VCU School of Pharmacy receives 2012 NACDS RxImpact 'U' Advocacy Award

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced the recipients of the NACDS RxImpact “U” Advocacy Award during the fourth annual NACDS RxImpact Day on Capitol Hill this week.



The annual award is presented to pharmacy school students and pharmacy school campuses in recognition of their active engagement in pro-patient and pro-pharmacy grassroots advocacy.



For the 2012 award, NACDS selected Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Pharmacy in Richmond, Va., led by students Catherine Floroff, Bradford McDaniel and Natalie Nguyen, along with faculty adviser Dr. Gary Matzke. According to NACDS, the students demonstrated leadership in creating a student policy and advocacy forum, where students learned the process of advocating for pharmacy by engaging on the legislation affecting the profession.



More than 60 students and nine faculty members have been engaged in pharmacy advocacy through this VCU forum, which also served as a platform to organize student participation in Virginia Pharmacists Association’s Legislative Day in Virginia’s state capital. During this year’s legislative day, the students educated lawmakers on the valuable role of pharmacy in emerging models of care. In addition, VCU pharmacy students provided health screenings to the legislators and their staff during the annual legislative event.



In recognition of their efforts, VCU will be presented a $2,500 stipend to fund future student advocacy initiatives.



The NACDS RxImpact “U” Advocacy Award program is one element of the larger NACDS RxImpact “U” initiative, which is committed to engaging pharmacy school students and faculty in the policy-making process.



“NACDS RxImpact ‘U’ was developed to engage the next generation of pharmacy — pharmacy school students – in grassroots advocacy,” stated NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “Catherine, Bradford and Natalie have demonstrated leadership and commitment in showcasing the unsurpassed value of community pharmacy in improving patient health.  Their efforts exemplify what we hope other advocates participating in NACDS RxImpact Day on Capitol Hill will implement at their schools. I congratulate them and Virginia Commonwealth University.”

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