Final-year student pharmacists Katherine and Jailyn served on the executive committee of Purdue’s chapter of the American Pharmacists Association–Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) as president and patient care vice president, respectively, during the 2023–2024 academic year. After striving for more community-based involvement with the APhA-ASP chapter, Katherine and Jailyn combined efforts and passions to serve the community by providing health services to a local community center. Preventative health services are vital for patients and also provide substantial benefit to students who are able to practice real-world counseling skills through these opportunities. Throughout the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum at Purdue, Katherine and Jailyn learned the risks of uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. They also learned about point-of-care testing for these disease states through professional skills labs and lectures. Around 75 million people in the United States have high blood pressure, and 11 million of these cases are undiagnosed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Of the 38.4 million people in the world with type 2 diabetes, 22.8% of patients are undiagnosed. (Million Hearts, 2023). Lack of awareness of these disease states by the community was the driving force inspiring the health services provided from the student organization. Having the resources to provide point-of-care testing in the community supported by both the Purdue Service- Learning Grant and Purdue’s APhA-ASP chapter, Katherine and Jailyn organized health fairs focused on testing blood pressure, blood sugar, the average blood sugar over the past three months (Hemoglobin A1c), total cholesterol, and pulse oximetry. Providing these tests gave patients a snapshot of their health and helped them determine the most appropriate next steps for their health journey. Students were not diagnosing patients with these disease states but instead were informing them of what their numbers looked like and what the numbers meant relative to their overall health and providing counseling as applicable. The primary objective of this essay is to describe the steps that went into organizing student-led health fairs and the impact of these efforts on the community.
Introduction: In 2024, 48.4million Americans experienced a substance use disorder (SUD),with opioid use disorder representing a significant concern. In 2024, an estimated 8 million individuals misused opioids, contributing to 54,743 fatal overdoses. College students are particularly vulnerable, with 20% reporting illicit substance use within the past month, highlighting the urgent need for focused interventions in this population. Project Overview: Boiler Substance Awareness Network (BSAN) is a campus initiative funded by the Lead Forward Fellowship grant. BSAN educates the Purdue community about SUD to reduce stigma and foster a recovery-friendly environment. The focus is on two objectives: preparing students to respond to substance use situations, such as opioid overdoses, and promoting understanding and empathy for those impacted by SUD to create a supportive, informed campus. Community Impact: BSAN educates the Purdue community through tabling events, organizational presentations, and social media outreach. Monthly tabling events provide Narcan® (naloxone), a medication to reverse an opioid overdose, training and distribution as well as free fentanyl test strips, equipping students to save lives. To date, BSAN has distributed 3,700 doses of naloxone, engaging over 5,000 community members with the support of 84 student volunteers. BSAN has delivered presentations, prepared with the assistance of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists Purdue chapter, to various groups, such as Purdue Student Government. With 3,350 Instagram followers, BSAN extends its educational reach online. Collaboration with organizations like Overdose Lifeline, the Tippecanoe County Health Department, and IU ECHO further enhances BSAN’s impact. Student Impact: BSAN student leaders participate in a curricular experience through the Lead Forward Fellowship, enhancing their skills to support the project’s mission and impact. Conclusion: BSAN’s efforts have significantly impacted substance use disorder awareness at Purdue, fostering a supportive environment through education, collaboration, and student leadership.
Sky High Reggae (SHR) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting multicultural community connections by ensuring access to reggae music by Bob Marley and other artists that centers on global healing. SHR helps build up reggae artists, minority business owners, other nonprofit organizations, and community members through art events, concerts, and classes, all with a focus on cultural awareness. SHR aims to “enrich lives through music” (Sky High Reggae, 2022) and also partners with local schools to provide access to art supplies to “empower youth through supporting creative expression.” While conducting research on the culture of reggae music and the life of Bob Marley, I teamed up with SHR and the Purdue University Northwest student organization the Westville Warriors to carry out a service-learning project on the cultural and societal impact of reggae music and lyricism. I wrote a Purdue service-learning grant that helped our team learn from SHR, create marketing with the organization to spread knowledge on this topic, and host community events to promote the history of ska, reggae, Rastafarian culture, and Jamaica. The project increased understanding of Bob Marley and the importance of the themes of freedom, hope, peace, unity, love, equality, and more that this music contains. Through our work, we were able to enrich lives through music, spreading unity, love, and peace reminiscent of Bob Marley’s album Catch a Fire.
Our project focuses on revitalizing the community by designing homes that reflect each homeowner’s unique preferences, fostering a sense of ownership and emotional well-being. In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette and guided by Ruut Veenhoven’s quality-of-life framework, we aim to create affordable housing initiatives that meet both financial and personal needs while strengthening community connections. Our work with the first homeowner, Carla, demonstrates how personalized housing enhances safety and belonging, transforming a house into a home that inspires pride. As researchers, participating in this project has broadened our perspective beyond Purdue, especially through meaningful connections with homeowners such as Carla, as we worked together to select the best plants for Carla’s home. Engaging with the community has strengthened our collaboration and communication skills and allowed us to gain hands-on research experience. We are excited to extend our outreach to other Habitat homeowners and members of the Greater Lafayette community. As we move into the next phase of our project, we look forward to connecting with more homeowners through interviews and surveys to better understand what families need to feel safe and connected in their neighborhoods. The meaningful connection we formed with Carla serves as a strong foundation for this work, guiding our efforts to listen to residents, learn what they value, and adapt our project to enhance their overall quality of life.
