When Tim Slone was completing his graduate studies at the USC College of Pharmacy, in 1984 he never imagined his degree would lead him to a long and successful career in the pharmaceutical industry.
“Who would have thought that I could find all this success by attending a career fair when I was a student in the College of Pharmacy,” he says.
Slone, who earned his master’s degree in pharmacology, shared his story with Ph.D. students and faculty as part of the college’s “Back to Carolina” series.
In welcoming Slone back to the college, Michael Wyatt, chair of the department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, noted that many graduates have pursued fascinating careers across diverse specialties.
“Distinguished alumni are invited back to share their journeys with our faculty and current graduate students,” Wyatt says. “These are graduates who can share their rich knowledge with the College of Pharmacy.”
Who would have thought that I could find all this success by attending a career fair when I was a student in the College of Pharmacy...
Slone’s career has taken him through a wide array of pharmacy companies including Eli Lilly, Bisvail, GSK, Shire/Takeda, Ipsen, Novavax and ultimately, the establishment of his own consulting firm. Throughout his career, he has helped to launch new drugs into the marketplace through a variety of positions including sales, marketing, finance, risk management and global compliance.
Slone advised students to always consider the balance between strategy and tactics and to not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone.
“Take on those challenging assignments because you grow when you get challenged,” he says. “The opportunities are out there. You just have to take advantage of it.”
Topics: Graduate Programs, Alumni