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ST. LOUIS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY ALUMNI MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

POISED FOR INNOVATIONCommunity pharmacists work to create innovative

solutions and overcome challenges in new models of care.

TAKING ACTION AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE The College’s students, faculty, staff and research centers

are passionately invested in combating the opioid epidemic.

EMPOWERED THROUGH OPPORTUNITY The STEM Health Science Academy is developing a critical workforce and providing a stepping-stone into pharmacy

careers for local high school students.

FEATURES SPRING 201806 EMPOWERED THROUGH OPPORTUNITY St. Louis College of Pharmacy’s STEM Health Science Academy blends academics, job training and apprenticeships to introduce high school students to career opportunities in pharmacy while developing a critical workforce.

14 POISED FOR INNOVATION As the landscape of community pharmacy changes, pharmacists work to create innovative solutions, overcome challenges and shift their focus toward models of care in which they are fully leveraged as key health care providers.

10 ADVANCING THE RESEARCH AGENDA The appointment of Tom Burris, Ph.D., to the Center for Clinical Pharmacology marks another key step in the College’s efforts to advance and promote a research agenda that establishes St. Louis College of Pharmacy as a leader in pharmacy and health care education and research.

26 TAKING ACTION AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE From prescription medication collection to research on the addictive nature of opioids, members of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy community have passionately invested themselves in combating the opioid epidemic.

Lillie Smith, B.S. ‘68, has a passion for pharmacy that includes 50 years (and counting) in the profession.

08 ON CAMPUS Research Opportunities Abound at the Student Research Symposium

20 OUTSTANDING ALUMNI Alexis (Bylina) Kasniunas, Pharm.D. ’14, BCCCP Keith Fester, Pharm.D. ’09, BCPS Lillie Smith, B.S. ’68

28 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION UPDATE 34 CLASS NOTES

Script magazine is published twice a year for alumni, students and friends of the College. Questions or comments may be addressed to Danielle Unzicker, director of marketing, at danielle.unzicker@stlcop.edu.

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION Update your mailing address to make sure you continue to receive Script magazine. To change your address, contact alumni@stlcop.edu, call 314.446.8392, or go online to stlcop.edu/alumni.

CONTACT THE COLLEGE Main Line 314.367.8700Script Magazine 314.446.8432Office of the President 314.446.8307Dean of Pharmacy 314.446.8106Dean of Arts & Sciences 314.446.8462Admissions 314.446.8328 Financial Aid 314.446.4001Alumni Relations 314.446.8419Public Relations 314.446.8155Marketing & Communications 314.446.8432 STLCOP.EDU/SCRIPT

PRESIDENT, ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONAmy Weckman Conger, B.S. ’98, Pharm.D. ’99

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEESKevin J. Colgan, B.S. ’77

PRESIDENTJohn A. Pieper VICE PRESIDENT, ADVANCEMENTKathy Riggins Gardner

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND ENROLLMENT SERVICESBeth Keserauskis

DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONSStephanie Mauzy

SCRIPT CREATIVE TEAM Markie Jo Crismon Keagan Kristoff Carrie Lee Katy Lynn Linda Mueller

To learn more about campus and stay connected, visit stlcop.edu/stories.

IN THIS ISSUE Students showcase their research projects at the annual Student Research Symposium.

Ally PratherChristian RobinsonBailee Ronto Shelene TreptowDanielle Unzicker

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DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,With the end of the academic year quickly approaching, we will soon recognize our students earning Bachelors of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees at our 150th Commencement. When our graduates cross the stage, they will take their first steps toward bright futures full of possibility. We share their enthusiasm and eagerly look ahead, but we also know it is important to reflect on our past and understand how it has shaped our present.

Since our founding, St. Louis College of Pharmacy has been a special community where students have been able to take advantage of opportunities in the surrounding biomedical community while also finding a family atmosphere rich with meaningful, personal connections on campus. We take pride in our commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive and enriching environment on campus, as well as our dedication to fostering positive change in our local and regional community.

I am proud to say that in recent months, we have been recognized for several initiatives by our community. In February, the College was selected as a finalist in two categories for the St. Louis Regional Chamber’s Fifth Annual Arcus Awards, which honor institutions that make St. Louis an attractive place to live, work and invest.

The STEM Health Science Academy, developed in partnership with Jennings High School, was a finalist for the Arcus Award for Achievement in Inclusion and Talent Attraction. The award honors an institution for providing leadership through the creation of a program or initiative that promotes a diverse and global workforce and increases opportunities for individuals and businesses.

The College was also selected as a finalist for the BMO Harris Bank St. Louis Spirit Award for its commitment to research, pharmacy practice and community outreach in the fight against opioid abuse. The award honors an institution for risk-taking, advancing an innovation, cutting-edge technology or industry best practice that extends St. Louis’ rich history and global reputation as a hub of innovation and forward-looking vision.

Additionally, the College was selected as one of the FOCUS St. Louis 2018 What’s Right with the Region honorees for the BESt Pharmacy Summer Institute. Through its innovative educational model, the BESt program is building a pipeline of health care practitioners, increasing diversity within the pharmacy and health professions, and developing civically engaged leaders. This honor is testament to our mission of positively impacting patients and society.

Without your ongoing dedication to the College, these initiatives and this community recognition would not be possible. Thank you for your engagement, commitment and leadership which strengthens our community and makes possible our vision to be a globally prominent leader in pharmacy and health care education, interprofessional patient-centered care and collaborative research.

Sincerely,

John A. Pieper, Pharm.D., FAPhA, FCCP President and Professor

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ONCAMPUSRAS RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTSSt. Louis College of Pharmacy’s Recreation and Student Center (RAS) was the recent recipient of a 2017 Design Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) St. Louis Chapter.

The AIA sponsors the awards annually to celebrate excellence in the designed environment. Through a juried process, the AIA recognizes building projects in the categories of architecture, interiors, small projects, drawings, unbuilt and craftsmanship. The RAS received an Honor Award in architecture.

The opening of the RAS marked the end of a two-phase construction project that has added more than 400,000 square feet of space to campus. The RAS provides one-stop, student access to study space, academic and personal support resources, dining options and fitness and recreation. The 193,000-square-foot, seven-story building also houses a competition gymnasium and training facilities, along with a 220-bed residence hall that has doubled the amount of living space on campus.

STLCOP IN THE NEWSIn recent months, a number of St. Louis College of Pharmacy faculty members have been featured on local news outlets where they offered their insight and expertise on a range of topics.

During fall 2017, David Waters, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics, appeared on Fox 2 News Midday and was interviewed live on KMOX NewsRadio 1120 to discuss solar physics and the solar eclipse. Nicole Gattas, Pharm.D., FAPhA, BCPS, assistant director of community and ambulatory care, experiential education and associate professor of pharmacy practice, was featured on Fox 2 News Midday, KMOX NewsRadio 1120 and KSDK-TV, where she discussed the importance of getting a flu shot.

In October 2017, Erica Crannage, Pharm.D., BCACP, BCPS, associate professor of pharmacy practice, was interviewed by KSDK-TV and KMOV-TV during the College’s annual Boo Fest event for kids and families living with type 1 diabetes. Also in October, Amy Tiemeier, Pharm.D., BCPS, director, community partnerships and associate director, experiential education and associate professor of pharmacy practice, participated in a live interview on St. Louis Public Radio’s St. Louis on the Air program, where she discussed opioid abuse and prescription drug monitoring programs.

