Fourth-year student Jenna Buxton was shocked to find out she was receiving six scholarships from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She had to check Bear Tracks to make sure it wasn't a mistake. It wasn't.
Jenna Buxton is a fourth-year pharmacy student and is the recipient of six scholarship awards from the faculty. They include: the Charles Cummer Memorial Scholarship, the Mervyn J Huston Scholarship in Pharmacy, an Alberta College of Pharmacists Scholarship, the Dr Sek C Yuen Prize, a GR Van Petten Memorial Prize and the Save-On-Foods Gold Scholarship in Pharmacy.
Six scholarships/awards is an exceptional accomplishment. What did winning the six scholarships mean to you?
To be perfectly honest, I was shocked when I first found out! In fact, I double checked the notification on Bear Tracks to ensure there wasn't a mistake. I feel absolutely humbled to have received the six scholarships, and blessed to be supported by those who endow them. The awards have relieved a significant amount of the financial stress on my family and I. The amount of support provided to
students in this faculty through the provision of these awards is truly astounding.
These scholarships reminded me that there are many, many incredible people - be it alumni, professional organizations, or individual pharmacies - encouraging the development of young professionals and the continual growth of our profession.
How will these scholarships/awards help you achieve your education goals?
The costs of post-secondary education are certainly substantial. So first, by alleviating some of the financial pressures of attending this program, these scholarships have allowed me to invest my energy and time appropriately into my academics. The more I can put into the program, the more I will get out of it.
Secondly, the awards have shown me that my peers and I are deeply supported by the many members of our extended 'pharmily'. The support from the wonderful people who make these awards possible fuels my drive to push myself, and to continually learn and grow. It's an amazing thing, seeing how many individuals in our pharmacy community are advocating for our educational growth as up-and-coming pharmacists!
What would you say to the donors of these scholarships/awards to acknowledge their generous contribution?
Thank you doesn't cut it. Although I've contacted each of my donors individually, I would say to all scholarship donors that their awards are more appreciated than they know. The scholarships do more than pay a student's tuition. You know, academic pressures can be overwhelming and students can feel pretty run down at times, and these awards are one of the things that keep me going. They foster passion and motivation in us students; they let us know that there are people who care about our role in the future of the profession of pharmacy. So thank you. Thank you for supporting us, advocating for us, and most of all for believing in us!
What message would you have to future scholarship/award applicants?
Apply for the scholarships provided through the faculty; you've got nothing to lose! Fully invest yourself into this program while you are here. Know that there are people rooting for you and encouraging you to strive further and become better. If you work hard, invest and take pride in your work, then you can't lose regardless of whether or not you receive any scholarships. You can't place a monetary value on the foundation of education on which you will build your career.