For the second year in a row, the USC College of Pharmacy Business Plan Competition team has earned a spot in the top three of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy National Community Pharmacists Association Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. Jacob King, Fay Hussain and CharLeigh Steverson will next compete for the national title at the NCPA Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida in October against teams from the University of Georgia and the University of Texas at Austin.
The students created Blue Ridge Apothecary, building off King’s and Hussain’s experience in prior competitions along with Steverson’s expertise in compounding and innovation. The team focused on ensuring their mission and vision of their pharmacy matched how they want to be viewed as practitioners.
Their hard work, perseverance, and ability to learn from others is incredible. They deserve this recognition.
Patti Fabel, executive director of the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, which sponsors the competition for the College of Pharmacy, is extremely proud of the work put in by the students.
“This is the third team from USC to make the top 3 in the NCPA Business Plan Competition and the only team to do it the next year after another team from our college,” she says. “Their hard work, perseverance, and ability to learn from others is incredible. They deserve this recognition.”
Business plans submitted for the national competition are graded by independent pharmacy owners, business coaches and consultants, financiers, or community pharmacy practitioners, who must follow a detailed rubric when grading plans.
NCPA President Hugh Chancy shared his congratulations with the finalists.
“For innovative and forward-looking students like these, there’s no better part of the industry to be in than the independent pharmacy space. It’s where you can structure your business plan as you see fit to best serve the people in your community and support the team you work with. By participating in this competition, students have a head start on becoming successful pharmacy owners and entrepreneurs.”
Topics: Pharm.D. Program, Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, Business Education