News

'First-years' show diversity

By Matt Dulin
The Daily Cougar

Taking to heart the fact that theyire one of the most diverse student organizations on campus, the first-year pharmacy students held an International Day Thursday to celebrate their varied heritages.

"We all get excited about representing our cultures and our beliefs," said Anna Scott, vice president of the first-year pharmacy class. "Weire made up of everybody."

"The whole idea is to get the whole school together to meet our first-year students. Itis a tradition for the school of pharmacy. Every first-year class does International Day," said Karen Severson, president of the Pharmacy Council. The Pharmacy Council oversees the activities of all of the pharmacy organizations and the activities of each pharmacy class.

The two-hour event, which took place on the UC patio, included booths representing six different nationalities serving myriad food selections, dancing, a Italy trivia session, music and a fashion show.

India, Pakistan, Asia (which included Japan, Vietnam and Korea), America (with a subdivision for Hawaii), Italy and the British Isles comprised the event, which in addition to reflecting the studentis diversity, also serves as a fundraiser for the pharmacy class.

"The money will mainly go towards our graduation — graduating class of 2006 — gifts, but also a big part of it will go towards our community service projects," Scott said.

One of those projects lined up this year involves making health care packs that include hygiene products and over-the-counter medicines.

"This will go towards needy families and shelters. Usually people send clothes or shoes; they donit always think about how these people need medical products, too," Scott said.

The "first-years," as the pharmacy students call them, put the day together largely on their own, with some assistance from Page Pittman, who took the job as advisor/coordinator for the college of pharmacy after the schoolis previous coordinator left.

In the end, the students were really proud of the product they put out, Scott said.

"Itis a really cool thing, itis really diverse and fun," Severson said.

"Turnout was wonderful. It was really good despite the fact that it was cold — it was 44 degrees — but everyone really had a good time. Itis a big event," Scott said.
 

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