Ashley Street

Leadership Skills and Professional Goals

What qualities make you an outstanding leader?
Being a leader in pharmacy school means more than just leading a group towards a mutually shared goal. It’s about mentoring the leaders of tomorrow and providing the opportunities for other students to grow as student pharmacists. I believe student leaders have a responsibility to facilitate the leadership development of our peers. As President of Virginia Commonwealth University's chapter of SSHP, I reached out to first year students who showed interest in our organization, providing them with additional opportunities to get involved or recommending our shadowing program for them to explore their interests. As a result we had a strong P1 presence at events and many ran for executive positions in the spring. Additionally, I developed a summer executive board retreat for my executive team before school started. We spent an afternoon getting to know each other, sharing ideas, and creating goals for the upcoming school year. This event allowed me to solicit a significant amount of feedback and suggestions from my board, enabling them to make an impact on the society, build confidence, and take ownership of events.

How did you develop your leadership skills?
Leadership skills may be found in someone naturally, but I believe that we cannot reach our full potential without actively seeking to improve ourselves. I looked towards mentors, both in older students, as well as in practicing pharmacists. I have the privilege of having strong role models who were always happy to discuss their own experiences in leadership and how it applied to me as a student. As a first year student I also had the philosophy of “Say yes.” Whenever an opportunity arose to volunteer for something, or apply for a position, I said yes, even if I felt uncomfortable with my own abilities. By pushing myself early on I discovered I was more capable than I thought. It gave me the training and confidence to lead students as an older student since I already had the experiences to guide me.
Opportunities through ASHP, such as their student programming at the ASHP Summer Meeting, also dramatically impacted my view of leadership, both on a school-level and on a profession-level.

How do you continue to cultivate your leadership skills?
I still meet regularly with my mentor through the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists, as well as with other informal mentors in pharmacy leadership positions. As I look towards residencies and my career, it is so valuable to have people in a position to guide me from just student leadership to leadership in the profession of pharmacy. This past year I’ve participated in a journal club at our health- system that frequently focuses on leadership articles. Discussing these articles with students interested in leadership in health-system pharmacy, while being guided by the Director of Pharmacy, has been one of the best experiences I’ve had in regards to leadership development. The insights gained from these journal clubs will continue to guide my leadership choices for years to come. And, of course, I still try to "Say yes"!

What are your short-term professional goals?
I hope to pursue a residency in Pharmacy Administration at an academic medical center.

What are your long-term professional goals?
I’m interested in position in pharmacy administration. Professionally I have an interest in medication safety, as well as improving workflow efficiency. I believe both can be achieved without sacrificing one and it’s up to pharmacy leadership to develop these processes for our pharmacists and technicians. Also, I hope to precept and mentor pharmacy students. I think it’s important to give back to the profession.
ASHP has provided me with so many opportunities over the years and as a practitioner I want to continue to be actively involved with the organization.

Professional Involvement

2014-15

• VCU School of Pharmacy Admissions Committee
• President, Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy (SSHP), VCU Chapter
• Student Advisory Board Chair, Virginia Pharmacists Association
  Academy of Student Pharmacists (VPhA-ASP)
• VPhA-ASP Liaison, Academy of Student Pharmacists, VCU Chapter
• VCU Student Health Advisory Board
• Pharmacy Student Leader, Virginia State University Cares Health Fair
• Pharmacy Student Leader, Mission of Mercy Suffolk Medical Outreach Project
• Pharmacy Student Co-Leader
  Virginia State University Cares/Mission of Mercy Medical Outreach Project

2012-14

• President-Elect, SSHP, VCU
• Secretary,  Academy of Student Pharmacists, VCU Chapter
• Professionalism Committee,  Academy of Student Pharmacists, VCU Chapter
• Vice President, VCU School of Pharmacy Class of 2016 Executive Council
• P2 Representative, Pediatric Pharmacy Student Group
• Participant, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)
  RxIMPACT Day at Capitol Hill
• VCU Chapter Delegate, APhA-ASP Region 2 Nominating Committee
• Mentor for undergraduate pre-pharmacy students,
  Emerging Healthcare Leaders at VCU
• P1 Representative, SSHP, VCU
• VCU Substance Abuse Policy Committee

Honors and Awards

2014

• First Place, American Pharmacists Association
  Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)
  Local Patient Counseling Competition
• First Place team member
  National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations
  Nonprescription Medicines Academy (NASPA-NMA)
  Student Pharmacist Self-Care State Championship
• Inducted into Phi Lambda Sigma
• P2 Nominee, VCU Student Professionalism Excellence Award
• First Place team member
  NASPA/NMA Local Student Pharmacist Self-Care Championship
• Linda Harvey Nixon Memorial Scholarship
  Presented annually to a student who has maintained high academic standards while exhibiting leadership, professional integrity and outstanding personal qualities

2013

• Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Society’s Leadership Recognition Certificate
• Rising Star Award, Virginia Academy of Student Pharmacists
• Second Place team member
  NASPA/NMA Local Student Pharmacist Self-Care Championship
• VCU Representative, APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition
• First Place, APhA-ASP Local Patient Counseling Competition

Advice for Future Student Leaders

It's important to identify what you are passionate about as a student, because that passion will drive you as a leader. I knew coming into pharmacy school that I was interested in health-system pharmacy, so I sought out opportunities through our SSHP chapter. Not all students know what their passion is, however, so don't be afraid to try out new things in other areas of pharmacy. Programs such as shadowing experiences or community service events are great ways to see different settings of pharmacy. Other students can see when you are genuinely passionate and dedicated about something, and in return their own excitement and enthusiasm is strengthened.

Contact Information

If you have any questions for Ms. Street, se may be contacted at: streetaf@vcu.edu.