New student award to support diversity in pharmacy education and practice

Rexall supports Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy with annual financial award for Black and Indigenous students

A new annual award for undergraduate pharmacy students at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (LDFP), made possible by a gift from Rexall, will contribute to a more diverse and inclusive pharmacy education program and profession.

The Rexall ICARE Award for Black and Indigenous Students will support self-identified Black or Indigenous students at the LDFP who exemplify Rexall’s values of integrity, customer-first, accountability, respect and excellence.

“In our pharmacies, we want to reflect the communities that we serve and ensure that members of the Black and Indigenous communities have opportunities to grow and advance,” says Tracy Paulo-Brown, Director of Talent Attraction and Diversity at Rexall. “By providing this award, we want to contribute to dismantling systemic barriers so that people can continue to grow and aspire within their careers.”

The LDFP has taken several steps recently to encourage Black and Indigenous students and improve their experiences at the Faculty, including changes to the admissions process and creation of endowed student awards.

Rexall donated $15,000 to the LDFP to establish the new award, which will provide $3,000 annually to a student who demonstrates the ICARE values and has financial need.

“The support of our generous donors like Rexall enables us to provide critical funding for Black and Indigenous students at our Faculty and to recognize their outstanding achievements,” says Susan Drodge, Director of Advancement at the LDFP. “This award will contribute to a more diverse student population and create more equitable learning experiences for all students, helping us prepare the best pharmacists of tomorrow.”

Paulo-Brown said Rexall looked at how to make a difference within the community and also build diverse talent in the company’s workplaces by hiring more Black and Indigenous pharmacists. “We want to contribute to that ecosystem and create opportunities for individuals at Rexall, and ultimately continue their careers,” she says.

The award will be given to a student in Year 2, 3 or 4 of the undergraduate pharmacy program, with the first award planned for the fall of 2022.

“Students are our future,” says Paulo-Brown. “Especially for Black and Indigenous students, we want to help create that financial freedom when it comes to pursuing their career dreams of becoming a pharmacist.”