PharmD student ambassador Kristina Collier is passionate about helping rural and underserved communities

“Being a part of the CPHS family for the past three years have been nothing short of amazing. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I truly saw how much the professors cared for students and their education. Faculty did not see students as a number, but rather a person. Because of the impact that my undergraduate professors had on me, I knew I wanted to continue my pharmacy education at Campbell.”

Name: Kristina Collier

Program: Doctor of Pharmacy

Anticipated graduation: 2024

Tell us a little bit about how amazing your current position is and what you do. How are you making an impact? I am currently in my third year of pharmacy school, so most of my days are spent in class or studying for quizzes/exams. When I am not studying, I do my best to be involved on campus through volunteer opportunities. I am actively involved in several organizations including Phi Delta Chi, Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International, Professional Alumni Student Association, and APhA. In addition to these organizations, I am also a CPHS Student Ambassador where I am responsible for contacting potential pharmacy students and conducting campus tours.

I volunteer at the free or mobile Campbell University Community Care Clinic. I hold a leadership position with the mobile clinic where I am responsible for making sure we have pharmacy volunteers for each clinic. These volunteer opportunities not only positively impact the community, but they have a positive impact on me as I see the work I am doing pay off.

Why did you choose CPHS and what benefits do you believe you have gained from attending Campbell? Do you connect with the “Campbell family?” When I decided to apply to pharmacy school, I knew I only wanted to attend Campbell. It was the only school that I applied to, which was definitely a risky move.

When I was in high school and originally deciding where I wanted to go to college, I chose to attend Campbell. While my mom is a graduate of Campbell, the main reason I wanted to be in Buies Creek was because of the community feeling I got when I arrived on campus. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I truly saw how much the professors cared for students and their education. Faculty did not see students as a number, but rather a person. Because of the impact that my undergraduate professors had on me, I knew I wanted to continue my pharmacy education at Campbell.

Being a part of the CPHS family for the past three years has been nothing short of amazing. All of the professors have been so welcoming and definitely care about my education. They will do whatever they can to help me succeed and be the best pharmacist that I can be.

Please summarize your personal, business, and academic journey. Campbell has provided me with endless opportunities to get involved. These organizations have afforded me opportunities to develop my leadership skills. I have held several leadership positions while I have been in pharmacy school to include President of Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International (CPFI), Mobile Clinic liaison for the Campbell University Community Care Clinic, Treasurer for Professional Alumni Student Association (PASA), and I have held chair positions on a few committees within my fraternity, Phi Delta Chi. In addition to holding a leadership position in these organizations and volunteering at the clinic, I am also an active member and participate in service events such as packing personal care kits and donating school supplies for backpack drives. I think it is very important to be involved in the community as this can help produce a well-rounded individual.

My organization memberships have provided different opportunities to test my clinical knowledge, including my recent NCAP Jeopardy competition where my team was a local winner and a state runner-up. In addition to being involved with on campus organizations, I am also the Graduate Assistant for Campbell University’s Department of Biological Sciences. This position has allowed me to work with undergraduate professors and students. It has also afforded me the opportunity to communicate and build relationships with individuals from across different departments.

Please summarize any additional accomplishments you would like to highlight. What are you passionate about? I am passionate about serving rural and underserved communities, which I have the opportunity to do at Campbell through both the free and mobile clinics. The clinics allow me to see patients and put the skills that I am learning in class to use by rounding with an interdisciplinary team of medical and physician assistant students. I enjoy serving in these areas because the individuals that are receiving care are so grateful and do not take the care for granted. I come from an area that is both rural and underserved, so I understand how hard it is for individuals in these areas to receive adequate healthcare. Not only am I providing these patients with a service, but they are also positively impacting my life. In the future I hope that I can continue to serve areas that are both rural and underserved in the US as well as abroad.

 At Campbell we believe in purposeful lives and meaningful service. What legacy are you leaving/do you hope to leave? Campbell does a really good job of encouraging students to live a purposeful life of meaningful service. I believe that I do a fairly good job of living by these standards and hope that I am leaving behind a positive legacy. I believe being a well-rounded individual means giving back to your community, which is something I have always been willing to do. I am involved in acts of service both within the Campbell community and my personal community.

In addition to the backpack drive and my involvement with Campbell’s clinics, I have also donated supplies for a family in need, volunteered at the community Christmas store, participated in adopt-a-highway, volunteered with Samaritan’s Purse, and donated to Operation Christmas Child. I hope I will be remembered as someone who was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Reasons why prospective students should choose Campbell over the other Graduate and Professional Schools: When looking into graduate schools, make a decision based on where you can see yourself for the next several years. You want to be in a comfortable environment and surrounded by individuals who are going to motivate and inspire you to be the best version of yourself. One of the big reasons why I encourage individuals to attend Campbell is because there is not a better university that focuses on building personal and professional relationships with its students. The professors want to build these relationships with students, but they also want to see students succeed. Faculty do whatever it takes to make students the best version of themselves.

In addition to the relationships that are built on campus, Campbell holds pride in being a family and bringing that community atmosphere to campus. This can be seen in the many events that are held on campus to include organizational fairs, social events, wellness talks, volunteer service through the Campbell University Community Care Clinic and many other events. Though we are all students who have the ultimate goal of leaving Campbell with a professional degree, our time spent on campus is very short and the faculty and staff do the best that they can to make these years the most memorable years of our lives.

Additional items you would like to include in your story: Over the past seven years at Campbell, I have experienced many different Campbell traditions. My

favorite one, by far, has been standing in line each year waiting for the Christmas tree t-shirts and watching the Christmas tree lighting. Many people think I am crazy for getting in line several hours before the event starts, but my friends and I usually spend our time waiting studying for finals. This time of year brings so many memories. In addition to the tree lighting, I have enjoyed all of the service opportunities that Campbell has provided me. One of my favorite memories has been volunteering with the Community Christmas store where I spent many years volunteering to wrap Christmas gifts. I was able to see the joy it brought to parents who otherwise would not have been able to provide Christmas gifts for their children.

Advice for incoming students: get involved with your program! Never be afraid to get involved with different organizations or participate in activities (highway clean-up, volunteer opportunities, etc.) as these experiences will help you grow personally and professionally. The early years of your program is the time to meet new people and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Many people struggle to get involved because they are afraid they will neglect their schoolwork. Being involved has actually helped me manage my time better and made me a better student. It is also important to ask for help! Your professors and peers will be willing to help in whatever ways they can.

When I am not in class or studying for an exam, I like to spend my time hanging out with family, friends, and my dog, Stella. I enjoy exercising, specifically running. While I have been in pharmacy school, I completed my first half marathon and have participated in several others. I am currently training for another one! Running has been a great outlet for me as it is a great way to start off my mornings or a way to destress from a long day of school. In addition to running, I enjoy going to the beach and traveling. If I could, I would live every day at the beach!

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