2021 MAGAZINE
A Shot of Hope
IN THIS ISSUE: COVID-19 vaccine distribution page 1
Celebrating the Class of 2021 page 6
Remembering Dr. Brian Odle page 23
INSIDE
Greetings from Gatton!
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COVID-19 vaccines
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Class of 2021 commencement
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Welcome Class of 2025
In my role as Dean, the majority of my work focuses on the present and the future of Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. I spend a lot of time dealing with day-to-day opportunities and challenges that arise, as well as working toward goals and plans for the future.
10 Faculty news 16 Student impact 21 Alumni news 23 Remembering Dr. Brian Odle
ADMINISTRATION Dr. Brian Noland ETSU President Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Dr. Debbie Byrd Dean Dr. Adam Welch Associate Dean, Assessment and Academic Affairs Dr. Ralph Lugo Chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice Dr. Stacy Brown Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Steve Ellis Assistant Dean, Student Affairs Bruce Gannaway Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration John King Development Officer 423-439-5933 kingjw2@etsu.edu Editors Melissa Nipper Director of Health Sciences Communications Stephen Woodward Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Communications and Engagement Manager Graphic Design Jeanette Jewell Additional Artwork, Page 13 Stone Soup Creative Principal Photography Ron Campbell, Matthew Carroll, Larry Smith, Charlie Warden, Stephen Woodward
etsu.edu/pharmacy Pictured on the cover: Dr. Jessica Brumit, who graduated in Spring 2021, helps prepare vaccines at one of the first ETSU Health COVID-19 vaccine events. Photo credit: Matthew Carroll
That is why I look forward to Gatton Rx Magazine each year. This publication gives me a chance to pause and reflect on the past. Revisiting the achievements of our student pharmacists, faculty, staff, and alumni is a reminder of the wonderful perspective we can gain with time. Looking back over the past year, we can see how far we have come. Throughout this magazine, you will see many stories about how we have turned adversity into opportunities. The year was truly defined by the creativity, tenacity, and resilience of the Gatton family. Here are just a few examples you will read more about in this issue: One year ago, we were still waiting on the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine. When the longawaited vaccine arrived for health care workers in our region in December 2020, our student pharmacists and faculty helped administer some of the first doses at Ballad Health facilities. The momentum just kept building from there! I am proud to report that as of this summer, students and faculty have distributed more than 29,000 doses of the vaccine at area hospitals, clinics, community pharmacies, health departments, and at ETSU Health clinics on our campus and throughout the region. One year ago, we were all getting used to the temporary shift to virtual learning and trying to ensure that our student pharmacists received the clinical training they needed in the everchanging health care landscape. Over the last year, our student pharmacists have adapted, persevered, and risen to the challenge, earning national and state accolades, as well as completing service hours that could easily fill this entire magazine. And our faculty have been unstoppable, continuing their important research, teaching, and service missions. One year ago, we were still meeting virtually and avoiding group gatherings to keep one another safe. So how sweet it was to be able to gather again on May 6, 2021, when Gatton College of Pharmacy hosted the first in-person commencement ceremony in more than a year at ETSU. The hooding and commencement looked a bit different this year with masks and other safety protocols in place, but those minor inconveniences did not diminish the joy we experienced celebrating together. The day also was bittersweet as we commemorated the life of Dr. Brian Odle, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, who passed away on February 15, 2021. Hearing the stories of the impact he has made on our programs and students was truly a testament to his legacy at Gatton. My hope is that as you revisit these stories from the last year, you will be reminded that adversity does not define us. Instead, we are defined by the momentous ways in which we have overcome adversity. I am so proud of our Gatton family, and I look forward to what lies ahead for us. Thank you for your commitment to improve the lives of your patients and communities. Please stay in touch.
Debbie Byrd, PharmD, MBA Dean and Professor
A SHOT OF
HOPE Pharmacists have always played an important role in disease prevention, and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored their key role in vaccinations and primary care, allowing them to practice at the top of their license as the profession continues to transform. Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy was instrumental in the vaccination of the Appalachian Highlands – from the first doses administered to health care workers to ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
ETSU Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic While the country was still eagerly awaiting the COVID-19 vaccine last November, ETSU Health leaders began having conversations about how the university could be part of the vaccine administration efforts in our region.
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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Scan to watch ETSU Health impact
The result of those conversations was the ETSU Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic, which began in March 2021. As of August 2021, the clinic had administered more than 2,200 vaccines throughout the community. “Our approach from the beginning was for ETSU Health to provide the vaccine in ways that other providers were not doing, such as offering vaccine clinics after hours and on weekends,” said Dr. Adam Welch, Associate Dean for Assessment and Academic Affairs and Associate Professor at Gatton College of Pharmacy. “We offered the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine, which was appealing to many people because it only requires one dose. We also had interpreters and materials printed in Spanish so that the information about the vaccine was more accessible to a greater number of patients.” Welch and Dr. Leigh Johnson, a physician who at that time served as director of ETSU’s COVID-19 Response, were awarded a $1.1 million sub-award contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tennessee Department of Health to establish the ETSU Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic. With help from ETSU administration, facilities, the health sciences colleges, and the Washington County Health Department, Welch and Johnson organized and opened the first ETSU Health vaccine clinic at ETSU’s Millennium Center.
Dozens of students, faculty, and staff from ETSU’s health sciences colleges volunteered hundreds of hours to distribute the vaccine. “These clinics have been a masterful display of interprofessional, team-based care,” Welch said. “You can see that health care team in action during our clinics when you have a combination of students and faculty taking care of the same patient in different parts of the process – from providing education to preparing and administering the vaccine to observing the patient for any adverse effects.” The ETSU Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic continued to find ways to reach a broader audience, including hosting vaccine clinics in ETSU’s D.P. Culp Student Center during new student orientations throughout the summer. In addition to its on-campus clinics, ETSU Health partnered with Ballad Health and First Tennessee Development District’s Take a Shot on Life campaign. This mobile vaccination campaign took the vaccines to area churches, festivals, and other locations to make them accessible and convenient to more people. “As we moved into the fall semester, ETSU Health continued to do their part to protect the health and safety of the region,” Welch said. “As for the role that Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy has played in these efforts, I continue to be impressed and even humbled by the eagerness of our students and faculty to do their part to fight the pandemic.”
“When we began, we were administering 200-300 vaccines at every clinic,” Welch said. “We had a wonderful response from our community.”
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EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
inaugural class, said the rural service component was a critical part of this event.
Community partnerships Community has always been part of Gatton College of Pharmacy’s DNA. Founded in 2005 from the community uniting in a common purpose to collectively raise up a pharmacy school to train student pharmacists of this region, it is no surprise that the college has continued to give back whenever possible and work with local community pharmacies. When COVID-19 hit, one of the first ways the college served was to help organize a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at First Baptist Church in Greeneville, Tennessee, on Saturday, March 6, helping administer over 500 vaccines in partnership with local independent community pharmacies Atchley’s Drug Center, Corley’s Pharmacy, and Corley’s Pharmacy Solutions, all located in the Greeneville area. The college volunteered over 150 hours at the Greeneville event.