NEW CAMPUS DINING OPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE St. Louis College of Pharmacy recently celebrated the addition of two national-brand food chains on campus. Chick-fil-A and Starbucks officially opened for business in February, offering new dining options for the College. The restaurants are housed in a newly renovated space formerly occupied by the Parkview Cafe on the first floor of South Residence Hall. The new dining options complement the existing dining services offered in the cafe at the Recreation and Student Center, which offers a variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack items.

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VANDYKE FEATURED IN MISSOURI PSYCHOLOGIST Melanie VanDyke, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, was featured among the “best psychologists in Missouri” in a recent issue of Missouri Psychologist, the Missouri Psychological Association (MOPA) newsletter. The accolades were included in the publication’s MOPA member spotlight, which highlights the best psychologists in the state and provides insight into what inspires them most in the field. Prior to teaching full-time at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, VanDyke had a private practice in St. Louis specializing in anxiety, OCD-related disorders and Tourette’s syndrome. Today, she continues to help those with social anxiety through her work with Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, where she has facilitated a social anxiety treatment group for the past 15 years.

THE COLLEGE AND JDRF HOST BOO FEST 2017 Kids and families living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) enjoyed an afternoon of candy-free fun on Oct. 29, 2017 at the 11th annual Boo Fest event on the Quad, hosted by St. Louis College of Pharmacy and JDRF.

Designed to provide a healthy alternative to trick or treating for area children with T1D, Boo Fest featured a variety of games and crafts, face and pumpkin painting, a bounce house and T1D-friendly refreshments. Those in attendance included JDRF kids and families, and the friends and families of College faculty, staff and alumni.

“Our students and faculty members know that Halloween can be difficult for kids with T1D,” said Erica Crannage, Pharm.D., BCACP, BCPS, associate professor of pharmacy practice. “This is why they are so passionate about hosting Boo Fest. We are grateful to partner with JDRF to make this special day possible for area children with T1D and their families.”

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS DINNER RECOGNIZES STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS During the Scholarship Awards Dinner, 232 scholarships totaling $478,510 were awarded to 202 students. St. Louis College of Pharmacy alumni and donors gathered for the event, held Oct. 5, 2017, in the new Recreation and Student Center.

The largest award of the night went to P4 student Jessica Vorwaldt, who was the recipient of the 2017 Faculty and Staff Scholarship. The $25,000 award was made possible through the generous contributions of 31 faculty and staff members.

P3 student Amy Wong was among those selected to speak during the event on behalf of this year’s scholarship recipients. The dinner also featured remarks from President John A. Pieper, Pharm.D., FAPhA, FCCP.

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FERGUSON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS VISIT THE COLLEGEA group of seventh- and eighth-grade orchestra students from Ferguson Middle School was entertained by the sounds of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) during a recent visit to St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

The students had the opportunity to watch live performances by SLSO string musicians who performed as part of the College’s 2017-18 Liberal Arts Convocations series. While on campus, the students met with College representatives and toured the Recreation and Student Center.

Each year, the series brings a variety of speakers, authors, musicians, dancers and other performers to campus with the goal of illuminating the complex human dimensions of health care.

MICEK SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN AACP CATALYST PROGRAMScott Micek, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS, associate professor of pharmacy practice and director of the Center for Health Outcomes Research and Education, was recently selected to participate in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) research leadership program, AACP Catalyst: Accelerating Research Leadership.

Micek is one of 12 rising leaders in research who were selected. The year-long professional development program, which kicked off last fall, is designed to help participants build networks, identify new opportunities and develop the tools and skills necessary to become the next change agents at their respective institutions.

FOUNDERS DAY CELEBRATIONOn Nov. 10, 2017, more than 600 students, faculty and staff commemorated Founders Day at volunteer sites across St. Louis as part of STLCOP C.A.R.E.S. (Community Awareness Reaching Everyone in St. Louis), a collegewide service initiative. St. Louis College of Pharmacy also welcomed Jeffrey P. Bonner, Ph.D., Dana Brown President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo, who delivered a special address highlighting the Zoo’s international impact on animal research. During Founders Day weekend, College alumni and friends also returned to campus for this year’s Reunion celebration. The festivities wrapped up on Nov. 12, as 60 runners crossed the finish line during the annual Founders Day 5K.

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St. Louis College of Pharmacy, in partnership with Jennings High School, has developed a program that helps high school seniors not only become nationally certified pharmacy technicians but also access opportunities for continued education in pharmacy and health care. In addition to providing growth opportunities for students, the College is fostering the development of a critical workforce to support pharmacists.

The STEM Health Science Academy’s innovative blend of academics and job training includes 16 weeks of classroom learning followed by a 12-week paid apprenticeship in a Schnucks pharmacy. Students who excel in their apprenticeships may remain on the job and continue honing their skills after the program ends.

The program is one way the College is supporting workforce development and the profession of pharmacy — by developing a base of skilled, experienced and certified pharmacy technicians. Though Missouri does not mandate pharmacy technicians become nationally certified, the College recognizes that certification is an impending requirement, and in a competitive job market, will give students an edge in the hiring pool while providing a highly qualified workforce.

“Being a nationally certified pharmacy technician is very appealing to hospital pharmacies, as well as community pharmacies,” said Valerie Stevens, coordinator of pharmacy pipeline development and technician training at the College. “By incorporating the certification exam into the program, we are giving these students a competitive edge as they embark on their careers.” Following a successful launch last summer, 10 students graduated from the program and are continuing their careers

as pharmacy technicians. On the heels of this success, the College has expanded the program to include additional high schools and apprenticeship locations. Through a grant from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, five students from the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in the St. Louis Public School District will join the academy in May 2018. Their training will place them in pharmacy technician roles at area Schnucks, CVS and Affinia Healthcare locations.

The value of this program goes beyond training future pharmacy technicians. For these high school students, the program offers a different path, and hopefully an inspired path to pharmacy. It offers a taste of what a career in pharmacy could be. It is an investment in the future and an opportunity to enrich the profession.

“We want the students going through this program to learn skills and also be empowered to pursue STEM studies and health care careers,” said Isaac Butler, Pharm.D., MBA, vice president for diversity and inclusion at the College. “With training founded in patient-centered care, the program encourages these students to go beyond building skills, by instilling the values that drive health care.”

Encouraged by the success of the program, the College plans to further expand the program to students in the St. Louis Public School District, as well as the Ferguson and Florissant School Districts.

As the program expands, it will play a key role in building a diverse and talented health care workforce that will be prepared to meet the needs of patients and the demands of a growing health care occupations industry.

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The STEM Health Science Academy was recently selected as an Arcus Award finalist in the Achievement in Inclusion and Talent Attraction category. Presented annually by the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the Arcus Awards recognize companies and organizations that make the St. Louis region a more attractive place to live, work and invest.

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RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

ABOUND AT THE STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

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On April 14, the College hosted its ninth annual symposium, where the work of nearly 100 students was showcased. The event featured both poster and podium sessions highlighting student research findings on a wide range of topics.

