Twenty years of developing leaders
In 2001, SLI activities included an APhA egg hunt on the National Mall.
This July marks the 20th anniversary of the APhA–ASP Summer Leadership Institute (SLI). Established in 1997, the SLI has become an annual celebration of and training for student pharmacist leaders across the country. Approximately 3,000 student pharmacists have “graduated” from SLI, many of whom have gone on to apply these leadership skills as APhA–ASP regional or national officers, post-graduation as officers of state or national associations, and positional and non-positional pioneers in their fields of pharmacy.
Inception and continued vision
A look back to the spring 1997 issue of Pharmacy Student (renamed Student Pharmacist in 2005) reveals the forward thinking in the development of SLI. Josh Benner, APhA–ASP President at the time, wrote, “The success of our profession depends on the successful development of today’s students, who are tomorrow’s leaders… [this is] a valuable investment in pharmacy’s future.”
Over 2 decades, student pharmacists have been exposed to keynote speakers such as Sheryl Benzon, who spoke to the significance of professionalism and leaders as coaches (versus managers), and Ron Culberson, who challenged attendees to re-evaluate stressful situations and achieve success.
Participants have also had the opportunity to hear words of wisdom from APhA leadership. In 2001, then-APhA Executive Vice President John A. Gans, PharmD, remarked “If you want to work and you have a focus, anything is possible in pharmacy … our ability will be limited only by our vision and our ability to change.” SLI attendees have also noted pearls from fellow student pharmacists vis-à-vis intimate networking sessions and remarks from national APhA–ASP Presidents.
Of note are specific milestones throughout the 2 decades of SLI. One notable landmark was at the 2007 SLI, when the new APhA–ASP initiative Project CHANCE (Chapters Helping Advocate for Needy Communities Everywhere) was rolled out. Another occurred when APhA–ASP launched Operation Heart at SLI 2010. Both national patient care projects have gone on to touch the lives of thousands of patients and student pharmacists. Finally, 2017 saw the largest group of student pharmacists (205) speaking with their U.S. senators and congressional representatives on Capitol Hill about provider status for pharmacists.
Behind the scenes
Ensuring that SLI is an invaluable and memorable experience for participants requires the efforts and coordination of many talented and experienced individuals at APhA. As the 2017 Carl F. Emswiller Intern, I was able to glimpse the incredible amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.
Conversations regarding the 3-day program for SLI begin a year in advance, with the APhA–ASP Student Development team personally reaching out to chapter leaders, regional and national officers, APhA staff, and presenters to identify successes from the SLI that had just concluded. Logistical preparations soon follow, such as the gamut of tasks to finalize, ranging from lodging to registration to website development. Regular hours-long conference calls ensure that Capitol Hill visits are scheduled, keynote presenters are arranged, and roundtable panelists are contacted in a timely manner.
Throughout this entire process, the Student Development and the Government Affairs teams, other APhA staff, the APhA–ASP National Executive Committee, APhA–ASP Standing Committees, and APhA–ASP Regional Officers work closely with student pharmacists to ensure that these chapter presidents, presidents-elect, and other chapter representatives begin the meeting confident as advocates for the profession and prepared to absorb as many leadership takeaways as possible over the weekend.
Lasting impact of a unique meeting
SLI is one of the few meetings solely for student pharmacists. What truly sets this meeting apart is the consistent caliber and enthusiasm of participants every year. The eligibility for SLI includes a commitment to a chapter-level, regional, or national position for the upcoming academic year. Thus, attendees are looking to bring back not only enhanced skillsets (such as developing an efficient to-do list and communicating effectively with other personality types on a team), but also a more focused mentality that improves organizational culture.
For the team at APhA developing SLI programming, having an engaged audience that absorbs the lessons makes the difference. As the 2017–18 APhA–ASP Chapter President-elect of the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Profession, Tiffany Bihis noted, “One major point that I would take back to my chapter is that the resources APhA provides us with are endless! The amount of support we receive from the national level is incredible and I never feel like I have to go through this journey as a chapter executive member alone.” Bihis has taken the lessons she has learned from SLI and eagerly worked to incorporate them into her chapter’s goals for the year.
It has also been exciting for Brent Reed, PharmD, to watch the SLI impact continue to grow in the decade since he first attended. Reed knows a thing or two about the importance of SLI, as he has participated as a chapter leader, APhA–ASP National President, APhA New Practitioner Network Chair, and now as a guest speaker.
“For many student leaders, I think SLI represents a turning point in one’s career. I can remember being inspired by the conference as a first-year student, and it ultimately led me to run for national office the next spring,” Reed said. “Since that time, APhA has played such an important role in my personal and professional development and I still stay in touch with many of the people I first met there. I know many others who have a similar story, whether it’s taking an idea back to their chapter and making a meaningful impact on their campus or in their community, using what they learned at SLI to pursue a future leadership opportunity, or finding a friend and colleague with whom they can collaborate in the future.”
Through SLI, student pharmacist leaders feel greater ownership in their chosen career path. In particular, this meeting breaks down a few barriers present for many student pharmacists. One such barrier addressed at SLI is how to energize the general chapter membership, which may range from fewer than 100 to several 100’s of student pharmacists. Another is making engagement in the policy and advocacy processes at the local, regional, and national levels less intimidating.
Additionally, for some attendees, the Capitol Hill visits—the initial event of SLI weekend—is their first opportunity to speak with congressional representatives about advancing the profession. Truly, SLI makes being a chapter leader a more personal amd more enriching experience.
My thoughts
SLI 2017 was my first SLI, as a chapter president, regional delegate, and the Carl F. Emswiller Intern. However, I certainly hope this will not be my last. For future SLI attendees and chapter leaders, I strongly encourage you to make the investment and participate. The 3 days will absolutely fly by.
At the end of it all, you will leave Washington, DC, with a stronger network of similarly passionate and invested colleagues, a deeper understanding of APhA–ASP resources, and an increased confidence in yourself as a leader.
Grace Baek is a third-year PharmD candidate at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and was the 2017 Carl F. Emswiller Summer Intern in Association Management and Leadership.