By: Davidta Brown, Copy Editor [Content-focused]
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On February 10th, the Beta Delta chapter of Rho Chi Society granted membership to a new class of students; 52 fourth year pharmacy, fifth year pharmacy, and Ph.D. students from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences were inducted in a simple and elegant ceremony in Whitestone, Queens.
Despite the beautiful formality of the venue, the atmosphere of the night was relaxed – one of spending time in the company of family and friends. Inductees and guests wandered into the restaurant’s ballroom, where they were able to mingle with peers and congratulate one another. After all the inductees and their guests arrived and had been seated, the President of the 2014 Beta Delta chapter, Tyler Valente, encouraged the new inductees to see the pins that they would receive as symbols of a renewed commitment to the value of academic excellence celebrated by Rho Chi. He encouraged inductees to strive to be even better, to do even more than they had done before induction, and in so doing, they would continually prove themselves worthy of their membership.
Dean DiGate spoke to the inductees and guests next, welcoming them to the evening and reflecting on the importance of recognizing students for their admirable achievements. Current Provost of St. John’s, and former Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Mangione, provided the Keynote Address. Provost Mangione offered words of wisdom to the inductees, encouraging them to remain steadfast and true to the core values and principles that had brought them success thus far.
The induction ceremony concluded with each inductee being called individually to receive their Rho Chi pin and Certificate of Membership. After everyone had gathered in the center of the large room, the crowd of inductees took the pledge to live up to the principles and values of Rho Chi. The 2015-2016 Executive Board of the Beta Delta chapter was then introduced, and they took their own pledge of commitment to their positions.
In all, it was an evening of old and new, of tradition and change. Dedication to the timed-tested principle of academic excellence was celebrated in yet another annual ceremony, and a brand new group of individuals was honored for their commitment.
Statements from the 2015 Executive Board – Elect of the Beta Delta Chapter:
Michael Bosco, President:
“It is a huge honor to become a member of Rho Chi. As I get inducted not only as a member, but as President of the Beta Delta Chapter for the upcoming year, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride. Continuing the mission and advancing the goals of Rho Chi is important to me, and I intend to do so by reaching out to new students that may not be aware of Rho Chi. I would also love to incorporate our ideals and mission with other pharmacy organizations and collaborate in order to include more of the students here in the pharmacy program.”
Lina Lin, Vice President:
“My strategic plan for Rho Chi is to foster the intellectual and professional excellence of our esteemed members at St John’s University – the very students who will become the future leaders in the world of pharmacy. As Vice-President, I aim to diversify the opportunities for development by including informative programs that increase awareness of current issues facing pharmacists, meetings that elucidate cutting-edge innovations in the field, and workshops that help cultivate new skills. I hope that in upholding the spirit and fundamental objectives of the national organization, our Rho Chi Society chapter will stimulate talented members to advance and expand the horizons of the pharmacy profession.”
Julia Kamuda, Treasurer:
“I would like to congratulate all Rho Chi inductees on this prestigious accomplishment. My goals as an executive board member are to reach out to all pharmacy students and to encourage academic excellence, pharmacy leadership, and service to others. Our executive board is working to facilitate programs and events to give students in their earlier years of pharmacy an idea of what to expect for the rest of their time at St. John’s University and in the profession. In this respect, I hope to encourage them to work hard, get involved, and aspire to become a member of this great Society.”
Jessica Langton, Secretary:
“I’m very excited to be a part of the executive board. Along with the rest of the executive board, I expect to play an active role in promoting service and learning within the pharmacy profession, through participation in events. My role as Secretary will allow me to improve and expand communication among students, faculty, and the community.”
Davidta Brown, Historian:
“The privilege of being inducted into Rho Chi and selected to serve on the 2015 Executive Board is not lost on me. I look forward to working with my accomplished and very deserving fellow executive board members to provide a variety of career and professional development opportunities through Rho Chi. Every student who has been inducted into Rho Chi has shown great dedication, perseverance, and potential. I plan to use my position to help to build on these great qualities as we all prepare to take our places as great healthcare providers of the future.”
Zachary Piracha, Media Relations Coordinator:
“As the Media Relations Coordinator, I look forward to carrying on the visions and goals of our chapter, and to be able to represent what it means to be in Rho Chi. We are a group of dedicated members and classmates that can drive our chapter forward. The current executive board helped win our chapter two national awards. I am really looking forward to advancing our chapter even further by collaborating with them and our new class of inductees.
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