Pharmacy Students, Faculty Honored for Successful Academic Year

May 21, 2024

Across several ceremonies and celebrations held throughout May, the Wegmans School of Pharmacy honored students and faculty for their commitment and service to the School and profession.

Dean Birnie, a student, and Dr. Amy Parkhill at a School-based awards ceremony.

The following students earned awards and scholarships:

  • ACT Community Pharmacy Student Scholar Leaders: Makenna Moll (P4) and Kiranpreet Grewal (P4)
  • Alvin F. and Ruth K. Thiem Foundation Scholarship: Emily Austin (P3), Christopher Bunk (P3), Michael Currier (P2), Magnus Girigiri (P2), Kelly Jenkins (P3), Corey Plakosh (P2), Ruby Abedrabbaa (P2), Amerah Elshayab (P3), Yaritza Markezich (P2), Kamaladdin Saei (P3), Jamie Wolfe (P3), Kristina Alkahaysan (P4), Erika Yeara (P4)
  • APhA-ASP Senior Recognition Certificate: Alyssa Beyer (P4)
  • Bank of America Scholarship: Zakwan Mahmud (P4)
  • Burcroff Scholarship: Payton Kettlehone (P1)
  • CORE Scholarship: Olivia Godley (P1)
  • CVS Scholarship: Rojina Rezk (P3) and James Riley (P3)
  • Dean’s Circle Awards: Alicia Zimmer (P4), Alyssa Beyer (P4), Alicia Bill (P4), Lindsey Rathbun (P4), Bridget Austin (P4), Dejanee Neal (P4), and Lial Altaie (P4)
  • Deborah A. Steimle Woodard Award: Meredith Allen (P4)
  • Excellence in Experiential Education Award: Kristina Alkhasyan (P4), Karnjit Brar (P4), William Fell (P4), Katherine Leaty (P4), Niyati Patel (P4), Alexis Velie (P4), and Alicia Zimmer (P4)
  • Griffis Excellence in Community Service Scholarships: Corey Plakosh (P2) and Mavis Andoh Apronti (P2)
  • Griffis International Student Award: Sheila Narh (P2) and Taylor Steeprock (P3)
  • Jack Brown Clinical Research Award: Allison M. Rogowski (P4)
  • Merck Academic Excellence in Pharmacy Award: Katherine Leaty (P4) and Vincent Salerno (P4)
  • NACDS Foundation Pharmacy Partners Scholarship: Yagmur Engin (P4) and Makenna Moll (P4)
  • Pharmacists Society of the State of New York Award: Bridget Austin (P4)
  • Swigart Scholarship: Emily Austin (P3), Allison Kinnear (P3), Megan Gearinger (P2), Caity George (P2), Raquel Bayle (P3)
  • Thomas and Eileen Hogenkamp Endowed Scholarship: Harley Gainer (P1)
  • USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award: Makenna Moll (P4)
  • Viatris Excellence in Pharmacy Award: Alicia Bill (P4)  
  • Walgreens Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Scholarship: Taylor Steeprock (P3)
  • Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship: Rafal Decker (P3)
  • Wegmans Pharmacy Academic Excellence Award: Alicia Zimmer (P4)

Students were also recognized for their engagement in skills competitions and student organizations:

  • ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge Fall 2023 Team: Nicolaus Anschutz (P3), Diana Binder (P3), Kiranpreet Grewal (P2)
  • ACCP Clinical Pharmacy Challenge Spring 2024 Team: Adam Freeman (P2), Maggie OConnor (P2), Kiranpreet Grewal (P2)
  • American Society of Health System Pharmacists Clinical Skill Competition: Raquel Bayle (P3) and Jamie Wolfe (P3)
  • APhA Patient Counseling Competition: Sabrina Sarkis (P3)
  • NYS-AHEC (Area Health Education Center) Scholars Program: Kelly Jenkins (P3) and Feifei Jia (P3)
  • PLS Chapter Member of the Year: Kamaladdin Saei (P3)

During the ceremonies, faculty and preceptors were also recognized for their dedication in the classroom and at clinical rotation sites:

  • Campus Pathway Teacher of the Year (P1): Dr. Janet Lighthouse
  • Online Pathway Teacher of the Year (P1): Dr. Ankit Rochani
  • Campus Pathway Teacher of the Year (P2): Dr. Amy Parkhill
  • Online Pathway Teacher of the Year (P2): Dr. Diane Rudy
  • Campus Pathway Teacher of the Year (P3): Dr. Lisa Avery
  • Online Pathway Teacher of the Year (P3): Dr. Lisa Avery
  • Faculty Preceptor of the Year (P4): Dr. David Hutchinson
  • External Preceptor of the Year (Community/Ambulatory Care): Dr. Stacy Cairns, Wegmans
  • External Preceptor of the Year (Health-system/Acute Care): Dr. Melanie Lintala, Highland Hospital

Additionally, the School held a special ceremony to induct members into the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma and the Delta Zeta Chapter of Rho Chi Honor Society.

The 2024 Phi Lambda Sigma student inductees included Angelina Smith (P2), Christopher Bunk (P3), Corey Plakosh (P2), Jamie Wolfe (P3), Kaitlin Meyer (P3), Kelly Jenkins (P3), Kenzie Alexanian (P3), Molly Moyer (P3), and Taylor Steeprock (P3).

The 2024 Rho Chi student inductees included Michael Currier (P2), Samuel DeWitt (P2), Adam Freeman (P2), Megan Gearinger (P2), Samantha Georgeadis (P2), Aliaksandra Hare (P2), Patricia Nicole Jamerlan (P2), Yaritza Markezich (P2), Scott Mass (P2), Maryam Namani (P2), Taylor O’Connor (P2), and Tanner Orfanides (P2).