The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy has selected 21 outstanding student pharmacists as recipients of the 2024 CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists. Each awardee will receive a $20,000 scholarship, up from $8,000 awarded to five students in 2023.
The goal of the scholarship program, which was funded by the CVS Health Foundation, is to support students who face financial barriers in pursuit of education including, but not limited to, those who identify as an underrepresented minority student, a student with a disability, or a student with previous or current military service.
Recipients of the 2024 CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists are:
Tasneem Elbashir
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
"This scholarship will ease my financial burden of tuition and related expenses. I can dedicate more time to my studies, engage in research, and participate in national competitions and conferences. I thank the CVS/AACP for giving me this amazing opportunity."
Roseline Agyekum
Howard University
"Receiving this CVS/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award will play a crucial role in helping me achieve my pharmacy school and career goals. Beyond the financial support it provides, this scholarship is a testament to the values upheld by both CVS and AACP, reinforcing my commitment to excellence in my Doctor of Pharmacy studies and training.
The financial support of this award will alleviate the burden of educational expenses, allowing me to concentrate more fully on my academic pursuits, research, and involvement in patient-centered care, especially within underserved communities. It will also enable me to dedicate additional time and resources to exploring innovative solutions and gaining deeper insights into health equity. Moreover, this award inspires me to extend my support to fellow minority pharmacy students, fostering mentorship and assistance within the community. By easing my financial pressures and reinforcing my dedication to these principles, this scholarship will help pave the way for me to make a significant impact in the field of pharmacy.
I am committed to using this opportunity to advance my knowledge, contribute to meaningful research, and ultimately improve patient care and health outcomes in underserved populations. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to CVS, AACP, and all the dedicated individuals who have played a role in making this scholarship possible. Thank you for believing in me and for contributing to the fulfillment of my dreams and aspirations."
Celine La
Western University of Health Sciences
"This scholarship will significantly help me achieve my career goals as a community pharmacist by alleviating some of the financial burden on my education. First, this scholarship will allow me to dedicate more of my time to focus on my studies, achieve high grades, and develop a strong understanding of the pharmacy career. Secondly, this scholarship will allow me to pursue more extracurricular activities and eventually host more health fairs and educational workshops for my community."
Isabella Serna
University of Southern California
"This scholarship will not only help me achieve the necessary educational milestones but also allow me to stay committed to my passion for making a meaningful difference in patients' lives. Receiving this scholarship will significantly impact my pharmacy school path and future career goals. This will help alleviate the overwhelming financial burden pharmacy school brings. This scholarship allows me to grow my passion for pharmacy and inspires me to continue to dream big."
Eldina Memic
The University of Texas at Austin
"Receiving the CVS Health/ AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award is more than just financial support, it’s a push toward becoming the kind of pharmacist I’ve always envisioned: one who can deliver equitable care to underserved communities. This award lifts a huge weight off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on what truly matters, developing my skills and making an impact in communities that need it most. As I continue through pharmacy school, this support will help me stay focused on my passion for health equity, ensuring that I’m prepared to provide care where it’s often lacking. This opportunity moves me closer to my goal of becoming a female pharmacist who advocates for patients and delivers the kind of compassionate, accessible care that every individual deserves."
Christine Nguyen
Creighton University
"As a first-generation student, this scholarship will lighten the financial burden of attending pharmacy school not only for me, but for my family as well. It is empowering knowing the humble beginnings that my family came from, and what they have sacrificed to get me to where I am today. They are the driving force behind everything I accomplished so far and have set out to do, ultimately propelling my desire and willingness to serve. I will be forever grateful for this investment into my education, which will further allow me to focus on my academic and professional ambitions without being weighed down by financial constraints. Once again, it is truly an understatement as to how fortunate I feel being chosen as a scholarship recipient, and even more so, how proud I am to be representing two commendable organizations—CVS Health and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Therefore, I am committed to utilizing my platform in the future to bring forth a positive light to my community, and to help bridge the health disparities within our underserved populations."
Rachel Graham
University of California, San Diego
"This scholarship will significantly support my goal of deepening my knowledge and skills in healthcare. I currently serve as the Reproductive Health Chair for the American Pharmacist Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). In this role, I organized a healthcare kit event aimed at donating essential kits to shelters for women in downtown San Diego. Additionally, I am a student ambassador for UCSD Skaggs, where I engage with prospective students, informing them about the opportunities at our institution and assisting them with any inquiries they may have. Furthermore, I am actively involved in research as part of the Global Health Research Team, focusing on the "Home Infusion LMIC" project. Our mission is to enhance access to healthcare resources, particularly in the realm of home infusion pharmacy, for underserved regions and countries.
