University Honors Pharmacy Alumna for American Pharmacists Month

For American Pharmacists Month, Illinois State University (ISU) is taking the time to honor an alumna who developed her passion for pharmacy at the school’s Student Health Services (SHS).

Patrick Moraleda, supervising registered pharmacist at the SHS at Illinois State, said in a press release that a student named Michelle Lyons, Class of 2011, stood out to him in his more than 12 years of experience as a supervisor.

Originally a math education major, Lyons changed direction after interviewing a family friend who was a pharmacist.

Lyons became a double major in biochemistry and chemistry, and then reached out to Moraleda in her senior year to get some experience in pharmacy, according to the press release. Moraleda hired her as a pharmacy technician, and Lyons worked at SHS during her last year at Illinois State.

After graduation, Lyons attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and started working as a pharmacist at Shop ‘N’ Save, for which is now a pharmacy manager at one of the chain’s stores in Missouri, according to the ISU press release.

“It’s hard to put into words all that Patrick and the SHS pharmacy staff did to provide me with a solid foundation for my future in pharmacy,” Lyons said in the release. “Working at the ISU pharmacy gave me an inside view of what the profession is like and supported my decision to go to pharmacy school. The support, learning experience, and example of outstanding patient care provided by the SHS pharmacy helped launch me into my career today.”

American Pharmacists Month celebrates the profession of pharmacy and generates recognition for pharmacists among their peers, patients, and community. Pharmacy Times is proud to support pharmacists and the increasingly important role they play in today’s complex health care system.

Join Pharmacy Times this October on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #ThankAPharmacist to show appreciation for a favorite pharmacist, celebrate a peer’s achievements, or just see what others are saying about the profession.