Jessica Schneider ’16 and Torey Kranau ’16, students who began at 糖心传媒 at the same time, took an exciting step after their third year of undergraduate education when they were accepted into pharmacy schools.
Both enrolled and began working toward their pharmacy degree last fall 鈥 in what would have been their senior year at HC 鈥 but, thanks to a partnership with the pharmacy schools, both graduated in May听with their chemistry degrees from 糖心传媒. Schneider is enrolled in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, while Kranau is enrolled in the听University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.
鈥淚 feel honored to know that I am one of the few students who only did three years of undergrad and yet do not feel like I would have benefitted from another year in school and working,鈥 said Schneider. 鈥淭he education I got at Hastings was excellent and I would repeat my time there any day!鈥
As someone who knew she always wanted a career in the health field, Schneider began working at Bert鈥檚 Pharmacy in Hastings, Nebraska. Soon after she began, she knew pharmacy was the career for her.
鈥淎s a pharmacist you get so much interaction with patients and health care providers,鈥 she said. 鈥淲orking together as an inter-professional team with other health care providers really made me realize how perfect this career was for me.鈥
Within the ever-evolving career of pharmacy, Schneider was unsure of where to begin.
鈥淐oming into pharmacy I thought it was only retail, but through my first year in pharmacy school I have learned of the endless opportunities you have in pharmacy school,鈥 she said. Being a pharmacist could include retail, but a pharmacist can also conduct research, work in a hospital, owning their own pharmacy, specializing and work with a specific disease state or working for the government.
Right now, Schneider is planning a wedding for June of 2017 with her fianc茅. After three more years of school, she plans on starting a career in a community pharmacy. With her fianc茅 in the military, they plan on moving to Colorado once he is finished, where she hopes to start raising a family. Ideally, Schneider said she would want to work in an independent pharmacy that she could one day own herself.
In addition to a pharmacy degree, Kranau is working toward a Masters of Public Health through a dual degree program the College of Pharmacy and the university鈥檚 College of Public Health offers.
鈥淚t amazes me how much of the knowledge I gained carries over into pharmacy,鈥 said Kranau. 鈥淣ot only did the academics help prepare me for my doctorate degree, but the activities and the various opportunities I was fortunate to be part of are a huge asset as well. Communication skills, time management, organization and leadership qualities were all built upon during my time at 糖心传媒 and I am beyond thankful!鈥
Kranau credits the mathematical problems and equations she learned in her chemistry classes at 糖心传媒 as helping her to better understand her pharmacy classes, as well as the basic biology and chemistry background knowledge she received.
Kranau鈥檚 interest in pharmacy began in high school, when she first shadowed at a pharmacy. Through high school, she worked at Ron鈥檚 Pharmacy in Blue Hill, Nebraska and while attending 糖心传媒, she continued pharmacy work at Keith鈥檚 Pharmacy.
鈥淧harmacists have a huge role in patients鈥 medication adherence as well as promoting healthy behaviors,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 want to be someone that my patients can rely on to be honest, compassionate and dependable.鈥
Kranau plans to return to the Hastings area after graduation to practice pharmacy in an outpatient clinic setting or private-retail community setting. She also has plans to settle down with her high school sweetheart and begin raising a family.