My commitment lies in serving underrepresented populations and delivering the highest standard of care. I have contributed by volunteering at the hepatitis clinic, where our efforts centered around educating the San Diego community on Hepatitis B prevention, treatment, and available vaccinations. Additionally, I regularly volunteer at free clinics, predominantly assisting patients in underserved areas navigate the Patient Assistance Program (PAP) to obtain their prescriptions.With this scholarship I will be able to dedicate more of my time towards helping the underserved community.
To achieve this, I plan to pursue a residency and focus on a career in managed care or healthcare administration. By overseeing the care provided to my patients, I aim to ensure they receive the best possible treatment and support. I am so grateful to have been selected for this scholarship and the opportunities it will provide me."
Ambar Rodriguez Caldero
University of Puerto Rico
"This scholarship will alleviate my financial responsibilities and play a significant role in my professional development. It will allow me to focus more on my classes, engage in various extracurricular pharmacy practices, and invest in additional certifications that will contribute to my career growth through networking and diversifying my knowledge. With this support, I am closer to accomplishing my lifelong dream of becoming a pharmacy owner and further serving my community. I am deeply grateful for the instrumental role this scholarship will play in my professional journey."
Luis Díaz-Pagán
University of Puerto Rico
"As a pharmacy student, I was aware that the financial responsibilities of pursuing a doctoral degree would be challenging. The CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award will not only ease this financial burden, but also allow me to stay focused on my academic and professional growth. Additionally, this support will empower me to continue my commitment to serving underserved communities by advocating for health equity and providing quality healthcare.
I am honored to be a recipient of the CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award and hope to inspire other Puerto Ricans and underrepresented minority students to work hard and pursue their dreams."
Catherine Lu
Saint Joseph's University
"I am incredibly grateful and fortunate to have received this scholarship to continue my education. Truthfully, the biggest reason I applied is to help my family. They have been supportive and always helped me to prioritize my education. This can help alleviate the financial stress for my dad and allow me to dedicate more time towards my studies."
Juniki Langle
Campbell University
"I am sincerely humbled and honored to be one of the recipients of the CVS/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award. As a first-generation refugee immigrant, and the first in my family to pursue a doctorate degree, this scholarship will help greatly to alleviate the financial strain that has been significantly impacting my journey. With this scholarship, I will be able to focus more on my academics and my professional pharmacy goals. My goal is to contribute in bridging the gap between health care and the underrepresented communities like mine through various forms of care such as patient counseling, medication management, engaging in medical advancement, and being an advocate for affordable quality care.
Thank you to the committees for your generous consideration and financial support, allowing me to continue pursuing my dreams."
Maheen Polani
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
"I am honored to be a recipient of the CVS Health / AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists! This scholarship will help alleviate the financial burden of school and will allow me to focus on investing my time into leadership and volunteer opportunities so that I can leave a lasting impact in my community. As a pharmacist, I aspire to provide affordable and quality care to patient populations, especially the unfortunate and underserved. Upon graduating, I plan on completing residency and working in ambulatory care, hoping to practice at the top of my license. Furthermore, I hope to continue my legacy by becoming a professor at a pharmacy school so that I can contribute to the training of future pharmacy students. All of my aspirations seem much more attainable now that I have this scholarship. I am grateful to have CVS Health / AACP fund my education and be a part of my journey, helping me get one step closer to achieving my goals!"
Juliana Guevara-Montañez
University of Puerto Rico
"I am incredibly grateful to be a recipient of the 2024 CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists. Receiving this scholarship means so much to me; it not only eases the financial burden of my education but also empowers me to continue advocating for a future where the vital contributions of pharmacists to healthcare are fully recognized, including their role in breaking down barriers and ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to high-quality care. As a young Puerto Rican woman, I am genuinely thankful for this support as I pursue my passion for becoming a pharmacist who fights for meaningful change."
Maria Newlon
Northeast Ohio Medical University
"The CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award will give me an opportunity to flourish. Pharmacy school has given me the tools I need to be successful, but it is up to me to determine how I put that education and the lessons I have learned into action. My goal both as a pharmacist and as an individual is to leave the world a better place than how I found it. This includes caring for all patients regardless of their background or status. Health care is a human right, and I plan to continue to advocate for equality and advancement of the field.