“Lately, it really feels like more and more students are showing an interest in research,” Hurd said. “Part of being a researcher is learning how to do a podium presentation and a poster session. The symposium provides an opportunity to practice in a safe and supportive environment.”

After teaming up with a faculty mentor, students work for months to prepare for the symposium. In recent years, presentations at the symposium have focused on everything from antibiotic therapy efficacy and molecular dynamics studies to the therapeutic benefits of computers and modeling compounds and the efficacy of peer tutoring on biology students.

For some students, participation in the symposium has sparked interest in a research career, while others have parlayed the experience gained into a residency opportunity. For all those studying pharmacy, taking advantage of research opportunities offers the chance to better understand their work as pharmacists.

“Patients look to pharmacists as local sources of reliable health care information,” said P4 student Dane Fickes. “We have to be ready to research a patient’s question, analyze the findings and teach that information back to the patient in a way that makes sense to them. While the specific topics may be different, the methodologies used in research can be implemented into our work as pharmacists.”

As part of his participation in the symposium, Fickes worked alongside Jasna Marjanovic, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology, to research the role of signaling molecules in platelet aggregation. The experience included laboratory work, chemical tests and the chance to see results in real time.

“I believe all students at the College should attend the symposium at least once during their time as a student,” Fickes said. “Every year, new students attend, some with no prior interest in research, and are totally blown away by the projects happening at the College.”

The symposium was P3 student Mathew Koebel’s first exposure to formal research. With three symposiums now under his belt, Koebel has traveled to nine countries and 16 states in recent years presenting his research on topics like non-conventional, non-covalent interactions, drug database mining and the molecular docking programs known as VinaXB and VinaSH.

He says his participation in the symposium armed him with the confidence to present at conferences across the globe.

“Everywhere I go, fellow researchers can’t believe that I’ve had the opportunity to do research without being in a structured Ph.D. program,” Koebel said. “Pharmacy opens so many doors, and research opens so many more doors. Having the chance to gain research experience along with clinical pharmacy experience is something that is very unique.”

For Corianne Wood, Pharm.D., ’16, BCPS, the Student Research Symposium provided valuable experience which helped her obtain a residency opportunity with New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. Having completed her residency in June 2017, Wood is now working as a pharmacist at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri.

“For those looking to obtain a residency, the opportunity to do research is very beneficial,” Wood said. “The symposium offers good experience and the chance to begin building relationships with other researchers. Pharmacy is a small world, and it’s good to develop those professional relationships early on. Those who happen to be part of a groundbreaking or impactful project may even have the chance to effect change — which is pretty great.”

In 2009, Peter Hurd, Ph.D., professor of pharmacy administration and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, attended the annual conference of The Higher Learning Commission in Chicago. During the conference, a presenter discussed an interesting annual student research program, and Hurd was inspired to create a similar program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Soon after, the Student Research Symposium was born.

“Everywhere I go, fellow researchers can’t believe that I’ve had the opportunity to do research without being in a structured Ph.D. program. Having the chance to gain research experience along with clinical pharmacy experience is something that is very unique.” -P3 STUDENT MATHEW KOEBEL

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After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Southern Illinois University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University, Burris completed his first postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Cell Biology at Baylor College of Medicine in 1993. In 1994, he completed a second postdoctoral fellowship with the Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA School of Medicine.

Burris’ research is focused on using chemical biology approaches to examine the physiological roles of nuclear hormone receptors and developing drugs targeting them for the treatment of diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2010, Burris’ work was recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which elected him as a fellow. Burris was also named a fellow of the American Heart Association in 2011. Over the years, Burris’ research has been widely published and recognized by numerous professional organizations and granting agencies.

A 2016 report by Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research ranked Burris among principal investigators receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health. He ranked No. 45 among 869 principal investigators in the area of pharmacology and No. 22 among 746 principle investigators in the area of physiology.

“The appointment of Dr. Burris and his team in the Center for Clinical Pharmacology is a key step toward achieving our vision to be a globally prominent leader in collaborative research,” said John A. Pieper, Pharm.D., FAPhA, FCCP, president of the College. “His dynamic career will be a huge asset to the College’s research and interprofessional initiatives.”

Burris’ successful career includes numerous leadership roles in industry and academia. He served as senior

scientist in the drug discovery division at the R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute and Johnson & Johnson Research and Development. He then served as the head of nuclear receptor biology research and senior research advisor for Lilly Research Laboratories.

His background also includes time spent as a professor at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and at the Scripps Research Institute, where he served as a professor in both the Department of Molecular Therapeutics and the Department of Metabolism and Aging, as well as director of the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease.

Currently, he is a member of the Siteman NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center Solid Therapeutics Program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and is a founder of Pelagos Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he is also a member of the Pelagos Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board.

The appointment of Burris in the center is a pivotal moment in the College’s efforts to advance and promote a research agenda that establishes the College as a leader in pharmacy and health care education.

On Feb. 1, Tom Burris, Ph.D., FAAAS, FAHA, joined St. Louis College of Pharmacy as the Alumni Endowed Professor in the Center for Clinical Pharmacology and President’s Senior Research Advisor. Like previous center appointments, Burris will also have an adjunct appointment at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. With an impressive career in academia and industry, Burris brings the center one step closer to becoming a national research leader in pain management and personalized approaches to medication therapy.

ADVANCING THE RESEARCH AGENDA

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A move back to campus and the introduction of new team members in the Office of Advancement mark an academic year of excitement, change and growth.

On Feb. 9, the Office of Advancement welcomed the College community to their new on-campus office space in the renovated South Residence Hall that also houses the Business Office and the upper classmen residence hall. The new suite was designed with the dynamic presence of the advancement team in mind. The open-office layout encourages collaboration, and the kitchen and welcome area provide a “warm hello,” to all guests, with walls decorated with memories from days passed at the College, as well as the profession of pharmacy.

Advancement is also excited to introduce new members of the advancement team to support an enriching environment for growth, learning and leadership for the students and alumni of the College. MEET THE ADVANCEMENT TEAM

Adam BurlingFoundation and Corporate Giving OfficerJoined the College in March 2018

Before relocating to St. Louis, Adam Burling directed the Dallas Zoo’s membership program, rapidly building it to more than 26,000 households. While in Chicago, he served as an associate director at the American Bar Association and focused on membership marketing

and communications. Burling is responsible for maintaining, strengthening and establishing long-term partnerships with local and national corporations and foundations.

Nancy BuschData Information CoordinatorJoined the College in January 2000

Having served the College for nearly 20 years, Nancy Busch is a steadfast presence on the advancement team and has extensive knowledge of the history of both the office and the larger institution. She holds degrees from Hannibal-LaGrange University and is responsible for updating and managing the College’s alumni database. Busch also assists the vice president for advancement.

Kathy Riggins GardnerVice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer Joined the College in June 2017

Last year, Kathy Riggins Gardner joined the St. Louis College of Pharmacy community as vice president for advancement and chief development officer. Gardner brings more than 30 years of philanthropic experience with United Way of Greater St. Louis, most recently as senior vice president for community investment. Gardner leads the College’s capital campaign, Preparing Leaders. Leading Change. The $25 million campaign is nearing the $23 million mark.