Scan to watch community impact
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Dr. Emily Flores, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, said this event was both an incredible learning experience as well as service opportunity. “Our students are getting to work alongside those really impressive pharmacists and their teams while also helping this really important public health piece that pharmacists have come to the center of right now,” said Flores, who is helping to spearhead the college’s vaccination efforts in the community. Jonathan Brewster (’22), from Kingsport, helped triage patients as they came to the event. “There are a lot of people who come in who haven’t left their house in a year now and are really excited to get the vaccine and get some semblance of normalcy back, despite everything that’s going on,” said Brewster. “Just getting that vaccine out there and protecting the public has been a really good experience.” Dr. Jeff Ward, partner at Corley’s Pharmacy and a graduate in Gatton’s
“This is why I went to pharmacy school,” said Ward. “We want to help the people here.” Dr. Alan Corley, owner of Corley’s Pharmacy and Corley’s Pharmacy Solutions, helped organize the event and praised the role community pharmacies are playing in this pandemic.
Greeneville COVID-19 clinic stats: 150+ hours served
500+ vaccines administered
“Health care is kind of like government. The closer it is to the people, the better it works and the more effective it is,” said Corley, who has been a major supporter of the college since its founding in 2005. “Local community pharmacies are an important part of that. We get to know our patients, we know their families. . . . I think the trust we build up with our patients helps in an event like this. That may be another reason people would rather come to a local pharmacy or to this type of event where local pharmacies are because they know the people there guiding the process.”
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Student impact
low cost medical services for underserved patients or providing counseling for COVID-19 during peak crisis. Many of my patients said pharmacists were the only ones they could access easily over the phone for guidance.” “The Gatton spirit of community and service would follow me wherever I was called to help.” Dr. Jessica Brumit, who graduated in Spring 2021 and is currently completing an acute care PGY1 residency at Johnson City Medical Center (JCMC), made a huge impact on COVID-19 through a variety of ways.
Dr. Emily Flores (left), Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, and Dr. Jessica Brumit, who graduated in Spring 2021, help prepare vaccines at one of the first ETSU Health COVID-19 vaccine events.
ETSU student pharmacists and faculty fanned out across the region to vaccinate as many patients as they could, assisting with the administration of more than 29,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and volunteering over 2,500 hours in the community since December 2020.
Class of 2021 vaccinated 10,000+ patients The college served at independent pharmacies, grocery stores, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and health departments from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Hillsville, Virginia. Together, faculty and student pharmacists assisted in administering the vaccine, while students helped additionally by preparing and documenting doses of the vaccine. “When the COVID-19 pandemic first started, my first thought was 4
how can I help?” said Estefany Nunez (’22), of Brownsville, Texas. “From then on, I have been involved in COVID-19 vaccination efforts in community and independent pharmacies, with ETSU Health, and with local health departments in South Texas, Tennessee and Virginia. My roles included drawing up vaccines, vaccinating, counseling, and assisting patients in filling out vaccine forms.”
During an ambulatory care rotation at Holston Medical Group, she was able to help with transitions of care phone calls with COVID-19 positive patients.
Served 2,500+ hours in vaccine distribution “I helped make sure the patients understood their discharge instructions, checked on how they
Nunez traveled to Texas for spring break in March but could not return to Tennessee due to the pandemic. She said the state had one of the highest death rates because of a lack of resources to manage the pandemic. During the summer, she served as an intern in a community pharmacy as the pandemic raged in her hometown of Brownsville, Texas. “All my training in pharmacy school prepared me for this, such as utilizing interprofessional communication skills with local doctors to team up to provide
Estefany Nunez (‘22), of Brownsville, Texas, vaccinates a patient in her hometown.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
were doing, and ensured they were remaining in isolation,” said Brumit, who is from Elizabethton.
“ALL MY TRAINING IN PHARMACY SCHOOL PREPARED ME FOR THIS ...”
However, she also witnessed the devastation wrought by the virus.
- Estefany Nunez (’22)
“What stood out to me most in these interactions was the loneliness and isolation these patients were experiencing, making these often brief conversations still so valuable to these patients.”
supply at the POD without having vaccine expire. I helped manage our inventory from day-to-day to have sufficient vaccine on-site for each day’s clinic. Over the course of the month the POD was able to administer over 4,600 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Seeing the excitement on these vulnerable individuals' faces made this the most rewarding experience I have had thus far.”
Brumit said that while completing a critical care rotation at JCMC in November 2020, she was impacted both personally and professionally. “While I was personally focusing on non-COVID positive patients, I witnessed first-hand the severity of this illness and the toll it took on the interprofessional teams,” said Brumit. “I was inspired by the cohesiveness of the critical care team and the crucial role that my preceptor, Dr. Jennifer Tharp, played in the therapeutics for COVID positive patients.”
Assisted with 29,000+ COVID-19 vaccines Since that rotation, Brumit was able to volunteer at a few community pharmacies and at numerous ETSU Health vaccine clinics.
“Throughout all these experiences I have been most inspired by the joint effort of the organizations and individuals in our community,” said Brumit. “I hope to continue to contribute to this, along with others in our community, so we keep optimizing our health care.” Brumit hopes to complete a PGY2 in either critical care or cardiology with a long-term goal to practice in one of these specialties serving patients in the Tri-Cities region.
Scan to watch student impact
Her next rotation in January 2021 was at Franklin Woods Community Hospital and brought things full circle. “On my second day of rotation we began supplying the COVID-19 vaccine to Ballad’s first community Point of Dispensing (POD) for individuals 75+ years old,” said Brumit. “Throughout this rotation I was given the opportunity to manage the vaccine supply for the POD. A typical day began by evaluating the schedule to estimate the day’s demand. After preparing several batches in the morning, I would deliver the doses to the POD. This was repeated throughout the day while communicating closely with the POD leader and nurses to ensure we had adequate
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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Celebrating our 12th graduating class
The Class of 2021 at Gatton College of Pharmacy received their doctoral hoods on Thursday, May 6, in ETSU’s Mini-Dome, officially becoming part of the college’s 12th graduating class where 72 student pharmacists walked across the stage. This commencement and hooding ceremony was part of ETSU’s commencement weekend, which was expanded to four days to allow in-person ceremonies with health and safety protocols in place. These measures included required face coverings, limited attendance, physically distanced seating, enhanced cleaning protocols, and more. The commencement ceremonies were live-streamed for those unable to attend. Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy, thanked the graduating class in particular for the impact they made fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. “Never underestimate the difference you make as a pharmacist and let this past year always be a reminder of that,” Byrd told the graduates at the ceremony. Byrd also praised the graduates’ success in research, leadership, and their student organizations, which have led
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to multiple national honors. Members of the graduating class helped the college’s American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhAASP) Generation Rx committee become the most nationally recognized group in the country with four national wins, including the current national championship. The core mission of Generation Rx is to educate the community about prescription drug misuse. Other graduates helped the college’s APhA-ASP chapter earn national awards and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association earn Overall Chapter of the Year in 2019, in addition to nine other national honors. Dr. Brian Noland, ETSU president, addressed the graduates, noting their significant accomplishments both in the region and in national leadership positions within student organizations. “For more than a decade, students at Gatton College of Pharmacy have left their footprints on our university and beyond, focusing their efforts on the mission of our institution to improve the quality of life for the people of this region,” Noland said. “The Class of 2021 is part of that legacy of serving the underserved and improving health care in rural communities.” EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Jessica Brumit, president of Gatton’s Class of 2021, also spoke at commencement, thanking her fellow graduates, professors and preceptors. “We would not be here today without the help of others,” Brumit said. “To our faculty and staff who help make up our Gatton family, we cannot thank you enough. You taught us, celebrated us and took care of us. Thank you for always making Gatton a place that feels like home.” Two members of the class, Dawnna Elisabeth Metcalfe and Amber Nicole Seay, were recently inducted into the ETSU 1911 Society, which honors the university’s most distinguished graduates who embody ETSU’s original mission of improving quality of life for people of this region as exemplified through academic excellence, service and leadership.
