Newly initiated members of the Rho Ci Society take the Rho Chi pledge during a ceremony hosted by the UM School of Pharmacy. UM photo by Sydney Slotkin DuPriest
OXFORD, Miss. – Two University of Mississippi chapters of pharmacy honors societies co-hosted a banquet last weekend to initiate new members into both societies and recognize the outstanding academics and leadership of existing society members.
The UM chapter of the Rho Chi Society, which honors pharmacy academic achievement, inducted 22 second-year pharmacy students, 15 graduate students and two faculty members. Pharmacy students must be in the top 20 percent of their class academically to be considered for Rho Chi.
“Being inducted into Rho Chi provides opportunities for pharmacy students to serve their colleagues, communities and patients,” said Erin Holmes, associate professor of pharmacy administration and the Rho Chi faculty treasurer. “We’re so proud to see our very deserving students and colleagues inducted into both of these prestigious societies.”
Phi Lambda Sigma honors those who demonstrate leadership in pharmacy, and the Ole Miss chapter inducted 27 students and a faculty member. Student inductees into Phi Lambda Sigma must be nominated by their peers who are members of the organization.
Five students – Lauren Daigle, Allie Michelle Funderburk, Jenn Miller, Mary O’Keefe and Meghan Elise Wagner – were inducted into both Phi Lambda Sigma and Rho Chi.
“Both of these societies represent the vast amount of talent, dedication and heart the School of Pharmacy has to offer,” Wagner said. “I hope to not only learn from my peers and their experiences, but to help both societies continue to grow the profession of pharmacy and pharmacists’ roles as health care professionals.”
Leadership development is an important facet of membership in these honor societies, said Lauren Bloodworth, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice and a Phi Lambda Sigma faculty adviser.
“My favorite part of being involved with Phi Lambda Sigma is watching the students’ leadership skills evolve over time,” Bloodworth said. “They begin their journey with limited experience and gradually develop skills that help them flourish by the end of their professional school tenure.”
Students inducted into the Rho Chi Society were:
Christopher Bishop, a second-year student, from Rienzi; Alix Cawthon, second-year, from Abita Springs, Louisiana; Cody Craven, second-year, from St. Charles, Missouri; Lauren Daigle, second-year, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jerrica Eaton, second-year, from Athens, Alabama; Sarah Eldred, second-year, from Slidell, Louisiana; Allie Michelle Funderburk, second-year, from Olive Branch; Taylor Gish, second-year, from Jupiter, Florida; Megan Harlow, second-year, from Okolona; Hinton Havens, second-year, from Bolton; Madeline Hudson, second-year, from Norcross, Georgia; Rachel Larry, second-year, from Mobile, Alabama; Emily Lewis, second-year, from Valley Park, Missouri; Jenn Miller, second-year, from High Ridge, Missouri; Erin Moore, second-year, from Des Moines, Iowa; Mary O’Keefe and Meghan Elise Wagner, both second-year, from Oxford; Neel Patel, second-year, from Meridian; Lauren Pohl, second-year, from St. Louis; Shassidy Ramshur, second-year, from Columbia; Kelsey Raymer, second-year, from Lexington, Tennessee; and Cain Young, second-year, from Eupora.
Graduate students inducted into the Rho Chi Society were: Mohamed Albadry, a student in biomolecular sciences, from Giza, Egypt; Dennis Carty, in biomolecular sciences, from Royse City, Texas; Michael Cunningham, in biomolecular sciences, Jagrati Jain, in biomolecular sciences, and Jiaxiang Zhang, in pharmaceutics, all from Oxford; Karthik Yadav Janga, in pharmaceutics, from Warangal, India; Venkata Raman Kallakunta, in pharmaceutics from Secunderabad, India; Prit Lakhani, in pharmaceutics from Mumbai, India; Apoorva Panda, in pharmaceutics, from New Delhi, India; Abidah Parveen, in biomolecular sciences, from Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Anitha Police, in pharmaceutics, from Kurnool Dist, India; Vijay Kumar Shankar, graduate student in pharmaceutics, from Bangalore, India; Munia Sowaileh, graduate student in biomolecular sciences, from Horn Lake; and Xingyou Ye, in pharmaceutics, from Jiangyin, China.
Faculty members inducted into the Rho Chi Society were: Surendra Jain, a senior research and development biologist; and Meagan Rosenthal, an assistant professor of pharmacy administration.
Students inducted into Phi Lambda Sigma were:
Carly Baker, a second-year student from Pope; Jesse Bowen, second-year, from Starkville; Anna Blair Brown, fourth-year, from Madison; Samuel Isaac Breite, second-year, from Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Lauren Daigle, second-year, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana; T’Keyah Davis, second-year, from Walls; Victoria Frame, third-year, from Winter Park, Florida; Allie Michelle Funderburk, second-year, from Olive Branch; Alexander Gochenauer, second-year, from Republic, Missouri; Sage Brooke Greenlee, second-year, from Kilmichael; Michelle My Ha, second-year, from Moss Point; Mallory Beatrice Harris, fourth-year, and Austin Russell Morrison, third-year, both from Ridgeland; Hayden Anthony Hendrix, third-year, from Maben; Ashley Renee Hill, second-year, from Saucier; Ashley Erin Lock, third-year, and Regan Nicole Tyler, second-year, both from Collierville, Tennessee; May Ly, third-year, from Gautier; Andrew Ardis Mays, fourth-year, from Southaven; Jenn Miller, second-year, from High Ridge, Missouri; Laura Nerren, Mary O’Keefe and Meghan Elise Wagner, all second-year students, from Oxford; Brandon Plaisance, third-year, from Magnolia; Lindsay Thomas, fourth-year, and Jenny Nguyen Tran, second-year, both of Hattiesburg; Dylan B. Ware, second-year, from Pickens; and Payton Alexa Winghart, second-year, from Huntsville, Alabama.
Anastasia B. Jenkins, a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice, also was inducted into Phi Lambda Sigma.