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Awards & Recognitions
Walgreens Diversity Donation Scholarship Recipients
In 2008, Walgreens donated more than $1 million to accredited colleges of pharmacy across the country in an effort to support diversity initiatives. On top of supplementing the classroom experience and training, part of the funding went to students who are making diversity a part of their workload and future career.
We will highlight a number of students throughout the year who embody this initiative. Here are some of their stories.
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Union University School of Pharmacy student pharmacist Ashley Turner (left) with a patient
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Ashley Turner: Realizing a dream
When the newest member of Ashley Turner’s family was born, so was a dream – she just didn’t know it. Ashley’s cousin was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, a discovery that led her family on a quest for answers and sparked an interest within Ashley to the field of pharmacy.
"I wanted to know what medications could help control her problems and what she could benefit from," said Ashley.
That was seven years ago and today, Ashley is a student pharmacist at Union University School of Pharmacy in [city, state], where she recently received a scholarship from Walgreens as part of its diversity donations to accredited pharmacy schools around the country. Thanks to the scholarship, she is able to continue her education and show her compassion to those in her community through volunteer work and neighborhood events. Ashley and other student pharmacists go to grade schools and speak to at-risk inner city youth about drug education information.
"I’ve become a better listener and am finding out how important it is to communicate," said Ashley. "Thanks to my coursework and scholarship, I’m finally getting to learn all the things that allow me to fulfill my dream."
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West Virginia
University student
pharmacist Bettina
Mason (left) takes
a patient’s blood
pressure
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Bettina Mason: Hoping to Help
If it’s taking time to talk to the elderly at a nursing home about medication compliance or creating an over-the-counter flipbook for pharmacy patients who don’t speak English, Bettina Mason takes a creative and compassionate approach to pharmacy.
She is a student pharmacist at West Virginia University, drawn to the field after seeing too many poorly managed conditions and diseases. With the Walgreens diversity scholarship, she says she can help add to health care solutions with her unique perspective.
"Being an African-American female has enabled me to see various aspects of what minorities go through with health care," said Bettina. "It’s a valuable perspective and one that I will use to help the communities I serve. Pharmacists are important and I want to be a part of changing the way patients view this field."
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University of
Findlay student
pharmacist
LaNikki Thomas
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LaNikki Thomas: Counter Kid
LaNikki Thomas grew up a "counter kid" -- always finding herself at the pharmacy counter. LaNikki had asthma and she had questions for her local pharmacist.
"I didn’t know much about a health care team, but my pharmacist always made time to answer all my questions," said LaNikki.
Now, she’s hoping to field those same questions to help patients know more about their health and the importance of being compliant.
"If you want to positively impact health outcomes, you need to make sure the health care field is as diverse as the concerns you come across," she said. "I realize now how meaningful and influential pharmacists can be."
As a student pharmacist at University of Findlay College of Pharmacy and recipient of a Walgreens diversity scholarship, LaNikki continues to learn every day. She is currently leading a student effort to help immunize the local community against the H1N1 influenza virus and also participated in an event that recovered outdated prescription medications from area patients.
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Lipscomb
University College
of Pharmacy student pharmacist
Trinh Truong
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Trinh Truong: Dedicated and Diverse
To Trinh Truong, people may come from different backgrounds but the desire to help is universal. As a student pharmacist at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, she combines her cultural background with compassion.
"Diversity improves tolerance, understanding and respect not only among those who work in the field but for the patients we care for," said Trinh.
With a 3.94 grade-point average in her pharmacy coursework, Trinh is driven to help. She says with good grades and good experiences out in the field, she hopes to some day go back to [her native?] Vietnam and help those who lack adequate health care.
"I want to see people recover and get healthy again so they can enjoy life and help others," she said.
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