Presbyterian College Pharmacy Student, Arathi Pillay, was presented with the prestigious National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) RxImpact Student Ambassador Award in Washington, D.C.

Pillay is a P4 pharmacy student and was attending the NACDS RxImpact Day in Washington, D.C. for the second year in a row. NACDS is grassroots style of political advocacy program that provides pharmacists and pharmacy students opportunities to engage in political advocacy. The event took place on March 16-17.

Pillay joined almost 400 other pharmacy advocates. The attendees met with nearly 90% of the U.S. Congress. A series of awards was also presented during the event, including the one that Pillay received. Her RxImpact Student Ambassador Award recognized her published articles that described the power of her participation in the 2015 NACDS RxImpact “U” Academy – a component of the overall event that is geared towards student pharmacists.

Pillay attended the event this year due to her outstanding performance at last year’s meeting. She was selected this year by NACDS to be an RxImpact ambassador, an honor that speaks highly of Pillay’s leadership within the school. A fact that Dr. L. Clifton Fuhrman, dean of the school of pharmacy attests to.

“Arathi has not only been an exceptional student in the classroom but she has been a leader here at PC within the state pharmacy organizations and nationally,” Fuhrman said.

Pillay’s strengths lie in both her skills as a pharmacy student, but also in her capabilities to promote and advocate for the profession of pharmacy.

“Her abilities to publish articles on her experiences and fostering patient care advocacy within the national political circle of DC exemplifies her poise and professionalism,” Fuhrman said.

Pillay, a resident of Toledo, Ohio, will graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from PC in May of 2016.

For more information about Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy, visit pharmacy.presby.edu.

Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy opened in 2010, and is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.

Written by Rebecca Rowell, a senior English major from Lugoff, S.C.