Concerted effort to strengthen chapter leads to recognition
Lanie Florian-West is a final-year PharmD candidate at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.
At the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, our chapter has experienced significant growth and development over the past 3 years. Like many chapters following COVID-19, we struggled to find our footing. However, we have made a concerted effort to improve our chapter and strengthen our membership in the years since. Not only does this showcase the reputation of our college of pharmacy, but it also provides meaningful opportunities for our members to deliver patient care to the community alongside their didactic education.
These efforts led to us being recognized as the APhA Most Improved Chapter at the 2026 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Los Angeles this past March, an honor we were truly proud to receive.
So how did we earn this award?
Increased engagement on and off campus
Through dedicated membership promotion, the implementation of social events, and more structured chapter planning and recordkeeping processes, we have increased membership and engagement, becoming the largest student organization within our college. Beyond our college, we have nearly doubled our chapter’s attendance at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition and increased involvement with the South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA). Additionally, we expanded our executive board to include a satellite campus liaison, a P1 liaison, a pre-pharmacy liaison, and a health equity chair, enhancing chapter engagement, cultivating a sense of community, and expanding student-driven projects and patient care initiatives.
Our innovation and collaborative efforts have resulted in multiple new events hosted or co-hosted by our chapter to benefit our members, including a Professional Attire Fashion Show for student pharmacists and pre-pharmacy students, Pizza and Policy with SCPhA, and countless other sustaining events. Events like these have not only promoted the profession and chapter membership, but have also encouraged members to become more actively engaged as advocates for the profession.
Additionally, we strengthened our commitment to large-scale, collaborative initiatives by hosting a Spring Health Fair led by our entire executive board, which has now become an annual event. At the health fair, we provided essential patient education to college students on a variety of health topics and highlighted the role of pharmacists while serving as a trusted and accessible health care resource.
A testament to our hard work
This Most Improved Chapter award recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our chapter presidents and their executive committees. Their tireless effort, encouragement, innovation, and commitment has allowed our chapter to flourish.
Hearing the description of our chapter prior to receiving the award in Los Angeles felt surreal and served as a powerful testament to the work that has been done and the progress we continue to build upon. It can be easy to overlook how much we have grown, and hearing our journey and achievements highlighted in this way was a meaningful reminder of how far we have come.
The chapter looks forward to continuing this momentum as we further grow, innovate, and expand our impact in the years to come.