Other awards included: the Gatton College of Pharmacy Patient Care Award to Miranda Adkins Green; the Gary Mabrey Community Service Award to Courtney Lauren Clarke; the Merck Award for Pharmacy Excellence to Rebecca Marie Maloney and David Rexford McWethy; the Viatris Institute of Pharmacy Excellence in Pharmacy Award to Parker Renee Wade; United States Public Health Services Excellence in Pharmacy Award to Austin Jackson Maynard; the Wolters Kluwer Health’s Fact and Comparisons Award for Outstanding Communication Skills to Mariah Ann Huskey; the Baeteena M. Black Leadership Award to Dawnna Elisabeth Metcalfe; and the Guy B. Wilson Jr. Leadership Award to Jessica Caroline Brumit.
In addition to the doctoral hooding, several individual awards were presented, including the Pharmacy Valedictorian Achievement Award recognizing the highestranking students in the graduating class including Jennifer Renae Bradley, Jessica Caroline Brumit, Amber Jordan Johnson, and April Marie Weaver. They all achieved perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
Scan to watch ceremony BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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Class of 2025 BY THE NUMBERS
1/3 attended ETSU
43% hold a
bachelor’s degree or higher
67% femaleof students Attended 39 different Class 2025 BY THE NUMBERS colleges and universities 33% male students
51% are from
43% hold a 14 states and bachelor’s degree 1/3 attended ETSU 1 U.S. territory or higher
Tennessee
67% students 82% female from this region 33% male students
51% are from
Attended 39 different colleges and universities
14 states and 1 U.S. territory
Tennessee
82% from this region 8
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
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Faculty news
Dr. Victoria Palau succeeded Dr. Brown as Vice-Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Retirements
Dr. Charles Collins served as Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has been with Gatton since its founding in 2005 and served as the founding Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, as well as senior faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has made numerous, impactful contributions to the college. Debi Frakes retired as Office Coordinator in the Office of Experiential Education. She has been at ETSU since 2001, serving in ETSU Alumni Services, Human Resources, and then Gatton College of Pharmacy since 2013. Annalisa Mills retired as Director of Experiential Operations. She joined Gatton College of Pharmacy in 2008. She has been with ETSU since 1993, serving as a Program Coordinator in the School of Continuing Studies' Office of Professional Development and in Quillen College of Medicine as both an Admissions Counselor and a Student Programs Coordinator.
Promotions The ETSU Board of Trustees recently promoted Pharmacy Practice faculty member Dr. John Bossaer to Professor.
Dr. John Bossaer
Dr. Nick Hagemeier
Dr. Stacy Brown
Dr. Brian Cross was named the full-time Director of Interprofessional Education in July and stepped down as Vice Chair of Pharmacy Practice. Dr. Nick Hagemeier, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, was named Interim Vice Provost for Research following the retirement of Dr. Bill Duncan at the end of the academic year. Dr. Stacy Brown began serving as Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences starting July 1. Dr. David Roane, founding Chair and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2006, stepped down and continues to serve as faculty. During his tenure as Department Chair, he made numerous and impactful contributions to the department and college.
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Dr. Victoria Palau
Dr. Larry Calhoun
News
Larry Calhoun, Dean Emeritus Dr. Calhoun was honored with a spot in the Chamber of Commerce (serving Johnson City, Jonesborough, and Washington County) Hall of Fame for his many contributions to the community, ETSU, and the Chamber. Siva Digavalli, Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Ummear Raza, a 3rd year Ph.D. student in Dr. Digavalli's lab, competed and was selected for the Graduate Student Research Grants program. He will receive a $1,000 award going toward his research and will earn recognition at the annual Graduate School Awards ceremony. Additionally, Ummear's original full-length research report that he co-authored with Dr. Digavalli was accepted for publication in the journal Psychopharmacology. KariLynn Dowling-McClay, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Dowling-McClay, with others in ETSU’s Center for Cardiovascular Risks Research, collaborated with researchers from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and other key academic partners across the state to create a statewide network to identify, develop and implement patient-centered approaches to improve quality of care and outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease. The UT-led research proposal received a $4.5 million grant over three years from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to lead the Tennessee Heart Health Network. In addition, she was awarded an RDC Major Grant for FY2022 titled “Comparing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Differing Models of Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception in Central Appalachia."
Dr. David Roane
Emily Flores, Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Flores accepted a 2022 American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy Program Committee appointment. EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Nick Hagemeier, Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Hagemeier was featured in an NPR story, “Former Walmart Pharmacists Say Company Ignored Red Flags as Opioid Sales Boomed,” about the opioid epidemic. In addition, he was chosen from ETSU along with one other individual (Dr. Chassidy Cooper from the Office of Equity and Inclusion) to participate in this year’s EAB Rising Higher Education Leaders Fellowship, a nine-month cohort-based experience which aims to build community, develop a depth of expertise in the topics and issues that matter most to institutional strategy, and provide focused professional skills development from EAB industry experts. David Hurley, Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Hurley has contributed two episodes on pharmacogenomics training at Gatton College of Pharmacy to the PGx for Pharmacists podcast series in the Pharmacy Podcast network. In the first episode, discussion focuses on the novel immersive PGx training in the first year for all students. In the second episode, evaluation of student attitudes about PGx training is discussed to show how the program is successful and adapting to change. Plans for more episodes are being finalized because of the interest in effective PGx education of student pharmacists. Available wherever you find your podcasts. All the links also are available on Dr. Hurley’s webpage at faculty.etsu.edu/hurleyd.
Sarah Melton
Brooklyn Nelson
Jessica Robinson
Sarah Melton, Professor and Vice-Chair, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Melton was elected to serve as one of three new officers on the 2021-2023 College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) Board of Directors. In addition, she was promoted to Vice-Chair in the Department of Pharmacy Practice.
programs providing COVID-19 vaccines to community pharmacies in the state. In addition, she was featured in the Pharmacy Times for her work at Mac's Pharmacy in Knoxville as part of the national Flip the Pharmacy initiative, which Gatton joined to help expand the pharmacy profession. Peter Panus, Professor Emeritus, Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Panus was inducted into the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences Hall of Fame.
