Wilkes University’s own, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Dr. Nicole Pezzino was a recipient of this year’s Ten Under Ten award, presented by the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association at their annual conference.

The award recognizes the top 10 pharmacists practicing for less than 10 years who demonstrate commitment to advancing the profession, involvement in the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and other pharmacy associations, and service to their community. The award is presented every three years.

In receiving the award, Pezzino was honored alongside several of her former mentors and instructors, something that she believed was one of the most special aspects about receiving the honor.

Nominated by a student, Pezzino feels both proud and humbled.

“It was definitely unexpected, I was truly honored. I was standing up there with several incredible pharmacists, it was a humbling experience; especially knowing that it was a student that nominated me, and then someone from the board of pharmacy,” said Pezzino.

“Students are my number one priority, having them nominate me was just incredible.”

In addition to serving as a professor, Pezzino is also a practicing community pharmacist. A love for the community and community outreach serve as a driving force behind her actions.

She also encourages her students to do the same.

“I love doing community outreach events, I love being able to serve the community. It’s neat being able to show students the impact that they can make in the community,” Pezzino said.

Pezzino also brings real world experiences into the classroom, which she believes makes her job as a professor smoother and effective.

Her work as a community pharmacist allows for as she says, “seamless blend” of real life and teaching.

“It’s awesome, because I can blend all of the things that I do, together, to make a mesh of an experience.

“As a pharmacist, I see patients and help them manage their medications and then when I go into the classroom, I’m teaching exactly what I’m doing at the jobsite. It’s a seamless blend of what I’m doing. I’m really teaching what I do, I love it. It’s a lot of work, but it’s meaningful work,” said Pezzino.

Pharmacy wasn’t always Pezzino’s passion. As a child, she aspired to be a pre-school teacher and have 50 children. Although she didn’t become a pre-school teacher, Pezzino still finds ways to use fun and creativity in the classroom.

She uses props that allows her students to empathize with patients who have and experience what it is like to have several different medical conditions, which require pharmaceutical aid. Despite not having 50 children, Pezzino is the happy owner of two pet dogs.

Through her accomplishments, Pezzino hopes to continue to make a positive impact on the Wilkes community.

“I think that (through winning the award), it is a direct reflection on the caliber of students we have at Wilkes. They should know that they can go out and make a difference in the community.

My hashtag I like to use is: change the world. As pharmacy students at Wilkes University, though it is a smaller school, they can make a huge difference on the world around them, not only on the state but the country as a whole. I’m a real-life person, so are they… That lets me and them both know that they can do it,” said Pezzino.

In the future, Pezzino hopes to continue to serve the community, abroad and at Wilkes.

“I hope to have all of our pharmacy students at Wilkes go into the community, using that hashtag change the world, from the small things they do, even in their daily encounters with patients, those things really make a difference. Whether it be changing the timing of medicines or taking the time to listen to them and talk with them, I think all of those things have a lot of potential,” said Pezzino.