LKS spotlights student and alumni members that are making a difference in their chapters, in their communities, and in the field of pharmacy.
Tell us about yourself: (school, chapter, work, hobbies, LKS activities, meetings attended)
- School: St. John’s University
- Chapter: Alpha Pi
- Work: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Hobbies: painting, making shirts/sweaters that promote mental health awareness, spending time with family, fostering cats
- LKS activities: ?
- Meetings attended: N/A
- Career plans: Unsure as of right now. I possibly want to go into residency. If I do choose that path, I think I would try to specialize in Psychiatric Pharmacy
Which of our core values (sisterhood, leadership, service, scholarship and integrity) do you feel you most strongly represent and how?
- I think I most strongly represent the core value of Leadership. I’ve always been the person to run for different positions in my chapter. The first position I held was Fundraising Chair (2017-2018), then Secretary the following year (2018-2019). This past year (2019-2020) I was the President of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists Organization at St. John’s University. Through these positions I have learned a lot about working as a team for the benefit of others and not for the benefit of yourself. I think it’s extremely important for leaders to also teach others and give other members opportunities to grow as well. For example, during my time as President for CPNP, I allowed different e-board members to take charge and ownership of their own events over the Spring Semester. I served as a point of reference and guide for them while they learned how to host an event on their own, and all the steps needed to create a successful event.
What pharmacy or LKS related events are you looking forward to in this upcoming year?
- I’m looking forward to the start of rotations. Simply because I’ve been waiting to be done with classes for a long time now. I am anxious to get my feet wet and start learning about pharmacy in real practice settings, and not just through textbooks.
What is your favorite chapter/school tradition?
- My favorite chapter/school tradition is always recruitment. It’s amazing to watch all these women mold into strong leaders, creating change not just in our chapter but in a vast number of different organizations on campus as well.
Who do you see as your role model in LKS and why?
- My role model in LKS is my big, Sister Daniella Antolos. She is now a LKS Alumni whom I’ve always looked up to and have kept in touch with for years. She’s an extraordinary person who has completed a PGY1, PGY2, and is now a Clinical Coordinator at Flushing Hospital. I am so proud of her for all that she has overcome and her attitude towards life inspires me to never give up on myself.
What makes you excited to be a ‘lamb for life?’
- What makes me excited to be a ‘lamb for life’ is the mere fact that the women I have met and continue to meet will forever be an empowering body in the field of pharmacy. They say that pharmacy is a small world, but I think the ‘lamb life’ is an even smaller one. A sister is always there to help out a fellow lamb through all trials and tribulations in order to grow and empower those around her.
