Breonna Harrison, Shirly Ly presented ASHP Student Leadership Award

Breonna Harrison and Shirly Ly, fourth-year students at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, were two of 12 student pharmacists nationally to receive an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or ASHP, 2023 Student Leadership Award. The honor recognizes the contributions of students who represent the best attributes and accomplishments of ASHP student members. Pharmacy students in their second through fourth professional years are eligible for the award.

Breonna Harrison and Shirly Ly
Breonna Harrison and Shirly Ly

Harrison’s involvement with ASHP began with UF’s Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists Orlando chapter, where she served as president and as a member of the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Student Board Committee.  Those positions inspired her to become involved with ASHP on a national level. Harrison was a member of the Pharmacy Student Forum in the Residency Preparation Advisory Group, and she now serves as the Chair of the Residency Preparation Advisory Group where she leads a group of pharmacy students across the nation to create residency-focused projects for ASHP members.

During pharmacy school, Harrison served in more than a half dozen student organizations and was a student ambassador for the college. She also interned at AdventHealth Waterman and BayCare Winter Haven Hospital. Following graduation, she will continue her journey as a PGY1 resident at Whiteriver Indian Hospital in Arizona, where she will serve the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

“I am grateful to be a recipient of the ASHP Student Leadership award and to be viewed as a strong leader by my peers, faculty and friends,” Harrison said. “I gained so much from my great leadership experiences here on campus, and I have learned so much about my current skills and where I can improve throughout my career.”

Ly has demonstrated an interest in leadership and service during her four years in pharmacy school. She has held leadership positions in more than a half dozen local and national student organizations, including the Equal Access Clinic in Gainesville; the ASHP Pharmacy Student Forum Advisory Groups, the American Pharmacist Association — Academy of Student Pharmacists and Kappa Epsilon.

“I am honored to receive this ASHP Student Leadership Award, and it is a testament to my support system of family, friends and mentors who have helped me grow into the individual I am today,” Ly said. “They provide me with the resources to develop my leadership skills and propel me to always strive to get out of my comfort zone to learn, network and collaborate.”

Ly noted that her immense passion for the profession, health-system pharmacy and leadership development motivates her to continually improve herself and evolve as a pharmacist. After graduation, she will be completing a combined PGY1/PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Residency with a master’s degree at the University of North Carolina Medical Center.