Brooks Pond, Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research from Dr. Pond’s laboratory was featured on the cover of June's issue of Neurotoxicity Research. In addition, she was the commencement speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences. David Stewart, Vice Chair and Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Stewart will serve as an associate director of ETSU College of Public Health's Center for Cardiovascular Risks Research. The center aims to reduce cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors in Central Appalachia, while addressing the health disparities and health care inequities experienced by residents of the region Adam Welch, Associate Dean, Assessment and Academic Affairs Dr. Welch was awarded a $1.1 million sub-award contract from the CDC and Tennessee Department of Health to establish a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the university. He joined his co-investigator, Dr. Leigh Johnson, formerly of Quillen College of Medicine and former Director of ETSU COVID-19 response, in establishing the vaccine point of distribution that has served the university and the region as a whole.
Brooklyn Nelson, Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Nelson was named among the “40 Under Forty” by the Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA. Jessica Robinson, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice Dr. Robinson serves as director of the Tennessee CPESN COVID-19 Vaccine Federal Partner Program, one of 21 BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
The college welcomes its new Postgraduate Year 2 (PGY2) residents: Dr. Payton Tipton (’20), of Jonesborough, and Dr. Brittney Bright, of Knoxville. 11
Melton receives state award for service pharmacist and a certified trainer for naloxone education distribution in Virginia and Tennessee. “It is such an honor for my passion and work with our students and faculty at Gatton College of Pharmacy to be recognized with the Harold Love Outstanding Service Award,” said Melton. “The service we complete is part of our mission to improve health care, focusing on rural, and underserved communities.”
Impact Across the Appalachian Highlands In all of her roles as a health care provider, Melton has impacted patients and community members alike by seeking to improve the lives of those living with substance use disorders and reducing the prevalence of prescription drug misuse in Appalachia. Because of her experience working with the underserved in Appalachia, she has been appointed by the governors of Virginia and Tennessee to critical statewide commissions including the Virginia Taskforce on Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, and the Tennessee Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education. She served as board chair for One Care of Southwest Virginia for the past decade. During the past six years, Melton led legislative efforts on several successful prescription drug misuse-related bills. She also led efforts in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health to bring a Prescription Drug Misuse Education forum to 21 sites across the Commonwealth – reaching more than 4,000 prescribers and pharmacists.
Dr. Sarah Melton, Professor and Vice-Chair of Pharmacy Practice at Gatton College of Pharmacy, was awarded the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. She is one of five faculty/staff recipients across Tennessee’s higher education institutions to earn the service award. Melton is a dedicated pharmacist, researcher, educator, and community member. She serves as a professor at Gatton College of Pharmacy as well as a clinical pharmacist at the Johnson City Community Health Center, East Tennessee State University’s Center for Excellence for HIV/AIDS, and ETSU Health Internal Medicine. She is a board certified psychiatric and ambulatory care 12
In addition, Melton helped write “The Blueprint on Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse Prevention, Treatment, and Control,” a regional strategic planning document. Melton served on the Southwest Virginia Substance Abuse Treatment Planning Group (part of Virginia’s State Innovation Model planning grant). She developed a proposal for an innovative and ideal treatment provision for patients with chronic pain syndrome. She also led One Care’s efforts as a partner in the naloxone project REVIVE! and developed the Volunteer to Save a Life Naloxone Education and Distribution program in collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Health. Melton is very active in numerous community service outreach activities in the region including Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics. Over the past five years, thousands of laypersons and health care providers have been trained in naloxone rescue in the case of opioid overdose at 20 RAM events in the region. EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Her community service efforts have been recognized on the state and local levels. In 2014, she was awarded the Cardinal Health Generation Rx Champions Award by the Tennessee Pharmacists Association. This was followed by the Generation Rx Champions Award by the Virginia Pharmacists Association in 2015 and the National Generation Rx award in 2016. In May 2015, she received the Cup of Kindness Healthcare Hero Award in Community Service by the TriCities Business Journal. She was selected to receive the 2014-2015 Faculty Service Award from Gatton College of Pharmacy. In 2019 Melton and Dr. Lynn Williams were honored as Notable Women of ETSU.
‘Love is in the House’ The Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award is named for a prominent Nashville insurance salesman, Representative Harold Love Sr., who was elected to the General Assembly in 1968 and was known for his compassion and good humor. In 1991 he helped pass legislation to enable community service recognition programs for higher education students
Dr. Melton spoke on the "Role of Newer Antidepressants in Social Anxiety Disorder" at the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists 2021 meeting and her lecture was
and faculty/staff at the campus level and the award was later named in his honor. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was given the charge to develop rules and regulations by which to implement these programs for public and private two- and four-year institutions. A taskforce of institutional and board representatives is convened each year to review each proposal submitted by the campuses and to select the five student and five faculty/staff recipients. Each recipient receives a $1,000 cash prize. Love also served on the board of directors for the South Street Center and the Eighteenth Avenue Community Center. He graduated from Tennessee State University and was presented its Distinguished Alumnus Award. With the welfare of his community as his primary concern, Love would go to any lengths to help a constituent in need, even if it meant giving from his own pocket. That is why, whenever he was present during a session of the House of Representatives, it was said, “Love is in the House.”
turned into a work of art. Artist Julia Reich of Stone Soup Creative did a live graphical recording of five lectures at the event.
Art by Stone Soup Creative
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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Pond receives ETSU’s 2020 Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching Human Physiology course, a major foundational course for pharmacy students. In addition, Pond teaches pharmacology associated with several courses in the second and third years of the pharmacy curriculum. She has been selected four times as the Gatton College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year and was recognized by her college peers when she was named Outstanding Teacher in 2015. ETSU presented the 2020 Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching to Dr. Brooks Pond, Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The award was presented at the annual Faculty Convocation in 2020, which was delivered in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pond joined Gatton College of Pharmacy as a founding faculty member in 2007. Over the past 13 years at ETSU, she has participated in didactic teaching of students within the College of Pharmacy and the biomedical science Ph.D. program. Pond’s teaching accomplishments have been recognized by both her students and her peers. For more than a decade, she has instructed and coordinated the
Each year, the Gatton College of Pharmacy graduating class selects a faculty member who has been most influential on their education to serve as a “faculty hooder” at graduation. Pond has received this honor six times, more than any other faculty member. Most recently, she was selected as a Teaching and Learning Peer Consultant by the ETSU Center for Teaching Excellence. “After 31 years in academia, and 17 as a department chair, I have rarely encountered a more gifted, conscientious and effective teacher,” said Dr. David Roane, Professor and former chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Her talent reveals itself in numerous ways, including clear-voiced
mastery of content, but most evidently in student engagement, where engagement means enticing students to grapple with complex material and stretch themselves beyond their customary effort.” In addition to her teaching, Pond contributes to the service and research missions at Gatton. She is an active researcher, opening her research lab to all types of students, including high school, undergraduate, pharmacy, and Ph.D. students. During her tenure, she has mentored 51 pharmacy students through research projects. The students routinely present at the Appalachian Student Research Forum, and starting in 2012, one of her students has received an award at this event every year. Two students received research fellowships to carry out a major project. Pond earned a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology at Centre College in 2000 and a Ph.D. in pharmacology and certificate in cell molecular biology at Duke University in 2004. She also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Dean awarded AACP honor In recognition of Dean Debbie Byrd’s years of service to the profession of pharmacy, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and the AACP Pharmacy Practice Section awarded her the Pharmacy Practice Section’s Anne Marie Liles Distinguished Service Award. “This truly is an honor to be recognized by my colleagues, and especially with an award named in memory of Anne Marie Liles,” said Byrd. “Anne Marie was my student, then fellow faculty member at Auburn, and she is missed.”
