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During the weekend of February 22-24, 2008 PPA held their
first ever Government Relations Advocacy for Student
Pharmacists (GRASP) program. Twenty-one students from
Pennsylvania’s six pharmacy schools; LECOM, Duquesne,
Temple, University of the Sciences in
Philadelphia/Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, and Wilkes, attended the GRASP Program at The
PPA Harrisburg Office.
The students of this year's GRASP Program on their tour of
the Capitol Building.
The GRASP program focuses on government relations,
legislative action, media training, and the regulatory
process.
Guest speakers from a variety of practice settings addressed
the student pharmacists. The speakers consisted of Ted
Mowatt, Lobbyist; Carole Clarke, Counsel for the State Board
of Pharmacy; Robert Killoran R.Ph., community pharmacy;
Representative .
Program attendees included Duquesne University
students, Amanda Agnew, Julie Harrison, Melissa Miller,
Jordan Posey, Celeste Sejnowski, Rebecca Watson, and Raine
Zehner, LECOM students John McGill and Megan Rech,
University of Pittsburgh students Paula Egyed, Patrick
Pugliese, and Steven Zona, Temple University students
Jennifer Caggiano, Krista Genga, and Lauren Long, University
of the Sciences in Philadelphia students Denise Alexander,
Tina Comarnitsky, and Milena Griffith, and Wilkes University
students Wendy Marek, Todd Weibel, and Adam Wood.
“The
GRASP program gave me the opportunity to learn more about
the place of professional organizations in helping pass
legislation that protects their members. It opened my eyes
to the lobbying process and the need for all professionals
to take a proactive role in helping protect and better their
profession. Most of all, it inspired me to become a leader
in my school and helped show my peers the importance of
being an activist, even at a student level.”
- Patrick Pugliese, University of Pittsburgh, 2011
“The
GRASP program was a good opportunity to come together with
students in pharmacy schools across Pennsylvania and
discover the common goal of assuming an active role in order
to influence our state’s legislature.”
- Julie Harrison, Duquesne University, 2010
PPA and its members feel that the more leaders and
advocates that can be cultivated the better the future of
pharmacy.
PPA is already looking forward to and planning for next
years GRASP program.
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