The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Student Chapter at Ohio Northern University’s Raabe College of Pharmacy was recognized with a number of honors, including being named the 2014 Student Chapter of the Year, at the 116th NCPA Annual Convention and Trade Exposition in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 19.

The award criteria included commitment to community service, recruiting new members, promoting independent community pharmacy and advocating legislative action. The first runner-up was Auburn University, and the University of Texas at Austin was the second runner-up.

“I am very proud of our ONU NCPA pharmacy students’ recognition for being a top notch student chapter.  We were blessed with a hardworking, cohesive executive team last year. Their national awards are a testament that we educate world class future pharmacists at ONU, who want to be involved in their community as well as the legislative process”, said Dee Dee Myers, the ONU NCPA Student Chapter Advisor.

In addition to being named NCPA Student Chapter of the Year, ONU won the NCPA Legislative Advocacy Challenge Award for the third straight year. The Legislative Advocacy Challenge gauges the level of legislative advocacy taking place within each NCPA student chapter. Chapters must have participated in a major event such as a State Legislative Day, day-to-day contact with legislators or educational initiatives that promote advocacy.

Ryan Siefring, a sixth-year pharmacy student from Coldwater, Ohio, was one of 21 pharmacy students honored as an NCPA Outstanding Student Chapter Member of the Year after being nominated by their peers and faculty at each of their respective schools.

Nick Newman, a sixth year pharmacy student from London, Ohio, was the recipient of the NCPA Foundation J.C. and Rheba Cobb Memorial Scholarship which recognizes a student with demonstrated interest in government affairs, leadership qualities and academic achievement.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents the interests of America’s community pharmacists, including the owners of nearly 23,000 independent community pharmacies. Together they represent an $88.8 billion health care marketplace, dispense nearly 40 percent of all retail prescriptions, and employ more than 300,000 individuals, including more than 62,000 pharmacists.