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EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Leadership transition Bishop retires after 43-year career at ETSU tenure and progressed through the faculty ranks, serving in administrative roles including Department Chair, Dean, and Assistant/Associate Vice President prior to becoming a vice president in 2005. While serving in various administrative roles, she continued to be a classroom teacher as well as a mentor for doctoral and graduate students. Upon Bishop’s retirement, the ETSU Board of Trustees approved a recommendation to name ETSU’s Interprofessional Education and Research Center (Building 60) “Bishop Hall” in her honor. Located on the V.A. campus beside Gatton College of Pharmacy, Bishop Hall is a primary teaching facility for students in ETSU’s health sciences programs and is a hub for the institution's interprofessional education and research activities.
Dr. Wilsie Bishop, Senior Vice President for Academics and Interim Provost, retired on June 30, 2021, after a 43-year career at East Tennessee State University. Bishop came to ETSU as a temporary faculty member in the College of Nursing in 1978. Since that time, she earned
“Nothing is more satisfying to me than to know that at the core of my administrative experiences I am a teacher who understands the responsibilities and challenges that the word ‘professor’ embodies,” Bishop said. “The value I place on the faculty role including teaching, research, and service has guided my decisions and actions these past four decades.”
McCorkle named Provost, Senior VP for Academics McCorkle comes to ETSU from the University of West Florida, where she spent the past 19 years, most recently as Vice Provost and Professor. She was named Interim Vice Provost in 2017 and assumed the role on a permanent basis the following year. McCorkle is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she earned a B.A. degree in English and was selected for Phi Beta Kappa. She later earned her J.D. degree from the University of Florida College of Law. Before joining UWF in a faculty role, she practiced criminal law as a prosecutor and defense attorney.
Following an extensive national search, Kimberly D. McCorkle, J.D. has been named as the new Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics at East Tennessee State University. She assumed this role in July, succeeding Dr. Wilsie S. Bishop. BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
“I am honored to join ETSU as Provost at such an important time in the university’s history,” McCorkle said. “As we move forward with our strategic visioning process, I am dedicated to supporting our outstanding faculty as we continue to focus on the mission of supporting student success while providing high quality academic programs and advancing our research contributions.”
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Student impact
Drug Take Back
Despite COVID-19, student organizations were able to find creative ways to continue serving their community and make a #GattonRxImpact. American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) and Student National Pharmaceutical Organization (SNPhA) assisted with Gatton’s vaccination efforts at Johnson City Medical Center, Holston Valley Medical Center, and Bristol Regional Medical Center. Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International (CPFI) and SNPhA took part in Operation Christmas Child to collect over 50 shoeboxes filled with supplies for children in need around the world. CPFI, along with Phi Delta Chi, participated in the Niswonger Easter Toy Drive collecting school and art supplies, games, toys, sippy cups, and more for Easter baskets that are given to patients at the children’s hospital to help brighten their hospital stay. CPNP hosted 12 virtual lunch and learn events that featured health care providers as well as patients who suffer from specific diseases. Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) chapter hosted 10 virtual lunch and learn events to teach students more about career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. Kappa Psi collected $150 worth of canned foods and vegetables, as well as rice, chips and some snack food for Bucky’s Food Pantry. The National Community Pharmacy Association (NCPA) collected numerous items to help women and their babies in need at the Hope House in Johnson City including diaper packs, shampoo, toothpaste, and formula. NCPA, SNPhA, and APhA Operation Substance Use Disorder, and the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) together helped collect items including laundry detergent bottles, flip-top plastic containers, coffee creamer containers, plastic orange juice containers for the ETSU Infectious Disease Clinic, and donations accepted for the Syringe Trade and Education Program. Phi Lambda Sigma purchased and constructed mechanical water filters for the Wine-to-Water filter building event to help provide families in third world countries with clean water.
1,600 1,600
Total Totalstudent student service servicehours hours 16
8.9 8.9Service Service
hours hoursper per student student
Despite the rain, student pharmacists and faculty made a big impact at the Drug Take Back event in partnership with law enforcement at sites across our region, collecting over 800 pounds of donations, nearly 30 pounds of which were high-risk, controlled substances. Donations included pharmaceutical ingredients, containers and labels, all of which were incinerated.
1,000+
Rural service hours EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
ETSU Generation Rx committee earns 4th national win
through a collaboration with Walmart, Inc., to expand the breadth and depth of this important initiative. “Through this new initiative, our student pharmacists will work in their communities to prevent misuse of prescription medication, break the stigma of substance use disorders (SUD), and support patients in recovery, while advocating for the profession of pharmacy,” added Melton.
Drs. Dawnna Metcalfe (’21) and Lauren Dickerson (’20) pictured doing naloxone training at Remote Area Medical Clinic in Grundy, Virginia, in 2019.