FRESH FACES AND FRESH SPACES

The advancement team welcomes the College community to their new home on campus. Pictured from left to right: Kathy Riggins Gardner, Adam Burling, Stephanie Mauzy, Colleen Watermon, Nancy Busch, Vincent Piazza. Not pictured: Jerry Thomas.

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Stephanie MauzyDirector of Alumni RelationsJoined the College in February 2008

After earning a degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia, Stephanie Mauzy joined the College community and today, Mauzy assists the board of directors with managing the College’s alumni association. She also oversees alumni and student programming focused on building lifelong relationships between alumni, students, the College and the profession of pharmacy.

Vincent PiazzaAnnual Giving OfficerJoined the College in March 2018

Vincent Piazza brings with him a depth of experience in advancement and professional fundraising. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Boston University. Before joining the advancement team, Piazza was the director of annual giving at McKendree University and developed an individual giving program at the St. Louis Science Center. As annual giving officer, he will be charged with augmenting the number of annual supporters and revenue given to St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Jerry ThomasDirector of DevelopmentJoined the College in May 2014

After practicing law in southern Illinois for 20 years, Jerry Thomas, J.D, made a career shift to professional fundraising. He earned degrees from McKendree University and the University of Tulsa. Today, Thomas works with donors to implement their philanthropic intent in creating planned giving strategies. He accepts planned gifts on behalf of the College and develops gift solicitation strategies to increase the frequency and amount of gifts.

Colleen WatermonSenior Development OfficerJoined the College in January 2015

Colleen Watermon brings more than 15 years of advancement experience to her role as senior development officer. She holds degrees from Quincy University and Webster University and is responsible for stewardship of major donors. She also assists with specific development programming and advancement initiatives, including women’s philanthropy initiatives and the Gold Alumni Club. Watermon also serves as a member of the capital campaign team.

VISIT THE TEAM With a new home on campus and some new faces, the advancement team encourages members and friends of the College to stop by and see for themselves the exciting changes taking place in the Office of Advancement. Members of the advancement team may be reached at alumni@stlcop.edu or by phone at 314.446.8392.

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FEATURE

Rapid changes in the profession have created a challenging environment for many pharmacies, but community pharmacy has long been an incubator of innovation. Today, there is a growing movement to shift focus from filling prescriptions to a model that recognizes the contributions of community pharmacists and their ability to utilize close relationships with patients to serve as key providers of clinical services. With the entrepreneurial spirit that defines them, community pharmacists are poised to usher in a new paradigm of community pharmacy care.

“Clinical pharmacy is going to materialize in a community setting in a way that will illustrate the value of pharmacy and the pharmacist’s role in population health outcomes, cost avoidance, individual critical outcomes and preventative care initiatives,” said Christian Tadrus, B.S. ’96, Pharm.D. ’97, northern Missouri community pharmacist and second vice president of the National Community Pharmacists Association. “Community pharmacy is experiencing something of a new awakening. These initiatives are the realization of the promise that we have been working toward for the last 25 years.”

POISED FOR

INNOVATIONCommunity pharmacists are a patient’s most accessible health care provider, and as medication experts, they are critical to maintaining and improving patients’ health. While this truth has long been understood by pharmacists and the patients who rely on them, the larger health care industry has been slow to fully leverage community pharmacists as the invaluable resource they are.

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FEATURE

POISED FOR

INNOVATIONAs health care costs climb, insurers are desperately looking for ways to reduce costs, and they see opportunity in utilizing community pharmacies to do so. By providing enhanced and expanded clinical services that meet local needs, community pharmacies are reasserting themselves as a linchpin connecting patients to health care systems.

While this renewed focus on community pharmacy is creating opportunities for pharmacists to grow their services and practices, there are obstacles prolonging the evolution.

From shrinking margins to implementing new systems for documentation of activities and services to simply finding time to implement these initiatives, the barriers to providing enhanced services can seem insurmountable. However, as more community pharmacies commit to this practice and new metrics are established that focus on quality of care, the momentum of this evolution will propel community pharmacy above and beyond the obstacles that lay in its path.

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FEATURE

AN EMERGING PATHWAY

Over the last few decades, the health care industry has come to increasingly recognize pharmacists as practitioners supporting positive patient outcomes. To fully realize the benefits of leveraging pharmacist-delivered care, initiatives have been cultivated across the U.S. that have captured payers’ attention, while providing community pharmacy with the support and resources to expand their scope of services and be reimbursed for them. An emerging pathway that has gained the most attention in the last five years is the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN).

When Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) launched in the early 2000s, the need for pharmacists to be key players in improving quality of care and cost effectiveness, particularly for patients with chronic illness, was recognized by program developers. As the medication experts, pharmacists bridged the gap in a network primarily focused on networking primary care physicians. This led to embedding pharmacists into primary care offices, long-term care facilities and hospitals, placing an emphasis on clinical pharmacy.

Moreover, 2013 Medicaid claims data reported that high-risk patients visited their community pharmacy, on average, 35 times a year, compared to 3.5 visits to their primary care provider. To leverage those 35 touch points, CCNC looked for opportunities to incorporate community pharmacy into their program.

Recognizing the success and positive outcomes of CCNC, community pharmacy worked to develop its own care network, focusing on providing enhanced services to their local communities.

Modeled after, and in collaboration with, the CCNC initiative, North Carolina CPESN was developed and has been expanded nationwide as CPESN USA, along with the formation of other local CPESN initiatives in individual states.

“Historically, dispensing prescriptions has been the endpoint in conversations with health care providers,” said Tripp Logan, Pharm.D., southeast Missouri community pharmacist and CPESN USA national luminary. “A patient would see the doctor, get a prescription, go to the pharmacy and go home. The pharmacy typically did not communicate back with anybody. This new model establishes community pharmacy as a communication piece in the larger health care puzzle and also includes two-way conversations with providers and health systems.”

Initiatives like CPESN also encourage a shift in focus from filling prescriptions to providing patient-centered service. This shift will require a revision of the metrics currently in place that encourage competition in cost and not quality of care.

“Currently, pharmacies are networked by cost,” Logan commented. “They really should be networked by quality. What current metrics fail to do is take into account the overall impact on the health care system. Do lower prescription costs keep people out of the hospital? What we are seeing is an overall ‘No.’ Over time, community pharmacies have been focused on pharmacy reimbursement on prescription drug products, which is completely unrelated to how well a pharmacy does in keeping a person healthy.”

“THIS NEW MODEL ESTABLISHES COMMUNITY PHARMACY AS A COMMUNICATION

PIECE IN THE LARGER HEALTH CARE PUZZLE AND ALSO INCLUDES TWO-WAY

CONVERSATIONS WITH PROVIDERS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS.” - TRIP LOGAN, PHARM.D.

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FEATURE

SWIMMING IN THE CROSSCURRENT

CPESN initiatives are gaining traction across the country, but community pharmacy finds itself caught in the crosscurrent of providing enhanced and expanded services while grappling with shrinking margins, limited resources and lingering misperceptions about the role of the community pharmacist.

“The revenue lines from dispensing services are what support the expansion of clinical services,” Tadrus said. “With reimbursement continuing to decrease, it obstructs community pharmacies as they try to grow from where they are to where they want to be and operate.”