It is no secret that making the decision to pursue a degree in higher education comes with a great deal of financial burden. This scholarship will help ease my transition into the workforce and allow me to start making the changes I am eager to see at a sooner date. I extend many thanks to both CVS Health and AACP for their belief in me and their continued support of future pharmacists!"
Richard Schaefer
Concordia University Wisconsin
"I am beyond grateful and honored to have been selected as a recipient for the CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists of 2024. This scholarship will allow me to devote all my time to pharmacy school this year, which I believe will make me much more prepared to serve my future patients. I am from Racine, Wisconsin – a medically underserved area with a childhood poverty rate higher than the national average. I was inspired as a child to pursue a career in pharmacy because of my positive experiences with pharmacists. As a child, I was terribly sick with severe asthma and other complications requiring constant doctors’ visits and numerous prescriptions. I found myself fascinated with the explanations the pharmacist gave my mother about how my medications worked and his reassurance that I would be okay put my mother and myself at ease. This positive experience is what led me to want to specialize in pediatric pharmacy, wanting to serve children who find themselves struggling with their health in the same way I did. Additionally, with my background as a patient from a medically underserved area, I hope to one day pursue a residency training and a career that will allow me to give back to patients that face the same healthcare barriers I experienced. Financial burden often weighs on students, especially those in the pharmacy field. I myself have struggled with these financial burdens all while trying to stay focused and motivated toward school. This scholarship will allow me to pursue my career goals with confidence, knowing my past experiences will drive me to always give my best when taking care of my patients."
Erica Jones
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
"My goal is to become a clinical pharmacist where I can contribute particularly to the underserved and marginalized communities.
The financial support from this scholarship will ease the burden of tuition and related expenses, enabling me to devote my full attention to my coursework and practical training.
With reduced financial stress, I will have the opportunity to engage more deeply in research projects and internships. Additionally, I will be able to attend conferences and workshops that will enhance my knowledge and professional network.
By supporting my education, this scholarship not only helps me achieve my immediate goal of completing pharmacy school but also invests in my future as a healthcare professional dedicated to improving patient care. The skills and experiences I gain will enable me to make meaningful contributions to address health disparities and potentially lead innovations in patient treatment.
I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and committed to utilizing the support effectively to advance my career. This scholarship represents a crucial step toward fulfilling my aspiration of becoming a pharmacist who makes a difference in the lives of patients."
Karelys J. Cosme-Rodríguez
Medical University of South Carolina
"I am truly honored to have been awarded the CVS Health / AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists. As a first-generation college student and minority, receiving this award is really meaningful to me. It reflects not just my hard work and my dedication to promote health equity, but also CVS Health’s and the AACP's commitment to supporting diversity in pharmacy. This scholarship will relieve me of the financial burden associated with my pharmacy education, allowing me to focus more on my studies and engage in initiatives that address healthcare disparities in underserved communities. It will also empower me to continue my journey toward becoming a pharmacist who advocates for equitable access to healthcare for all."
Kevin Amon
Campbell University
"The CVS Health / AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award will provide crucial support in my journey through pharmacy school by easing financial burdens, allowing me to focus on my studies and community outreach. This scholarship will empower me to engage in projects that address health disparities, aligning with my goal of becoming a Navy Medical Service Corps Officer. By gaining hands-on experience in community pharmacy, I will be better equipped to serve diverse populations, ensuring equitable healthcare access for all. This award will bring me closer to my dream of improving health outcomes in underserved communities."
Talia Harvey
South University
"The scholarship alleviates the financial burden of tuition and related expenses, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial concerns. This support enables me to dedicate more time to mastering the coursework and gaining valuable experience through internships and research opportunities.
I will also be able to engage more fully in extracurricular activities, professional organizations, and community service. These experiences are crucial for developing a well-rounded skill set and building a professional network, both of which are essential for a successful pharmacy career.
In summary, this scholarship not only eases my financial burden but also enhances my ability to focus on my studies, engage in professional development, and gain valuable experience, all of which are vital for achieving my long-term career goals in pharmacy."
Ally Lockhart
Wayne State University
"Being awarded this scholarship is a huge honor and I am so thankful to be a recipient. This award will help reduce my financial burden and allow me to maintain focus on my studies. I will also be able to spend more time volunteering in the community of Detroit. I hope to give back to the community around me by continually educating patients on how to advocate for their health. In reducing my financial burden, this scholarship will ultimately help me in my journey to being an ambulatory care pharmacist."