LKS spotlights student and alumni members that are making a difference in their chapters, in their communities, and in the field of pharmacy.
Tell us about yourself: (school, chapter, work, hobbies, LKS activities, meetings attended)
My name is Megan Gray and I am a P2 at the University of Rhode Island! I joined LKS in my sophomore year and am so happy I did. This year I am the recording secretary and an involved member of the alumni committee. I have been fortunate to attend two LKS conventions; Buffalo, NY, and Milwaukee, WI. I had such a great time at both and I enjoyed meeting lambs from all over the country!
I have been a pharmacy intern at Yale-New Haven hospital for the past two years where I work in the central pharmacy. My daily duties include loading medications into pyxis machines and filling prescriptions! I have loved working in the hospital and I am considering a residency after graduation. On campus, I have been a Resident Assistant for three years and am a peer mentor for the P1class. In my free time, I love taking my dog for walks, going to the beach and playing tennis!
Which of our core values (sisterhood, leadership, service, scholarship and integrity) do you feel you most strongly represent and how?
I am very excited for our annual LKS Gala event coming up in late March! It is a fun event where the chapter rents out a venue and we raise money for an organization of our choosing. Last year all the proceeds benefited The Providence Center which provides resources to Rhode Islanders struggling with mental health and substance use. Representatives from the organization attend and are so grateful for the awareness and monetary donation we provide. The event consists of a faculty or pharmacist speaker followed by dinner and then a raffle baskets and prizes afterward. It is always has a great turnout and is for a great cause!
My favorite school tradition at URI is late-night pancakes right before finals start! On our reading day, the dining hall opens at 11 pm and serves fresh pancakes to students on campus. The line to the dining hall usually ends up outside since so many students come to this event! After a long day of studying for exams, pancakes are a delicious midnight snack.
There are so many chapter traditions I love but my favorite is at spring banquet. The P2 sisters each read letters to their P3 bigs saying how much they have meant to them and how much they will miss them while they are on rotations. While there are usually many tears during this event, it is a beautiful way to celebrate sisterhood and formally say goodbye before rotations!
I look up to so many strong women in LKS that it is hard to pick just one. One of the first people I met when I joined LKS was the president at the time, Paige Kennedy. While at first I was very intimidated by her since she was the president and I was a sophomore, I quickly admired her leadership and passion for LKS. She encouraged me to attend the Buffalo convention and run for exec board this past year. I am so thankful for all she encouraged me to do and I look forward to hopefully seeing her at our spring banquet before she graduates in May! Besides Paige, so many LKS sisters and alumni have inspired me along the way. I have learned so much about dedication to the profession from Christina Procaccianti who opened and owns Greenline Apothecary to sisterhood from regional supervisor and Xi alumni Amy Rumanowski. I have had so many role models in LKS and I hope to inspire future sisters the way they all inspired me.