Another obstacle faced by community pharmacies is time. Providers are ready and willing to partner with community pharmacies to help lower out-of-pocket costs and improve their metrics, but engaging in new initiatives requires time and resources. While many pharmacists are doing their best to stay ahead of trends, many find themselves under-resourced when faced with the undertaking.

“Having the time to develop enhanced services and knowing that you may not get immediate payoff for that is one of the main obstacles community pharmacists are faced with,” said Roxane Took, Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the College and community pharmacist at Shop ‘n Save. “The paperwork necessary to apply to things like Direct Care Pro and accreditations to provide services like diabetes self-management education (DSME) all take time and resources.”

Engaging in new care models will require most community pharmacies to invest in new systems and approaches in order to support robust documentation and outcomes measurement.

“We are seeing payers move to a more clinical outcome reimbursement methodology, which means documentation of activities is absolutely necessary for community pharmacists. It’s how we prove to payers that we are the ones improving outcomes,” Tadrus said. “Pharmacists will increasingly document their activities using electronic care plans, a form of a continuity of care document commonly used in health care. This standardized method of electronic documentation developed by the National Council on Prescription

Drug Plans facilitates the rapid exchange of clinical information between community and other settings.

It is rapidly being adopted by technology vendors and should provide a more efficient means for community pharmacists to participate in patient care activities.”

For community pharmacists on the leading edge of these trends, lingering perception gaps can be problematic.

“It’s hard in the community setting to be recognized as a health care provider,” Took explained. “Community pharmacists go through the same schooling and have the same capabilities as other pharmacists. The difference is the community pharmacist is not working side-by-side with the primary care provider, which is a barrier.”

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FEATURE

THE NEXT GENERATION

With the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation, community pharmacy anticipates a wave of business transitions that, compounded with shrinking margins, may result in a wave of consolidation and investment partnerships, rather than new independent pharmacies. This very real possibility may appear as a decline in community pharmacy, but these transitions are full of opportunity.

As new pharmacists enter into community pharmacy, they often provide a fresh perspective when looking for other revenue streams and opportunities. To be successful, it is critical that student pharmacists pursuing community pharmacy are prepared to embrace new opportunities.

“Sometimes students who are not health-system driven go into community settings,” Took said. “They get used to a model of pharmacy that is dispensing focused, which can create hesitation when they get the call to start providing more clinical services.”

Exposing students to a model of community pharmacy where pharmacists are directly providing patient care may also attract students that have a passion for more clinical work, but may have overlooked community pharmacy initially. When fully leveraged as health care providers, pharmacists can exercise the full range of their skills in clinical and community practice settings.

Although obstacles remain, there is hope rooted in the potential of community pharmacy, wherein pharmacists engage through an expanded scope of services, and they are recognized for their ability to make improvements in outcomes and quality of care. Within a health care industry ripe for innovation, community pharmacy is, in many ways, positioned as the way forward. Armed with an innovative spirit, community pharmacists are poised to usher in changes that bring together providers and payers to create meaningful benefit for patients.

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 19

FEATURE

PRACTICING BEYOND THE COUNTER

Community pharmacy provides the opportunity to engage and build relationships with patients on a regular basis, and Jeff Pasucal, Pharm.D. ’17, believes deeply in the power to impact a patient’s quality of life through meaningful conversation. “Community pharmacy allows us to get to know patients on a more personal basis and see them and really talk to them about who they are as a person,” Pasucal said. “That helps us manage their medications, and sometimes understand why is it they are not taking their medications, and address any other concerns to help them.” The unique opportunities that community pharmacy offered inspired Pasucal to pursue a PGY1 community-based residency at Walgreens through St. Louis College of Pharmacy. “This residency has helped me develop clinically and professionally,” Pasucal said. “It has given me the time to practice and work with different preceptors that manage different disease states and come from different backgrounds. I have been able to focus on taking more time with patients and really get to know them as people. Building those relationships means they are able to trust me more.” Pasucal is excited to be a part of the evolution, growth and bright future of community pharmacy. “Hospitals are trying to keep readmission numbers down, and they are looking to community pharmacists because we are the ones that see the patients and make sure they are taking their medications,” Pasucal explained. “It’s about recognizing what community pharmacists do and empowering them to do it. Every time we ask, ‘Is there something I can do for you?’ or make sure they have – and properly take – their medications, we are making a difference in patients’ lives.”

20 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

At the age of 6, Alexis (Bylina) Kasniunas, Pharm.D. ’14, BCCCP, discovered her love of pharmacy when her Great-Aunt Yaya moved in with her family. Eventually, Yaya passed away, but her memory remains an influence and inspiration for Kasniunas.

“I saw how medications maintained Yaya’s quality of life,” Kasniunas said. “My curiosity was sparked to learn how all the medications worked in the body and why she was required to take so many.”

Kasniunas carried this memory with her, and when it came time to look ahead to college, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in health care. The Chicago native set her sights on St. Louis College of Pharmacy and, carrying her memories of Yaya with her, took a step forward.

“What sealed my decision was visiting campus,” she said. “I remember feeling the close-knit College community. I also knew that if I wanted an interdisciplinary education, the College’s location within a biomedical complex would help foster connections.”

To help balance the demands of her classes, Kasniunas took an active role in theater productions at the College. She relieved stress by memorizing lines and entertaining others while participating in plays such as “The Mousetrap,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” “Blithe Spirit” and “Noises Off.”

“There is a magical energy about the finality of a live theater production,” she said. “Although you perform

THE ART OF PHARMACYFrom the theater to the ICU, an alumna uses her creativity to better serve her patients.

ALUMNIPROFILE

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 21

a show you have practiced countless times, you are only equipped with your own ability to create an entertaining story for the audience.”

Today, Kasniunas uses her theater skills in a different way — helping critically ill patients. As a board-certified critical care pharmacist in the intensive care unit at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, she depends on her creative skill set to help treat patients and save lives.

“My experience in the arts helped prepare me for my career by teaching me how to ‘get into character’ so that I can shift perspectives and see situations through my patient’s eyes,” she said. “It also taught me to think on my feet during high stress situations.”

Her creativity brings balance in the world of evidence-based medicine. Many of her patients have complex disease states and do not fit the characteristics of controlled trials. The limited research that exists on these types of patients offers a unique opportunity to get creative with treatment plans.

“The skills associated with art come in when you know the research and must find its place in a patient’s course of therapy,” she said. “My role is knowing how medications work, how to navigate the variables and how to make recommendations based on that knowledge.”

With the same level of dedication she brings to patient-care activities, Kasniunas also is helping train the next generation of pharmacists. As a preceptor of PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents, she often finds opportunities to remind new professionals that critical care pharmacy requires a balance of science and art.

“Science is what we do, and art is how we do it,” she said. “Having a handle on both art and science makes us well-rounded pharmacists. Communication is a tenet of our profession and art allows us to be expressive with more than just words. It deepens our empathy and when faced with the unknown, it gives us the skills necessary to navigate complex situations.”

ALUMNIPROFILE

22 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

ALUMNIPROFILE

S A CLINICAL PHARMACY SPECIALIST IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LUNG TRANSPLANTATION AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

AT BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL, Fester works as part of an interdisciplinary team responsible for managing one of the world’s largest lung transplant programs.