A student organization at Gatton College of Pharmacy has earned its fourth national win, honored for educating the community about prescription drug misuse. The college’s American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists Generation Rx committee was awarded the APhAASP National Generation Rx Chapter Achievement Award for 2019-2020. This is the eighth year in a row that the chapter has been recognized either nationally or regionally and the fourth time the chapter has been named winner in the category. Overall, ETSU Generation Rx has earned first or second runner-up or winner seven times and is the most nationally recognized Generation Rx committee in the country. In addition, Gatton's APhA-ASP chapter earned 2019-2020 Division AAA First Runner-Up for the Chapter Achievement Award. This marks the sixth year in a row that ETSU's chapter has been recognized nationally as either first or second runner up or winner in the Division AAA category against peer schools of the same size. The chapter also took home the OTC BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Medicine Safety 2019-2020 Region 3 Award. “I was beyond humbled to see ETSU win the Generation Rx National Award,” said Dawnna Metcalfe (’21), from Bluefield, Virginia, who served as the 2019-20 Generation Rx chair. “The 2019-2020 academic year was a busy one, and it’s so nice to see all the hard work pay off! Dr. Sarah Melton has created quite the successful leadership team for Generation Rx, and it’s truly been an honor serving our community alongside her.” Melton, Professor and Vice-Chair of Pharmacy Practice, has served as advisor for the Generation Rx committee since 2011. “Our Generation Rx patient care committee members continue to be change agents throughout the Appalachian region by increasing public awareness of prescription medication misuse and working closely with community partners to actively prevent overdose deaths by education about and distribution of naloxone,” said Melton. APhA-ASP Generation Rx is transitioning to a new name, Operation Substance Use Disorders,
During an awards ceremony streamed over social media and YouTube, Susan Dembny, 2020-2021 APhAASP Speaker of the House from the University of Houston, honored ETSU Generation Rx. “This chapter took the college’s mission to serve rural communities to heart and provided education to the patients and staff at rural medical clinics on responding to an opioid overdose,” said Dembny. “When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they refused to allow virtual learning to affect the impact Generation Rx could have.” Other service acts included providing naloxone education to first-year student pharmacists in the college; hosting a two-series meeting for Generation Rx student leaders in Tennessee and sharing resources to build up other chapters; giving 37 presentations; educating more than 2,300 people on naloxone and harm reduction strategies; and reaching more than 20,000 people on social media. “We are all immensely proud of our student pharmacists,” said Dr. Katelyn Alexander, Associate Professor in Pharmacy Practice and co-advisor for the college’s APhA-ASP chapter. “Their passion, dedication and leadership are inspiring to watch and support, and I am amazed by the impact these students continue to make in our community and region.” 17
National SNPhA honors At the recent Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) conference, Gatton College of Pharmacy's SNPhA chapter took home four national honors, including winning the National Scrapbook Competition. • Dr. Horace and Ethel Bynum Endowed Scholarship— Nitin Joshi ('23) • Rite Aid Endowed Scholarship— Estefany Nunez ('22) • National Scrapbook Competition— Jonathan Holan ('23) • 3rd Place, National Skills Competition—Iris Kamgue ('22) and Estefany Nunez ('22)
L-R: Jonathan Holan ('23), Nitin Joshi ('23), Iris Kamgue ('22), and Estefany Nunez ('22)
In 2020, McKayla Barker ('22) was awarded "Chair of the Year " for her work with Remember the Ribbon, which is devoted to HIV/AIDS
awareness. In 2019 the chapter earned Overall Chapter of the Year along with nine other national honors.
Cox Scholarship recipients Two student pharmacists at Gatton College of Pharmacy have earned the Mitch and Barbara Cox Pharmacy Scholarship, one of the college’s most prestigious awards. The scholarships provide $10,000 to each student and include mentoring with the scholarship founders, Mitch and Barbara Cox. Mitch, who has managed a successful business for more than 40 years, and Barbara, who is a former biology teacher, have supported the college since its founding and in recent years created the scholarship. This year, recipients of the Cox Scholarship are Jonathan Holan (’23), of Morristown, and Tabitha Sineath (’24), of Spring, Texas. “The scholarship is a huge investment not only in me as an individual but my dreams and plans for the future,” said Sineath, who moved with her family to Johnson City
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two years ago to pursue her Doctor of Pharmacy. “The opportunity to earn my MBA parallel to my PharmD is a huge benefit to my long-term goals. The mentorship is one thing I look forward to the most. Establishing and building on relationships is a key to fundamental success. I can’t wait to draw on the knowledge I will glean from their business and life experiences as I navigate my own journey.” Holan also is thankful for the scholarship, which will help him continue his goal to become a pharmacy informaticist. “It will help alleviate the financial burden of pharmacy school, which will allow me to further strive toward my goals,” said Holan. “My dream is to become an innovative pharmacist who can use business expertise, medical knowledge, and novel technology to support a practice that serves the underserved. Being that I am pursuing this unique path of informatics, I appreciate the mentorship that comes with this scholarship. It will allow me to find new opportunities and to form new connections, all while encouraging me to succeed in my professional pursuits. I am excited to grow and to learn with the help of my mentors, and their guidance will help steer me throughout my journey.”
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Free pharmacy dual enrollment class During COVID-19, many high school students transitioned to remote learning environments. In order to help continue inspiring the next generation of pharmacists, Gatton College of Pharmacy offered free dual enrollment classes for high school students across the region with a 3.0 high school GPA or above to learn more about the pharmacy profession and how to get into pharmacy school. The course continued this fall and there are plans to continue into the future. This course has been online and asynchronous—meaning students can participate whenever, wherever they want. “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and I believe many students feel the calling to make an impact in health care and help patients,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy. “Pharmacists serve on the front lines of health care, whether they’re in a community pharmacy, hospital, or research lab. We want to teach and inspire the next generation about this unique career in the health professions.” The course explores the 30+ career options students can experience in pharmacy at ETSU, how to apply to pharmacy school, financial aid options, student life on campus, a tour of Gatton College of Pharmacy, and a chance to chat with the college’s dean, Dr. Debbie Byrd. Virtual office hours were offered to meet with faculty and admissions. Learn more about how to sign up for the free high school dual enrollment class by emailing pharmacy@etsu. edu or calling 423-439-6338. BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Parton earns American Indian Graduate Center scholarship Student pharmacist Chandler Parton (’22), of Fall Branch, Tennessee, has earned a prestigious, meritbased scholarship from the American Indian Graduate Center. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Tribe. This is the second year in a row Parton has earned the $20,000 Science Post Graduate Scholarship from the American Indian Graduate Center. The scholarship provides financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree candidates to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research in and opportunities for careers with Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and BIEfunded organizations on and off reservation and tribal governments. “I am very proud to represent the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Tribe,” said Parton. “My ancestors have many characteristics that I try to maintain so that our culture is not lost or forgotten. This scholarship is important to me because it eases my financial burden and allows me to focus on my academics. Also, the scholarship gives me an opportunity to show my people that whatever dream you have is possible as long as you are dedicated and don’t give up.” Ultimately, Parton hopes to open an independent pharmacy in a rural area that serves the Native American population. “Upon receiving the reward, I felt blessed, but more importantly, I felt like I had my entire tribe supporting me to become successful,” said Parton.
