NCPA Foundation Announces 2014 Student Chapter of the Year, Outstanding Student Chapter Members of the Year

PRESS RELEASE

Austin, Texas (Oct. 19, 2014) — The

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Foundation

today announced the top student chapters and outstanding student chapter members at the NCPA 116

^th

Annual Convention and Trade Exposition in Austin, Texas. The 2014 NCPA Student Chapter of the Year is Ohio Northern University; the first runner-up is Auburn University; and the second runner-up is the University of Texas at Austin.

In addition, the 2014 NCPA Most Improved Chapter winner is Mercer University, while Auburn University also won the Health and Wellness Challenge and Ohio Northern University won the NCPA Legislative Advocacy Challenge. These two challenges are projects created by the NCPA Student Leadership Council to engage NCPA student chapters in legislative and patient outreach activities in their community.

The Legislative Advocacy Challenge gauges the level of legislative advocacy taking place within each NCPA student chapter. Chapters must have participated in a major event such as a State Legislative Day, day-to-day contact with legislators or educational initiatives that promote advocacy. The Health and Wellness Challenge encourages student chapters to promote the benefits of pharmacist-provided health and wellness services in their community. The project can be achieved through patient education, community outreach programs, or other unique patient outreach services, and is graded on creativity and community impact.

“Preserving the future of community pharmacy starts with students, and NCPA student chapters give their members a chance to gain firsthand exposure to pharmacy entrepreneurship,” said Sharlea Leatherwood, PD, President of the NCPA Foundation. “The success of our 2014 honorees is due in large part to their respective schools’ commitment to excellence and promoting community pharmacy. We congratulate this year’s outstanding chapters and all NCPA student chapters for helping students experience the rewards of a career in community pharmacy.”

The award criteria included a commitment to community service, recruiting new members, promoting independent community pharmacy, and advocating legislative action.

The chapters are the most integral part of the NCPA Student Outreach Program that was launched 24 years ago by NCPA Foundation Trustee Emeritus Joe Mosso, who was president of the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD, which was renamed NCPA in 1996). The Foundation underwrites the program, which is designed to increase student awareness of pharmacy ownership and the entrepreneurial opportunities in pharmacy. There are now more than 3,800 student members and approximately 100 chapters in 130 U.S. pharmacy schools.

A few of the most effective and popular programs that the chapters encourage members to participate in are the

Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition

(now in its 11th year), the Legislative Advocacy Challenge, the Health and Wellness Challenge, and NCPA Ownership Workshops. Chapters also help to set up mentorships and rotations for students with independent community pharmacies.

In addition, 21 pharmacy students were honored as NCPA Outstanding Student Chapter Members of the Year after being nominated by their peers and faculty at each of their respective schools.

“I am always amazed at the level of energy and enthusiasm NCPA student chapter members have for their chosen profession, and these 21 outstanding students are no exception. Their dedication to their student chapters and to the future of community pharmacy is inspiring, and I know that with these students at the helm of our industry, independent community pharmacy will thrive,” said NCPA President Mark Riley, PharmD. “Congratulations to all of the NCPA Outstanding Student Chapter Members of the Year — we look forward to welcoming you to the ranks of community pharmacy owners in the future.”

NCPA Student Chapter Outstanding Member of the Year Awards (listed alphabetically by last name):

• Eric Barbye, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• Xirui Chen, University of Maryland
• Seth Connelly, University of Kansas
• Margaret DeLeo, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Andrew Faiella, The Ohio State University
• Josh Knight, Samford University
• Christina Laird, Auburn University
• Jennie Lim, University of Hawai’i at Hilo
• Nora Martin, Harding University
• Jessica McDaniel, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Jason Nguyen, Shenandoah University
• Phuc Nguyen, University of Houston
• Kunal Patel, Campbell University
• William Paton, University of Cincinnati
• Brian Primeaux, University of Louisiana at Monroe
• Matthew Savoie, Auburn University
• Ryan Siefring, Ohio Northern University
• Brent Simpkins, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
• Kristen Sterling, University of Saint Joseph
• Megan Willis, Regis University School of Pharmacy
• Catherine Zollars, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

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About the National Community Pharmacists Association Foundation

The NCPA Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1953 to honor former NARD Executive Secretary John W. Dargavel. Contributions to the NCPA Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted under federal tax law. The Foundation supports the growth and advancement of independent community pharmacy through low-interest educational loans and scholarships to pharmacy students in need, critical research and programs to improve the success of independent pharmacy, community service programs and financial assistance to community pharmacy owners for their recovery in the event of disaster, accidents, illness, or adverse circumstances. To learn more go to

www.ncpafoundation.org

.

About the National Community Pharmacists Association

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA®) represents the interests of America's community pharmacists, including the owners of nearly 23,000 independent community pharmacies. Together they represent an $88.8 billion health care marketplace, dispense nearly 40% of all retail prescriptions, and employ more than 300,000 individuals, including over 62,000 pharmacists. To learn more, go to

www.ncpanet.org

, visit

facebook.com/commpharmacy

, or follow NCPA on Twitter

@Commpharmacy

.