How did you know you wanted to work in transplantation as a specialty area? I initially never thought about transplantation as a career path. During my sixth year at the College, I had a rotation at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and I realized that I enjoyed transplantation because it encompasses a wide scope of practice areas – acute care, infectious diseases, patient education, critical care, ambulatory care and more. Unfortunately, there are not many practice guidelines in the field of transplantation, so you have to think on your feet. Every hospital facilitates lung transplant surgery a little bit differently. The fact that every day and every patient is different keeps me engaged.

How did you get started in lung transplantation? I completed my PGY1 residency at Saint Louis University Hospital and continued into my PGY2 specialty pharmacy residency in solid organ transplantation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the university hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

New York-Presbyterian is an international referral center with some of the most well-known and well-respected physicians in the world, so I saw patients from across the United States as well as places like Japan, the Middle East and the United Kingdom.

New York is such a melting pot that it was necessary to recreate the wheel when addressing patients from different cultures. I was able to get the same outcomes even though I was tailoring my approach to patients from different backgrounds.

After my residency, I stayed for an additional four years as the clinical pharmacy manager for pediatric transplantation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York. While there, I focused on cardiothoracic and small bowel transplantation. This focus and experience made it an easy transition back to the adult lung transplant team at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University Medical Campus.

What is your role on the lung transplant team? We are one of the largest lung transplant centers in the country. Our team consists of clinical pharmacy specialists, pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, nurse coordinators, social workers, dietitians and other transplant experts. As a team, we rotate our time between inpatient and outpatient care.

In inpatient care, I help decide which medications are best for our patients and ensure medications are dosed appropriately. While a patient is in outpatient care, I help conduct pretransplant evaluations to determine if they are a viable candidate for transplant, as well as post-transplant follow-up appointments.

Once a patient has undergone a lung transplant, I work with them for the rest of their life to make sure they are taking their

DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTEDThe average survival rate for a lung transplant patient is five years. While that may not sound like much, for Keith Fester, Pharm.D. ’09, BCPS, and his patients, it is time that is not taken for granted.

A

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 23

ALUMNIPROFILE

medications correctly. Being readmitted to the hospital is common for my patients due to their susceptibility to rejection and infection. There are a lot of little things related to medication management that can have a big impact on our patients.

I also have the opportunity to work on committees, complete research, and educate the next leaders in pharmacy which I greatly enjoy.

How do you cope working in transplantation? While I was working in pediatrics, I learned that it’s not just about the transplant patient – it’s about their families too. Parents, grandparents and siblings get frustrated that their loved one is sick, and I understand why they are frustrated because no one wants to see a loved one suffer. The reward of making a child better is huge.

When I came back to working with adult transplant patients, it was solidified that my patients are not alone. They have other people to live for and a chance to take what time they have left and make it valuable.

Patients coming back from transplant are so grateful for the opportunity to write the next chapter in their life, and every time you see them in the hospital, they know you by name. Our patients don’t take their second lease on life for granted.

INSPIRED BY HIS PATIENTS NEVER TO TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED,

Fester has vowed never to stop learning. He explains that life is always a learning process, and he takes every opportunity to learn more. He is thankful for the opportunity to help patients feel better – one breath at a time.

24 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

ALUMNIPROFILE

Lillie Smith, B.S. ’68, grew up in a small farming community in southeast Missouri. She knew she wanted to attend college, but as a high school student, she had not yet decided what career to pursue. During her junior year, she visited her aunt and uncle who owned pharmacies. Those visits provided just the inspiration she needed. She applied to St. Louis College of Pharmacy and began her studies in fall 1961.

“To be honest, I was not prepared to attend any college,” Smith explained. “In my senior year, the chemistry class that my little high school offered was ‘Chemistry on Film,’ which was exactly as it sounds. When I told my chemistry

professor, Dr. Don Sheets, about the class he laughed and said that one of his colleagues had made that film.”

Smith admits that it took perseverance and a few extra years to get through the rigorous coursework at the College, but she still remembers fondly the professors that went the extra mile to help her succeed.

“The coursework was hard, but Dr. Haberle, Dr. Zimmer, Dr. Barnes and Dr. Mercer — they were all so helpful and encouraging,” Smith recalled. “But one of my favorite people was Phyllis Sarich. She would always come in at the last minute, hang her coat in the locker, put on her lab coat and primp before she put on her lipstick. She would always ask me what kind of lipstick I had.”

Smith stayed connected to Sarich after her time at the College. When Sarich was awarded the Loyalty Award from the

Alumni Association in 2011, Smith sent her a tube of lipstick.

“She met me at the door of a Mortar and Pestle Society dinner and said, ‘I’ve been waiting for you! I picked these lilies out of my yard for you!’”

Smith shared. “She had them wrapped in tin foil.”

While at the College, Smith made lifelong friendships, and she found a career that fuels her. Though Smith is in her early 70s, she still works full time at Dierbergs Pharmacies as a relief pharmacist.

“I know I could retire, but I just can’t give it up yet,” Smith said. “I look forward to getting up and going to work. I’m a people person. I enjoy helping someone, and in pharmacy, you’re constantly helping someone. When they give you a smile or say thank you, it just reminds me why I love this work.”

Smith’s drive to help others is something she expresses by giving back to the College. She and her husband, Charlie Smith, B.S. ’50, have remained active with the College, attending events and establishing a scholarship that is awarded annually.

“When you go back and give back, it may not be a lot, but you are helping somebody,” Smith said. “The College has extraordinary students coming out of there. They are really top-notch people and so bright. They are willing to do things and willing to learn. I want to help the College continue to educate these excellent pharmacists.”

FUELED BY PHARMACY

“I enjoy helping someone, and in pharmacy, you’re constantly helping someone. When they give you a smile or say thank you, it just reminds me why I love this work.” -LILLIE SMITH, B.S. ’68

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 25

ALUMNIPROFILE

TOPICS

26 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 27

TOPICS

TAKING ACTION AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE

ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITYUnder the leadership of Amy Tiemeier, B.S. ’01, Pharm.D. ’02, BCPS, director, community partnerships and associate director, experiential education and associate professor of pharmacy practice, the College has participated in National Drug Take Back Day for six years. A week before the nationally designated day, the College collaborates with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging to conduct a door-to-door take back event. Since 2011, the door-to-door events, along with medication take back events have resulted in the collection of over 2,000 pounds of medications.

“Recent headlines about opioids and heroin have raised awareness on how to properly store and dispose of prescription medications,” Tiemeier said. “We can all help our families and neighbors by remaining vigilant and properly removing these medications from our homes when they are no longer necessary.”

The College was able to reach additional area residents with its medication disposal efforts in October 2016 following a generous contribution from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. The company donated 50,000 medication deactivation pouches to St. Louis College of Pharmacy and NCADA-St. Louis that were provided to area senior centers, patients, parents and local law enforcement. The user-friendly pouches deactivate prescription medications and render chemical compounds safe for landfills.

“Mallinckrodt’s donation provides patients in our community with a tangible way to reduce availability and access to expired and unused prescription pain medications by helping to clear out cabinets and cupboards in the St. Louis area,” said John A. Pieper, Pharm.D., FAPhA, FCCP, president of the College. “This is one key component of a larger, long-term public health campaign by St. Louis College of Pharmacy to teach the importance of safe medication use and disposal.”

