Following my first year serving as a leader in the 2021–2022 South Dakota State University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions APhA–ASP Chapter, I noticed the struggle of engaging our freshmen and sophomore members preparing for the PharmD program throughout the school year.

Patient counseling is arguably the most important skill pharmacists need to possess. I currently intern in the outpatient setting, where consulting patients on their new discharge medications is part of my daily routine, so I decided to enter the 2024 APhA–ASP National Patient Counseling Competition (NPCC) in order to assess my consultation skills and look for areas where I can improve.

The Union University College of Pharmacy (UUCOP) APhA–ASP Chapter had a successful and eventful 2022–2023 academic year with a wide variety of engaging activities and initiatives. 

Hello, student pharmacists! My name is Stephen Presti, and I’m thrilled to serve as your APhA–ASP speaker of the house. When I began pharmacy school, I chose to join APhA because I wanted to be a part of the nation’s largest pharmacy association that welcomes all pharmacy professionals. I was and still am exploring the many paths available to me within pharmacy, so it was important for me to join an association that will represent me no matter where my career takes me. Additionally, as I became more involved with policy and advocacy, my appreciation for APhA grew because of how it serves as the largest collective voice of the profession.

My journey with APhA–ASP started my first year of pharmacy school, when I was immediately drawn to the inclusivity it holds for all areas of pharmacy. Serving as UF APhA–ASP Chapter president and as the 2023 APhA Carl F. Emswiller summer intern at APhA headquarters in Washington, DC, expanded my horizons in association management and leadership and allowed me to work on various projects that are helping move the profession forward. Overall, my journey with APhA–ASP has been nothing short of impactful, and I’m so excited for the opportunity to continue on this journey!