitioner Development Department.

Shannon Habba, Wayne State University

Shannon Habba, Wayne State University

Shannon Habba is a third-year student pharmacist at Wayne State University (WSU) Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She is actively engaged as a leader in several professional organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), Michigan Pharmacists Association, Macomb County Pharmacists Association, and Lambda Kappa Sigma. Shannon currently serves as the immediate past president/chairwoman of the WSU APhA-ASP chapter. During Shannon’s presidential term in 2022, she set numerous goals focused on strengthening the chapter by improving student engagement, expanding community outreach efforts, and creating resources to support the next generation of leaders.

To support a team of growing leaders, Shannon created a chapter operation manual, as a supplement to the bylaws, to provide guidance for event planning, scheduling, and event reporting. With the support of her chapter advisor, Dr. Brittany Stewart, RD, PharmD, Shannon was able to successfully spearhead multiple student-led community outreach projects including a medication history program at an underserved clinic in Detroit and most notably, she received a grant from the District IV NABP/AACP to implement #ATimeToTalk depression screenings at a community pharmacy. Under Shannon’s leadership, the chapter succeeded in recruiting a record number of new and returning student pharmacist members and cultivated a community of student pharmacists looking to be more engaged at the local, state, and national levels.

Through Shannon’s passion and exceptional support of her executive board, APhA-ASP student pharmacists at WSU found their ‘why’. Shannon’s leadership skills and professional engagement reflect a genuine passion for upholding the mission and vision of APhA, improving the wellbeing of patients, and making a meaningful impact on the pharmacy profession.

Robyn Turner

Robyn Turner

Robyn Turner is a third-year student pharmacist at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. Although she grew up moving because of her parents’ work for the Department of Defense, she considers San Diego, California her hometown. She holds an Associate's Degree from a satellite campus of the University of Maryland in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and a Bachelor’s degree in microbiology and chemistry from the California State University, Chico.

Robyn is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, being in the top 10% of students in graduate programs, and Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society, being in the top 20% of the Class of 2025. She works at Lovelace Women’s Hospital and conducts research in the laboratory of Dr. Alicia Bolt.

Robyn has served in leadership positions within the Class of 2025, APhA-ASP, ASHP-SSHP, Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, NCODA, AMCP, and the Health Sciences Student Council. Notably, she was appointed to serve as the national Student Exchange Officer-elect for APhA-ASP to coordinate the activities for the IPSF Student Exchange Program. In addition, she represented the United States at the 68th World Congress in Bali, Indonesia. Her involvement with IPSF demonstrates her passion for public health at the international level.

Robyn is dedicated to pursuing a career in oncology, and her long-term goals are to complete a PGY2 and become a board-certified oncology pharmacist. She serves as the President of the NCODA Chapter and will be completing an APPE at NCODA headquarters in New York and APhA Board of Pharmacy Specialties in Washington, D.C.

With regard to her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her parents and exploring. museums, as well as being outside horseback riding and skiing. In addition, she loves traveling, having been to 37 countries. At home, she enjoys relaxing with her boyfriend and cats.

About

Established in 1983, the APhA Student Leadership Awards recognize outstanding academic achievement and leadership ability in APhA-ASP at the local, regional, and national levels of students who are currently in their next to the last year of pharmacy school. The awards are endowed by Procter & Gamble.

Criteria

All nominees must be members of APhA-ASP who are currently in their next to the last year of graduation from an accredited school or college of pharmacy. An accumulated grade point average of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) must be maintained. Members of the APhA-ASP National Executive Committee are not eligible for nomination. Chapters may nominate only one candidate per year.

Nomination Process

The nominator is responsible for submitting the award nomination packet online via Formsite. The award nomination packet includes:

  • Nomination form
  • A letter from the nominator describing how the nominee meets the criteria for the award
  • Three letters of recommendation are required; a maximum of 6 letters accepted
  • A current CV or detailed résumé
  • A letter from college registrar or designee verifying the student’s current GPA

Submit a Nomination

Selection Process

The APhA-ASP Awards Committee selects award recipients based upon careful review of complete nominations.

Nature of the Award

The award consists of a scholarship of $500 and a laminated plaque to each recipient, presented at the APhA-ASP Awards Ceremony during the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition.

Past Award Recipients

The APhA Student Leadership Awards have been presented to 4 students annually at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition since 1985.

2023 Recipients

  • Allison Eppenaur, University of Missouri – Kansas City
  • Cristian Rodriquez, Loma Linda University
  • Ellie Balken, South Dakota State University
  • Mai Le, MCPHS University

2022 Recipients

  • Rachel Allen, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  • Shirly Ly, University of Florida
  • Miranda Moser, West Virginia University
  • Ally White, Lipscomb University

2021 Recipients

  • Sidrah Alam - Shenandoah University
  • Kristina Leav - The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  • Joanna Ma - University of Florida
  • Olivia Waters - Union University

2020 Recipients

  • Kathryn B. Albert - University of South Florida
  • Connor M. Anderson - Ferris State University
  • Matthew Broadwater - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Laurie Plewinski - University at Buffalo

Deadline

The deadline for nomination materials is December 1.

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