As a founding member of Missouri Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal (Missouri P2D2), the College is helping to ensure that area residents have a safe place to drop off their unwanted medications. Since 2012, Missouri P2D2 has established 20 permanent medication disposal boxes in St. Louis City and County. The boxes provide a safe alternative that is more environmentally friendly than landfills or sewer systems.

EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE PROFESSIONIn recent months, the College has been focused on educating community pharmacists about opioid abuse and the benefits of naloxone distribution for overdose death prevention. The efforts are part of the Missouri Opioid State Targeted Response grant, which aims to expand access to prevention, treatment

and recovery support services for individuals with opioid use disorder.

Following the passage of a law authorizing pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription under a statewide standing order, Tiemeier partnered with Nicole Gattas, Pharm.D., FAPhA, BCPS, assistant director of community and ambulatory care, experiential education and associate professor of pharmacy practice, to lead naloxone training sessions for community pharmacists across Missouri to educate them on the new legislation and encourage them to dispense naloxone. To date, the sessions have reached more than 170 pharmacists, pharmacy students and pharmacy technicians.

The College was also on the front lines as St. Louis County worked to implement its Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Tiemeier served as a member of the program’s application evaluation committee, and once the PDMP was established, she was selected to serve on its technical advisory committee. As the committee’s only pharmacy representative, Tiemeier provides critical input on the system’s functionality to ensure ease of use for pharmacists accessing the PDMP.

ADVANCING RESEARCHResearchers at the College’s Center for Clinical Pharmacology are also using their talents to address the opioid problem. Recently appointed faculty researchers Ream Al-Hasani, Ph.D., and Jordan G. McCall, Ph.D., are both investigating the neuroscience behind addiction to expand understanding of opioid abuse and addiction.

Al-Hasani’s research will use multidisciplinary approaches to further understanding of the negative affective behaviors associated with the withdrawal phase of addiction and the interaction of endogenous opioid systems with commonly prescribed opioid pain medications.

McCall’s work also includes a multidisciplinary research program to investigate the neural mechanisms of the underlying emotional distress associated with stress, chronic pain and addiction.

The center is bringing together researchers and resources from the College and the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to find better, safer and more effective ways to use prescription medications to improve health.

“We are focused on innovative solutions to find answers to the national epidemic of abuse and misuse of analgesic agents,” Pieper said. “This partnership will allow pharmacists, physicians and researchers to work seamlessly across both institutions to advance these research objectives.”

St. Louis College of Pharmacy has positioned itself as a leader in the fight against opioid abuse. From prescription medication collection to research into the addictive nature of opioids, our students, faculty, staff and research centers have passionately invested themselves in combating this epidemic.

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

28 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONThe St. Louis College of Pharmacy Alumni Association is an organization that provides opportunities for alumni to stay involved and connected to the College. The association works to support the College, alumni, current students and the profession.

To learn how you can get involved with the association, visit stlcop.edu/alumni.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDSNominate an outstanding alumnus for the Distinguished Alumni Awards. The awards recognize alumni who have demonstrated professional accomplishment, community service, leadership or service to the College.

Recipients will be honored on Friday, Nov. 9, during the College’s Founders Day celebration.

Award categories include:• Black Heritage Distinguished

Alumnus Award• Distinguished Alumnus Award:

Recognition of Service to the Community• Distinguished Alumnus Award:

Recognition of Service to the College• Distinguished Alumnus Award:

Recognition of Service to the Profession• Loyalty Award• Outstanding Achievement Award• Young Alumnus Award

Visit stlcop.edu/alumniawards to submit your nominations through Friday, Aug. 17.

REFER A STUDENT Do you know of an exceptional student interested in health care? Support the College by referring a current high school or college student to the Office of Admissions. Alumni referrals are our best source for highly qualified applicants. Visit stlcop.edu/refer to submit a candidate today!

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 29

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

PASTEVENTSREUNION | Nov. 11, 2017 The College welcomed alumni back to campus during the annual Reunion on Nov. 11, 2017. Alumni were excited to tour the new, seven-story Recreation and Student Center and catch up with friends. Alumni with class years ending in 2 and 7 were honored. Members of the class of 1967 were inducted into the Gold Alumni Chapter in recognition of the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the College.

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

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PASTEVENTSZOO VET HOSPITAL TOURS | Oct. 20, 2017 Tours highlighted how care is provided to animals of all shapes and sizes.

TAPPED HAPPY HOUR | Oct. 15, 2017 Alumni of all ages gathered at Tapped in Maplewood, Missouri, to enjoy food, drinks and great conversation. Tapped is co-owned by Lindsay Reel, Pharm.D. ’06.

ESCAPE ROOM | Oct. 15, 2017 Alumni solved a series of puzzles to “escape” from their room at Escape from St. Louis, co-owned by Nick Buchheit, Pharm.D. ’11.

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 31

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

UPCOMING EVENTSThere’s always something happening at St. Louis College of Pharmacy! Attend an event to reconnect with the College, learn something new and socialize with former classmates. Visit stlcop.edu/alumnievents to see what’s coming up and register for an event.

GRADUATE HAPPY HOURThursday, May 3, 5-7 p.m., Mandarin Lounge

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING Thursday, May 17, 6 p.m., Campus

9TH ANNUAL RESIDENT RESEARCH CONFERENCEWednesday, May 23, Campus

GOLF CLASSICSunday, June 3, 9 a.m., The Missouri Bluffs Golf Club

CARDS VS. CUBS PRE-GAME RECEPTIONSaturday, Sept. 29, Wrigley Field

REUNIONSaturday, Nov. 10, Campus

Visit stlcop.edu/alumnievents for more information.

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

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SAVE THE DATE

GOLF CLASSICSunday, June 3, 9 a.m.The Missouri Bluffs Golf Club, St. Charles, Missouri

Join us for our annual fundraiser for student scholarships. The Alumni Association is hosting a scramble-style golf tournament that will include breakfast, lunch and drinks. To register or to learn more about sponsorship levels and benefits, visit stlcop.edu/golf.

GET INVOLVED

The Alumni Association is looking for donors, sponsors and volunteers. To get involved in this year’s Golf Classic, contact Stephanie Mauzy, director of alumni relations, at 314.446.8419 or stephanie.mauzy@stlcop.edu.

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 33

ALUMNIASSOCIATION

REUNION 2018Saturday, Nov. 10

All alumni and friends are invited to attend this year’s Reunion. This event will formally honor class years ending in 3 and 8. Members of the class of 1968 will be inducted into the Gold Alumni Chapter in recognition of the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the College.

LEARN MORE AND VOLUNTEERIf you have questions about Reunion or are interested in helping plan this year’s event, contact Stephanie Mauzy, director of alumni relations, at 314.446.8419 or stephanie.mauzy@stlcop.edu.

For more information, visit stlcop.edu/reunion.

CLASSNOTES

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CLASSNOTESMichael Sandsmark, Pharm.D. ’11, and Kelsey (Zebarth) Sandsmark, Pharm.D. ’11, welcomed their first child, Noah Allen Sandsmark, on July 24. Noah weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 18 inches in length.

Megan (Goodman) Stoller, Pharm.D. ’12, and Lucas Stoller, Pharm.D., were married on June 10 at First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Illinois. Megan works as a clinical pharmacist at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois, and Lucas is a clinical pharmacist in the hospital’s emergency department. The couple resides in Springfield, Illinois.

