Lucy West, BHS’15, PharmD’16, was recently elected National President-elect of American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists. The pharmacy major is also involved with four other organizations on campus: Phi Lambda Sigma, Massachusetts Pharmacists Association, Northeastern University Dance Company and Bouvé College of Health Sciences Ambassadors. Here’s a snapshot of West’s outstanding leadership profile and experiences at Northeastern.

1. Northeastern Chapter of American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists: West was recently elected national president-elect of this association, a position that involves service and leadership for approximately 34,000 student pharmacist members across the country. Last year she also served as a regional officer as the Region 1 member-at-large. Members are active in the community through outreach programs and advocate for the future of the pharmacy profession. “One outreach program—Generation Rx—involves educating the community on the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs,” West explained. “We are involved in the community in several different ways, but are also involved in professional growth and are passionate about how we can better the profession in the future.”
2. Phi Lambda Sigma, the Pharmacy Leadership Society: West helped plan Phi Lambda Sigma’s first inter-professional leadership retreat last year, an event in which students and faculty from a variety of disciplines were invited to participate in team building exercises. The chapter plans to make the retreat an annual event in the future.
3. Massachusetts Pharmacists Association: West worked with the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association this year to plan the Face of Pharmacy Day. Students and faculty from colleges and universities across Massachusetts went to the Statehouse to urge legislators to adopt legislation that would recognize pharmacists as healthcare providers, allow qualified pharmacy interns to administer immunizations, and regulate pharmacy audits. “Northeastern definitely had the biggest presence there, which I was very happy and proud about.”
4. Northeastern University Dance Company: Before she arrived on campus, West had danced competitively for 15 years. At Northeastern, she joined NUDANCO as a way to bring this passion for dance back into her life. “It was an amazing decision because dance is so different from pharmacy, and it allows me to de-stress and relax for a couple of hours a week.”
5. Bouvé Ambassador: Bouvé Ambassadors, housed under the Bouvé Office of Student Services, are students who meet with prospective students, as well as their parents, who are interested in programs offered through the Bouvé College of Health Sciences. West said it’s been rewarding to connect with prospective Huskies and share with them her experiences and the opportunities she’s been afforded at Northeastern. “We have Welcome Days, do a phone-a-thon to call accepted students to answer questions they might have, and tell them about how amazing Northeastern and Bouvé are.”