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As the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences continues to grow its programming and network – having graduated five Doctor of Pharmacy cohorts and three groups of Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences recipients – alumni engagement will be a critical part of the effort.

That’s one reason the Pharmacy Alumni Leaders (PALs) group recently formed.

“As a school that has always prioritized the positive experiences of our students and their success pre- and post-graduation, establishing PALs was the next logical step to maintaining the connection with our exceptional alumni,” says James “JJ” Brice, director of student affairs. “We recognize that alumni volunteerism is an incredible advantage for any school, and by maintaining engagement and connection to our programs and services, we will extend the network of influence and opportunity for ˿����Ƶ University pharmacy.”

Lamiyah Kamal, PharmD ’21, a long-term care pharmacist in Plainview, N.Y., and PALs’ first president says one of the group’s main goals is to provide mentorship to students.

“We want students to be confident in their abilities as future professionals,” she says. “Pharmacy is a small world, after all, so our goal is to make sure students know they have a resource to reach out to as they progress in their careers.”

Alumni join PALs through a nomination process managed by the school’s student affairs office.

Brice says PALs will connect with ˿����Ƶ undergraduate students who are interested in pharmacy via remote “PALS Talks,” sharing their experiences in SOPPS, their career paths and what they love about being a pharmacist.

Recently, a Class of 2025 celebration dinner in May connected faculty, staff, new graduates and peers. PALs members are working on other programs and events, Brice says, including meetups in locations where alumni are concentrated.

Antonietta Macri ’20, PharmD ’24, a postdoctoral fellow in regulatory affairs strategy at Novartis in conjunction with the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program, joined PALs because she had mentor support during her time at SOPPS, in particular crediting Julia Napoli, PharmD ’22, and Stephanie Kovnat, PharmD ’23.

“From my first year, they inspired me to get involved in different organizations and stressed how being involved was essential to gaining experiences that would help me in my career journey,” Macri says. “These activities helped me stand out when it came time to apply for pharmaceutical industry fellowships. I want to be a Stephanie or Julia for future students. SOPPS has given me so much. I hope to give back everything that I have gained.

“Starting your career is a scary journey and, if you do it alone, it seems like an impossible and daunting task,” she adds. “With the right support system and resources, starting your career becomes less scary and even a little exciting!”

Kamal is confident PALs will strengthen the relationship between the school and its alumni, and that members will be vocal ambassadors, helping to spread the school’s reach.

“As a graduate of the inaugural SOPPS cohort, I’m no stranger to the start of something new,” she says. “I just hope I can do right by fellow alumni and future graduating classes as we build this organization together.”