Monica (Dutridge) Parikh, Pharm.D. ’16, and Atit Parikh, Pharm.D. ’16, were married July 28 and 29, in Oakbrook, Illinois. Monica is a clinical pharmacist in the emergency department at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center and Atit is a pharmacy manager for Walgreens. The couple lives in Willowbrook, Illinois.

2000s Alicia B. Forinash, B.S. ’00, Pharm.D. ’01, FCCP, BCPS, BCACP, professor of pharmacy practice, was recognized by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Women’s Health Practice and Research Network with the Vital Contributions to Women’s Health Award. John Hamilton, B.S. ’01, and Bridgette Hamilton’s, B.S. ’97, restaurant The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey in Cottleville, Missouri, was named Best Farm-To-Table Restaurant at the Best of St. Charles County Readers Choice Awards in St. Charles, Missouri. McKenzie (Ryan) Ferguson, Pharm.D. ’06, and Sara Richter, Pharm.D. ’12, received Emerson Excellence in Teaching Awards for their achievements and dedication to the field of education.

Marissa (Waring) Word, Pharm.D. ’09, and Adam Word were married on Oct. 28. Marissa completed her MBA at Maryville University in August and was recently promoted to pharmacist supervisor at United BioSource Corporation.

2010s

Angie Hess, Pharm.D. ’10, and her husband, Lee, welcomed their first child, Norah Mae Hess, on July 21.

RICHTER

STOLLER

PARIKH

S C R I P T M A G A Z I N E 35

CLASSNOTES

TIEMEIER NAMED TO

ST. LOUIS BUSINESS

JOURNAL’S “40 UNDER

40” LIST

Amy Tiemeier, B.S. ’01, Pharm.D. ’02, BCPS, director of

community partnerships, associate director of experiential

education, and associate professor of pharmacy practice at

the College, was named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2018.

“It is such an honor to be recognized alongside such a

talented and successful group of professionals,” said Tiemeier. “As

the College continues to be a leader in the fight against opioid

abuse, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to put my talents to use for the St. Louis community

and the region as a whole.”

Tiemeier was recognized for her many efforts to combat opioid

abuse in the St. Louis area. Over the years, her work has

included increasing public awareness of prescription medication abuse, driving

participation in medication disposal initiatives and educating

pharmacists and health care providers on their role in opioid

abuse prevention.

HAYDON-GREATTING RECEIVES ASHP DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Starlin Haydon-Greatting, B.S. ’81, received the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) 2017 Ambulatory Care Practitioners Section Distinguished Service Award.

She is the director of clinical programs and population health at the Illinois Pharmacists Association in Springfield, Illinois. Haydon-Greatting is the past chair of the ASHP Section of Ambulatory Care Practitioners Advisory Group on Compensation and Practice Sustainability and a member of the Section Advisory Group on Ambulatory Care Medication Management.

WHAT’S NEW?Tell your friends and classmates about the latest news in your life. Share news about your work, projects, new jobs, promotions, marriages, birth announcements, awards, vacations or hobbies.

To submit news, email alumni@stlcop.edu.

CLASSNOTES

36 S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

In MemoriamRichard Cutter, B.S. ’47 died March 21, 2016, in Los Angeles.

John R. Logan, B.S. ’51 died July 22, 2017, in Decatur, Illinois.

James D. Sisk, B.S. ’51 died Aug. 20, 2017, in Licking, Missouri.

Richard (Dick) Zoellner, B.S. ’52 died Jan. 15, in San Diego.

Marvin Bernstein, B.S. ’54 died July 19, 2017, in St. Louis.

Raymond E. Wahlbrink, B.S. ’57 died Jan. 1, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Norman R. Honer, B.S. ’59 died April 5, 2017, in Florissant, Missouri.

Neil O. Winters, B.S. ’59 died Dec. 31, 2017, in Springfield, Missouri.

Robert L. Dauber, B.S. ’60 died Oct. 30, 2017, in Mascoutah, Illinois.

Kenneth J. Rogles, B.S. ’61 died Sept. 17, 2017, in St. Louis.

Ralph E. Watson, B.S. ’63 died July 24, 2017, in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Robert J. Hanson, B.S. ’64 died July 10, 2017, in Rochester, New York.

Gertrude S. Mauban, M.S. ’64 died Jan. 25, in St. Louis.

James C. Cradock, B.S. ’65 died Sept. 3, 2017, in Frederick, Maryland.

James F. Godat, B.S. ’66 died Oct. 24, 2017, in Henderson, Nevada.

Thomas F. Carr, B.S. ’66 died June 12, 2017, in Salem, Illinois.

Parvez “Pete” Dastoor, B.S. ’67 died Nov. 2, 2017, in Farmington, Missouri.

Michael “Lynn” Milnes, B.S. ’71 died Nov. 12, 2017, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Mark C. Donovan, B.S. ’74 died July 19, 2017, in Ballwin, Missouri.

Bryan J. Schubert, B.S. ’77 died Aug. 16, 2017, in Wentzville, Missouri.

Richard R. Szparkowski, B.S. ’97 died Oct. 30, 2017, in Niles, Illinois.

Jaime K. Wessbecher, B.S. ’02, Pharm.D. ’03 died Aug. 9, 2017, in St. Louis.

Steven M. Gullette, Pharm.D. ’11 died July 8, 2017, in West Plains, Missouri.

STLCOP STATS FALL 2017 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1,309 59% female

41% male30

total student body states represented

0.23% american indian or alaskan

21.39% asian

8.02% black or african american

1.38% hispanic* 0.23% native hawaiian or other pacific islander

1.68% two or more races

7.79% unknown

59.28% white

*regardless of race

race/ethnicity

countries represented (other than u.s.)

15Brazil, Canada, China, Ghana, Greece, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam

ALUMNI STATS

13

states represented countries represented

48

number of living alumni 7,531

= 100

Richard “Rick” Szparkowski, B.S. ’97, died in October 2017. In celebration of his life, the family requests that memorials be made to the Richard “Rick” Szparkowski Memorial Scholarship Fund at stlcop.edu/give or by contacting Vincent Piazza, annual giving officer, at 314.446.8395 or vincent.piazza@stlcop.edu.

In 1930, a group of students started assembling a history of pharmacy museum. Led by Eugene Clark, associate professor of pharmacognosy, the students reconstructed a pharmacy that captured the spirit of early American pharmacy. Fixtures from an old St. Louis pharmacy were acquired to exhibit medicine bottles, show globes, mortars and pestles, pill machines and other artifacts. The museum also featured a collection of pharmaceutical label catalogs dating back to the 19th century, as well as old prescription files dating back to the Civil War era.

In addition, the museum featured an exhibit of old drug wholesalers’ catalogs, drug bills, newspaper ads for drugs and photographs of old drugstore exteriors. The student group also acquired a display case from Burroughs, Welcome and Company from London and New York, which showcased how they manufactured various drugs.

The museum opened in 1931 on the fourth floor of Jones Hall before relocating to the library. While the museum no longer exists, many artifacts are still preserved in the College’s archives.

CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN PHARMACY

4588 Parkview PlaceSt. Louis, MO 63110-1088

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDSt. Louis, MO

Permit No. 1931