Jessika Tatarian, BS in Pharmacy - Class of 2021

Source: LAU Now – Honoring the Class of 2021 – Issue #2

Throughout my five years at the LAU School of Pharmacy (SOP), I have made healthcare awareness and health promotion my priority. I was president of the NAPHASS student pharmacy club for two consecutive years, and I am so grateful for the school’s support along the way and for helping me find and preserve my passion for the pharmacy profession.     

I was driven to promote healthcare on campus by organizing more than 25 events in total, including mental health awareness with IDRAAC NGO, breast cancer awareness event with Barbara Nassar Foundation, diabetes awareness with DiaLeb, and COVID-19 awareness conferences with Dr. Jad Abdallah, among others.

In May 2020, we won an award for being the “Most Active in Health Awareness” among other clubs at LAU. This was the first time the club won such an award, and it was an honor for me.

In the aftermath of the Beirut explosion, I could not just stand and watch when help was desperately needed, so I initiated a fundraising campaign whereby, along with a group of fellow pharmacy students, we were able to help six affected families secure three-months’ worth of medications. We also managed to collect more than 200 medical supplies for the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital.

At LAU, I developed fundamental leadership and teamwork skills that further enhanced my passion for health awareness. I am forever grateful and proud to be an LAU SOP alumna. I cannot find the words to thank my alma mater for building the person I am today and heightening my passion for public health from a pharmacist’s perspective.

I am a firm believer in the famous saying, “Be the change you want to see in this world.” I wake up every day with the excitement and passion to expand my knowledge and positively impact the health of others.