Sharks RX Spring 2015 Magazine

8 r NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY justice, decided to pursue a pharmacy degree after she realized she “did not want to work in a chemistry lab with instru- ments all day.” According to Bernhardt, “a career in pharmacy would allow me to utilize my chemistry background and still be able to interact with patients and make a difference.” ChadwickWynter said his COP training has given him the incentive to become an actively involved pharmacist. “As a prac- titioner, I hope to continue to expand the role of the pharmacist and promote more interdisciplinary health care teams and patient education,” saidWynter, who will graduate in 2016. “Becoming a pharmacist means you’ll become a leader. You are trusted by the community, and other health care professionals and patients look to you for advice. Pharmacy offers the chance for individuals to be innovative in the way we impact health care.” Getting Involved The college strongly supports student engagement in leadership and cocurricular activities. It has 18 student organizations that provide opportu- nities for the students to participate in activities outside of the classroom, and the groups sponsor events that promote leadership, advocacy, community, and practice. Wynter already is a leader for the class of 2016. As president of NSUCollege of Pharmacy’s Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) chapter, he encourages students to get involved with the school’s professional organizations. “Having an outstanding GPA is awesome, but being active and getting involved help you to grow as an individual, and you get to put into practice what you have learned in the classroom. I have had several incidents in which being the president of the organization has provided unique opportunities to me, which reaps benefits far beyond the books,” he said. Melissa Santibanez, the class of 2015’s president of SNPhA, said her involvement with the chapter was crucial to her devel- opment as a pharmacy leader and as a student. “In a way, I grew up with SNPhA, because my involvement with that group began at the very start of my time in the Pharm.D. program,” she said. Another 2016 Pharm.D. candidate, Navene Shata, serves as president of the college’s Student Government Association and is secretary of the college’s Phi Delta Chi Beta Lambda chapter, a professional, co-ed, pharmacy fraternity that has 89 chapters nationwide. “As SGA president, I am the representative of the students, and I try my best to make sure that their time at NSU is the best they can have at any university. My true passion lies in advocacy and being the voice of others. With SGA, I am able to do exactly that,” said Shata, who was awarded the Sheila Tischenkel Endowment Scholarship. Continued on Page 10