Introducing AHEC scholars Six student pharmacists from Gatton College of Pharmacy have been accepted into the prestigious Tennessee Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars Program, an interprofessional training opportunity designed to develop a diverse, culturally sensitive health care workforce that is well equipped to offer quality care, particularly to rural and underserved populations. The ETSU student pharmacists, all members of the Class of 2022, are as follows: • Jacquelyn Crawford, Church Hill • Kristen Friend, Morristown • Martha Leigh Martin-Gibbs, Smithville
• Kaitlyn Phillips, Erwin • Kaitlyn Price, Church Hill • Sydney Tabor, Pikeville, Kentucky “We are so proud of these students for earning this honor,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy. “The AHEC Scholars Program is directly in line with our values and mission at the college to prepare progressive, teamoriented pharmacists who improve health care, focusing on rural and underserved communities. I look forward to seeing the impact these students make in their pharmacy careers in the Appalachian Highlands and beyond.” 19
New wellbeing initiative inspires competition
While there won’t be any flying Quidditch tournaments anytime soon, a new student wellbeing program at Gatton College of Pharmacy is inspired by the competitive house model from Harry Potter and designed to help students soar to new heights throughout their pharmacy career. The Gatton Wellbeing Program was created to foster mentorship, student leadership, and personal growth through a friendly year-long tournament and is one of the first—if not the first—college of pharmacy program of its kind in the world, modeled on the highly successful “learning community” model pioneered by the Vanderbilt School of Medicine. At Gatton College of Pharmacy, student pharmacists, faculty and staff are sorted into houses named after individuals who helped found the college in 2005 and compete for points throughout the year to win the coveted House Cup. The Class of 2025 was sorted as part of Gatton Ready, a new two-week orientation program. 20
Houses are as follows: • Bishop Bears, in honor of Dr. Wilsie Bishop, retired Senior Vice President for Academics and Interim Provost; • Calhoun Cougars, in honor of Dr. Larry Calhoun, founding Dean of Gatton College of Pharmacy; • Stanton Eagles, in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr.; and • Wilson Wolves, in honor of Drs. Debra and Guy Wilson, owners of Wilson Pharmacy. “The program models the importance of taking care of ourselves so we can best care for others,” said Dr. Nick Hagemeier, Director of Student Professional Development and Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Pharmacy Practice. “It’s undoubtedly a unique program among schools and colleges of pharmacy in the U.S.—and we’re just getting started!” While guided by faculty and staff advisors (Hagemeier; Steve Ellis, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs;
and Michele Graybeal, Student Life Coordinator), the program is primarily led by the Student Wellbeing Committee. They are a group of students dedicated to the development of programming that promotes all the different aspects of well-being and can notice the needs of the student body as they arise. “The importance of wellbeing cannot be overstated,” said Taylor Coston (’22), president of the committee. “As students in a high-pressure professional school environment, we become so focused on our academic performance that we often unintentionally neglect to take care of ourselves. This can lead to a whole slew of negative consequences, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, substance use, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Our hope is that this program can help provide students with the tools they need to invest in and protect their wellbeing, not only while they’re in school, but also throughout the course of their professional careers after graduation.”
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Alumni news
Class of 2013
Class of 2010
Two alums, Eric and Lucy Shell (’14, Adkins), married on Sept. 12, 2020.
Eric and Lucy Shell
Robert Monahan After a year serving in regulatory affairs, Robert Monahan accepted a Pharmacist-in-Charge position at Southland Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy in Manchester. He and his wife, Katie, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary this year. They live in Murfreesboro with their children Allison (11) and Marcus (9).
Jeremiah Jessee Jeremiah Jessee joined the faculty at High Point University School of Pharmacy. He just completed a PGY-2 in oncology pharmacy.
Class of 2012 Michael Gibson Michael Gibson, who serves as a staff pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy in Piney Flats, recently got a new puppy in December. He has twin daughters who are 6 years old and in first grade
Class of 2014 Chase Ballinger Chase Ballinger was named Field Grade Officer of the Year for the 22nd Medical Group.
Lucy Shell Lucy Shell served as Interim Executive Director of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association January-August 2021.
Major Joy Scott and Emily Sorah
Everlee on the left and Hadlee on the right, enjoying the playground at school.
Two members of this class, Major Joy Scott and Emily Sorah, presented to students at the college during the spring semester via Zoom on their career experiences. Scott talked about her career in the military as a pharmacist; Sorah spoke about working as a veterinary pharmacist.
Tyler Melton
Class of 2018
Tyler Melton joined the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science on the Knoxville campus. Most recently he completed Gatton's Pharmacy Practice Fellowship and also received his Master of Public Health from ETSU.
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
The first meeting of the newlyformed Gatton Alumni Council took place via Zoom in April. The purpose of the Council is for its members to receive important updates on the state of the college, as well as provide valuable feedback to Dean Byrd and the college leadership team. Alumni representing the classes of 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 were in attendance.
Anh Dinh A Gatton diploma means a lot to our alumni and employers, so much so that Anh Dinh earned her diploma (again) as a blanket for Christmas, a gift from her brother!
Class of 2020 Lauren Dickerson Lauren Dickerson, a PGY1 resident at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Indiana, recently published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association on the student pharmacist's perspective on medical cannabis.
Anes Karic and Sarah Ofori Two member of this class, Anes Karic and Sarah Ofori, spoke to students in the spring via Zoom about their fellowships. Anes is a Regulatory Pharmaceutical Fellow in Drug Information at Purdue University, Janssen, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ofori spoke about her fellowship in Global Medical Affairs through the Pfizer Pharmaceutical Fellowship in partnership with Rutgers Institute for Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships.
Class of 2021 James Elliott James Elliott got married on October 30, 2021.
Have news to share? Recently had a child and want a free “Future Pharmacist” bib? Share your good news and update your info at etsu.edu/ pharmacy/alumni!
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Pharmacy Plus creates new scholarship Recently, longtime Gatton College of Pharmacy benefactors David and Betty Jo Pesterfield signed a memorandum of understanding to create the Pharmacy Plus Community Pharmacy Scholarship and Travel Endowment. The fund was created by Pharmacy Plus to provide support for deserving Gatton student pharmacists with either scholarship funds or travel assistance to Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA) and/or National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) meetings. Also in attendance at the signing ceremony were local pharmacists, and Gatton supporters, Dr. Alan and Mary Lynn Corley and Dr. Eddie and Dot Rowe. “Betty Jo and I have always been passionate about supporting Gatton College of Pharmacy and its students,” said Pesterfield, “and this new endowment is a way for us to ensure that support continues for perpetuity. Words cannot express how thrilled we are to make this a reality.”
Pharmacy Plus was established in 1996 in Maryville by David Pesterfield, a wholesale drug industry professional. David recognized the marketplace pressures faced by independent community pharmacies and sought to use his expertise, insights, and professional relationships to address these challenges. According to David, Pharmacy Plus exists to give community pharmacies cost-effective access to the products, tools, people, and information needed to compete in today's health care market. He added that it has always been a goal of Pharmacy Plus to enhance professional development for Gatton student pharmacists. “We are very grateful for David and the work he has done for community pharmacies through Pharmacy Plus,” said Dr. Debbie Byrd, dean of the college. “We also greatly appreciate the new endowed fund that Pharmacy Plus has created. I am confident it will be a tremendous asset for our students for many years to come.”
National story on rural impact The college was featured in Academic Pharmacy Now for its mission to serve the rural and underserved. “We’re right in the thick of Appalachia, and we focus on the rural and underserved and improve lives of people in this region,” said Dean Byrd.
