Pharmacy Alums Meet Up to Network, Learn
3 Events – 2 in California and 1 in Texas – Draw Alumni Participation in 2 States
Alumni from the College of Pharmacy are taking every chance available to come together to network and reminisce, joining three times across three months at points both near and far from the Touro University California campus.
Three College of Pharmacy alums reconnected Aug. 3-7 at the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists' 2023 Diabetes Conference in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Veronica Madrigal (Class of 2020), Dr. Brigitte Ouabo (Class of 2016), and Dr. Clipper Young (Class of 2014) were joined at the conference by Daniel Klein (MSPAS/MPH Class of 2022).
Networking in Touro’s Backyard
Dr. Eryn Whitaker (Class of 2009) hosted a meetup for College of Pharmacy Alumni in the area on Sept. 13 at Ruhstaller Farm in Dixon.
Also present were Dr. James Scott, Dean of the College of Pharmacy; Dr. Shane Desselle, Associate Dean at the College; Young; Newman Hoffman, Vice President and Interim Chief Executive Office for the University, and Glen Faison, Alumni Engagement Director for the University.
Whitaker hopes to host a similar gathering sometime next spring.
Preliminary plans call for a regional meetup each spring and fall, dependent largely on the response from the area's program alumni.
There are approximately 350 College of Pharmacy alums within about a 90-minute drive from the Dixon venue.
Making Connections in Long Beach
Dr. Scott hosted a reception Oct. 13 during the 2023 California Society of Health-System Pharmacists Seminar in Long Beach.
More than a half-dozen of the program's alumni attended the reception along with 16 Doctor of Pharmacy candidates with the Class of 2024, faculty members, and guests.
The Alumni included Ouabo, Dr. Jessica Chen (Class of 2017), Dr. Emily Duong (Class of 2023), Dr. Amy Luu (Class of 2023), Dr. Amrinder Bhandal (Class of 2023), Dr. Jaspal Singh (Class of 2023), Dr. Michael Wong (Class of 2016), Dr. Veronica Madrigal (Class of 2020), and Dr. Bryan Okereke (Class of 2020).
Ouabo, who also serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, says she uses personal time off that's available to her each year to attend the CSHP seminar – and is happy to do so.
"Every year, I invest my own money and personal time to attend the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists' annual seminar. Why, you ask? Well, the truth is, I don't have all the answers, and I'm not sure where this journey will lead," Ouabo says. "But one thing I'm certain of is that I'm investing in myself, in knowledge, building valuable relationships, and having an absolute blast along the way."
"In the end, I believe it will all pay off," Ouabo says. "Sometimes, the path to success isn't always clear, but I'm committed to growth, learning, and making a difference in the world of pharmacy, all while having such fun!"