Program: Pharmacy
Year: 3
Pronouns: She/Her
Career goal: Pharmacist
How I get involved: Getting involved at UW has been one of the most rewarding parts of my university experience. I’ve been involved with a variety of organizations focused on community engagement and service, including serving as a Fundraising Lead with the University of Waterloo Orphan Sponsorship Program (UW OSP) for several terms. Through this role, I’ve helped raise funds to support orphans and communities affected by poverty, emergencies, and humanitarian crises around the world by contributing toward food, education, healthcare, and overall quality of life. I’ve also served as Sponsorship Director for the Society of Pharmacy Students (SOPHS), co-founded Waterloo Raising the Roof to support initiatives addressing homelessness, and been involved with organizations such as the UW Cancer Foundation and Hemoglobal. I'm also a Special Events Residence Ambassador (SERA), where I help run events and give residence tours for prospective students and families. These experiences have given me a strong sense of community and have been a defining part of my time at UWaterloo.
Why I love my program
If I had to pick my favourite thing about Waterloo's School of Pharmacy, I'd have a hard time choosing between two things: co-op and the people. As Canada's only co-op PharmD program, it has given me opportunities to learn far beyond the classroom, from working in the ER as a pharmacy student to completing a placement at the head office of a pharmacy banner. Getting to apply what I'm learning in real healthcare settings has been one of the coolest and most rewarding parts of my degree, and has helped prepare me for becoming a pharmacist. The other answer is easy: my classmates. Pharmacy school comes with plenty of lectures, labs, and exams, but it's also given me some of my closest friends and favourite memories. Having a group of people to celebrate your wins with, survive exam season alongside, and somehow still laugh with after a long day has made the experience even better.
Why University of Waterloo?
I chose Waterloo because I was accepted into Honours Science through the Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) program, and I knew early on that pharmacy was the path I wanted to pursue. Waterloo's CAP program felt incredibly unique, and I hadn't come across anything quite like it at other schools. I loved the support system and sense of security that came with having advisors, mentors, and peers who understood the journey and were there to help along the way. Looking back, CAP gave me the perfect foundation for pharmacy school and really set me up for success when it came time to apply.