Second-year pharmacy student Maria Newlon receives national scholarship

Second-year pharmacy student Maria Newlon receives national scholarship

Maria Newlon, a second-year student in the College of Pharmacy, is one of only 21 student pharmacists from across the country selected to receive the CVS Health/AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity award. According to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the $20,000 scholarship supports students who will "advocate for the needs of patients, the profession and the public, both within and outside health care settings."

An active member of the NEOMED community, Newlon is P2 NEOMED Student Council Representative, a peer mentor, an academic tutor, and member of Phi Lambda Sigma, APhA and NCODA. She currently holds two internships at CVS Health and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. In her spare time, she is also a high school cheerleading coach!

"This award means the world to me, and I am deeply honored to be selected as a recipient," Newlon said. "As an employee of CVS Health for over 3 years now, I am grateful for their generous support and belief in me as a future pharmacist. Their partnership with AACP, a national pharmacy organization that promotes advocacy, collaboration and professional development, truly shows how dedicated current members of the pharmacy field are to supporting future leaders. This scholarship will open doors to educational opportunities, reduce financial stress, and allow me to make a smoother transition into the workforce. It signifies a movement towards a system where everyone can thrive, which is what I hope to foster as a future health care provider."

Applicants were asked to describe their vision for improving health care through advocacy in the future. In her response, Newton shared:

"My message to anyone listening is that you have a voice to be heard. As health care professionals, we are important, we are influential and we are powerful. We have such a unique opportunity to be the change we want to see in our system. My vision or hope for our health care system is that we create an environment where patients are not afraid to seek care. I want to see a system where doctors, pharmacists, nurses, etc. are not only providers but advocates for their patients' needs."