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Scan to read the story
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Honoring Dr. Brian Odle ETSU lost a dear friend this year— Dr. Brian Odle, who passed away on Feb. 15, 2021, at the age of 53. Dr. Odle, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, came to Gatton College of Pharmacy in 2007. His unique teaching style combined memorable storytelling with practical knowledge. Dr. Odle was loved by his students, as well as faculty and staff. Soon after his death, donations poured in from his family and friends, as well as faculty, staff, and students, to establish the Dr. Brian Odle Memorial Scholarship. To give, please visit this website honoring his life, which also includes photos, videos, obituary, and a link to his Kudoboard: www.etsu.edu/ pharmacy/honoring_odle.php. Dr. Jim Thigpen, who was one of many at the university who helped contribute to and found the Dr. Brian Odle Pharmacy Scholarship, spoke on ETSU’s Day of Giving about his relationship with Dr. Odle and why he supported the scholarship. “I knew Brian for nearly 25 years and we worked together as clinical pharmacists for about eight years early on in our careers,” said Thigpen. “I can honestly say I never worked with someone who impacted me on so many levels like Brian did. Every person who knew Brian loved him. He had that kind of impact on people.” The impact of Dr. Odle could be felt at Gatton's Hooding and Commencement ceremony, held in May. During her speech, Dean Debbie Byrd talked about the impact Dr. Odle had on the college as a whole.
BILL GATTON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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Scan to give to Dr. Brian Odle Pharmacy Scholarship
“He was often selected by graduates to serve as a hooder during commencement ceremonies,” said Byrd. “He also was a dynamic storyteller who inspired students in the classroom, on rounds, and at our annual Prescriptions for Success event for graduates.” Student speaker Dr. Jessica Brumit said that when she struggled with what to say for her speech, she found guidance from Dr. Odle, whom she proclaimed as “perhaps the greatest public speaker that Gatton has ever seen.”
Center as a clinical pharmacist, later becoming Director of Pharmacy at Indian Path Medical Center. Dr. Odle was an active member of Bible Way Baptist Church in Kingsport. Survivors include his loving wife of 26 years, Kim Odle; son, Luis Odle; daughters, Jessie and Maggie Odle; brother, Chad Odle; aunt, Kay Kelly and husband Pete; father and mother-in-law, Lynton “Bud” and Jewell Vanzant; sister-in-law, Tracy Vanzant; cousins, Junior, Ward, Don, and Jeff Pritchard, and Melinda Belew; along with a host of friends and extended family.
“I was inspired by Dr. Odle’s four Ps to success that he shared with the Class of 2019, which are Preparation, Planning, Practice, and Performance,” said Brumit. She went on to model her speech around the four Ps and talk about how the Class of 2021 utilized them to success. Those four Ps were crafted into a lapel pin that graduates received as a gift from the P3 class at the college's annual Awards Ceremony. Dr. Odle graduated from MTSU in 1990 with a degree in Biology. He then received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee, Memphis, in 1994. Dr. Odle completed a pharmacy practice residency at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, before making Kingsport his home in 1996. He worked at Johnson City Medical 24
Kudoboard honoring Dr. Odle.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Thank you to our 2020-2021 donors* Donors from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021
Anonymous Donors Yaritza and Carlos Abdelnour Katelyn Alexander Bridget and Renfro Baird Janet Banks Bible Way Baptist Church Magdalena Bielski Wilsie and Paul Bishop Amanda Blair Carol and Chester Blankenship Melanie and Landon Blinn Harry Boling Holly Booth John and Larissa Bossaer Lelia Bradshaw Stacy and Patrick Brown Jessica Brumit Whitney Bryson Jessica and Darrin Burchette Debbie and Robert Byrd Rhett and Abby Byrne Larry and Kathryn Calhoun Chick-fil-A at Innovation Park Plaza William Clark Cheri and John Clavier David Cluck Timothy Coffey Timothy and Teresa Coleman Sara Colen Charles and Frances Collins Betty and Joel Conger Corley's Pharmacy Maria Costa Kelly and Chad Covert Joe and Barbara Cox Leonard Cross and Patricia Amadio Susie Crowe
Marion Crowell CVS Health Foundation Thomas and Shelia Davis Sivarao Digavalli and Neeta Mehrotra Kimberly Dykes Eastman Credit Union Steve and Patricia Ellis Marsha Fandl Darrell Fowler Karen Franklin Christa George and Chris Wood Don Granger Michele and Hunter Graybeal Victoria and Dana Grist Benjamin Gross Larry Grubb Nicholas and Molly Hagemeier Lauri and Steven Hale Courtney Hall Rachel Hargreaves Sara Haynes McKenzie and Akiah Highsmith Jonathan Holan Joy Hurley Miranda Hurley James Hurst Jesse Stuart Foundation, Inc. Lou Johnson Ann Jordan Jaclyn and Andrew Kempf Jerry and Kay King John and Keyla King K-VA-T Food Stores Inc Linda Larkey Jerry and Sarah Lawson Ed and Elinor LeClaire
Heather and Stephen Levesque Kalen Lewis William and Bonnie Lewis Carmen Linne Steven Lohoff Bobby and Burma Lotts James Louden Gary and Jackie Mabrey Scott Marmo and Kimberly Chapman Elizabeth McDade Brenda and Johnny McInturff Sarah Melton Brian and Melinda Messick K and D Metzger Michael S Snyder Trucking Mooney's Pharmacy Kathryn Mueller Claire and Minh Nguyen Scott and Nikki Niswonger Christopher Norris Northeast Tennessee Independent Pharmacy Coalition LLC Kim Odle Olde Towne Pharmacy, Inc. Victoria Palau Peter and Leslie Panus Robert and Suzanne Parkerson Margaret and Ted Pate Angela Perhac Amy and James Perkins Courtney Pitre Brooks and David Pond Ashana Puri Tabitha Ragland Chelsea Renfro Peter and Sandra Rice
James Richardson James and Dorothy Riley Peggy Riner Emily Ritchie Kim Roberts Kelly and David Rogers Marci Russum Lori Sandt Nancy and Paul Scherrer Aaron and Grete Scott Shamrock Real Estate Lucy and Eric Shell Dillard and Shirlene Sholes Paige Sholes Lindsey Slusher Holly Small Mary and Anthony Smallwood Jeffrey Sondergaard David and Hillary Stewart David Swift Barbara Sylvester Anita and Michael Taylor The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County James and Dawn Thigpen Christan and Joshua Thomas Town & Country Realty Garry and Linda VanZant Tracy Vanzant Rita Vestal Walgreens Fran and Barry Weiskopf Adam and Kimberly Welch Joseph White Michele Williams Suzanne and Todd Williams Tracy and Robert Wright Michelle Wrobleski
East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone 404-679-4500, or http://www.sacscoc.org, for questions about the accreditation of East Tennessee State University. East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE),135 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 4100 Chicago, IL 60603-4810, 312/664-3575, fax 312/664-4652, website www.acpe-accredit.org. The ACPE accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites. East Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by ETSU. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Compliance Coordinator, PO Box 70271, Johnson City, TN 37614, 423-439-8544. ETSU’s policy on non-discrimination can be found at: etsu.edu/universitycounsel/compliance. ETSU is an AA/EEO employer. ETSU-GCP-14-22 4600
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