What would be the first words that come to mind if you were asked about the US health care system? I asked that question to several of my friends and pharmacy peers and received mixed responses such as “expensive,” “confusing,” “hard to navigate,” and “best in the world.” This was not surprising considering the many options and the varying quality of medical procedures, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals available. I wondered how responses might differ if I posed the same question about their health care to those in a third-world country. So, I asked the same question of friends and family in my home country of India. The most common responses were “inexpensive,” “trustworthy,” “stagnant,” and “long waits for care.” Health care systems’ priorities align with their culture, regulatory bodies, and national guidelines (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 2025; Pharmacy Council of India, n.d.), As a world traveler and a pharmacy student, I was interested in the reasons behind the differences and how they might affect the level and quality of pharmaceutical care provided to consumers. But my real motivation was to discover how I could personally navigate these differences to provide optimal care to my patients no matter where I am practicing.
In the United States, 58 million Americans have difficulty paying for prescription medications due to lack of insurance, high prescription costs, unstable employment, and competing financial demands. High prescription costs reportedly contribute to medication nonadherence for 60% of patients. Medication nonadherence accounts for 30% of hospital admissions, further exacerbating the detrimental impact of medication insecurity such as worsening patient outcomes, quality of life, readmissions rates, and overall health care expenditure. To understand the prevalence and address medication insecurity among the communities served by the Center for Health Excellence, Quality, and Innovation (CHEQI), a survey was developed and disseminated via a community partner to identify needs and patterns in medications that community members have difficulty affording. In response to these needs and to provide consistent support, the Medication Access Resource Tool (MART) was designed to provide a quick and comprehensive guide for navigating medication access resources to improve affordability based on individualized factors. To test the implementation of MART, students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program screened and surveyed over 512 individuals at the Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, and the Indiana Black Expo to assess medication access needs and develop a customized medication cost-reduction plan. The students applied MART to identify and utilize available resources to find options for medication substitutions and discounts to assist people with out-of-pocket costs. Through the pilot program, the team was able to offer a total savings of $15,975 in medication costs. This hands-on experience demonstrated the importance of assisting patients in navigating medication related costs.
Gateway to Hope is the syringe service program located at 2300 Ferry Street that provides not only syringes and other sterile medical equipment for injections but also wound cleaning, medications, and even toiletries. People can also receive basic health services there, and for many people who access these services, this is the only time they interact with the health care system. Located in the same building is the Recovery Café, a welcoming space for anyone in recovery from substance use disorders and anything else. Available to members of either organization is the clothing closet, where people can come and get boots or coats in cold weather or a new outfit for an interview. I became introduced to the organizations at 2300 Ferry through the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists. Starting as community service chair and then as president, I organized opportunities for American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists members to volunteer there on a regular basis. Pharmacy students hold events at the Recovery Café and help stock the small pharmacy and sit in on appointments at Gateway to Hope. These practical experiences with members of vulnerable populations give students skills they can take into their future as health professionals. The Recovery Café and Gateway to Hope aren’t places that are exclusive to pharmacy students, however. If someone is looking to volunteer, the Recovery Café is always open to accepting help, and donations of clothing and toiletries at Gateway to Hope are always appreciated. Additionally, if any Purdue student needs services provided by these locations or just needs a meal or a place to sit for a while, 2300 Ferry is a welcoming place to go.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided funding to states as part of the CDC Disparities Grant initiative. The aim of the funding was to reduce chronic disease and COVID-19–related health disparities among vulnerable communities through four unique strategies. Funding was awarded to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to begin an Indiana chapter of this initiative, called Indiana Healthy Opportunities for People Everywhere (I-HOPE). From 2021 to 2023, the IDOH provided I-HOPE funding to local communities (subgrantees) to support the design and implementation of programs to improve community health. For example, programs worked to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, improve infrastructure, increase access to health care, and provide rural communities with housing opportunities. Evaluation of this programming helped to determine program success and secure future grant opportunities. The Purdue Evaluation Team and I performed a qualitative analysis to understand subgrantees’ progresses, successes, and challenges in implementing I-HOPE initiatives. Progress, successes, and challenges were collected via quarterly reports though REDCap. Responses were sorted according to CDC strategy and analyzed to identify themes and subthemes. The qualitative analysis produced seven unique themes that were consistent across responses relating to progress, successes, and challenges: collaboration, contracting, COVID-19, data, personnel, project implementation, and resources. Sorting responses by CDC strategy provided unique insights into each strategy. For example, CDC Strategy 1 subgrantees experienced the most challenges in regard to executing grant contracts, collecting data, and hiring staff, while CDC Strategy 4 subgrantees experienced progress executing grant contracts and collaboration with partners. This qualitative analysis successfully identified seven themes among responses to I-HOPE subgrantee progress, successes, and challenges. The challenge themes contributed to the development of six recommendations for the IDOH to improve future grant rollout processes.
Students’ academic success particularly in mathematics, where early mastery lays the foundation for critical thinking and problem-solving skills, can be directly tied to caregiver engagement (Jeynes, 2012; Epstein, 2018). Algebra by 7th Grade (Ab7G) at Purdue is a Saturday informal STEM counterspace that provides math tutoring and engineering-focused projects to participants in grades 1–10. Students are mentored by Purdue graduate and graduate students. The mentors facilitate mentoring, tutoring, and engineering projects. Ab7G is a hybrid format that meets for six sessions per academic semester on Saturdays. Duke Energy and Chevron provide funding for Ab7G, ensuring accessibility at no cost to participants. Simultaneously, caregivers participate in workshops designed to strengthen their role in their children’s academic journey. These sessions are facilitated by campus partners at Purdue and community partners. Caregiver workshops address varying topics, such as mathematical mindsets (Boaler, 2022), productive struggle in math learning, growth mindsets, the power of yet, financial literacy, foreign-language literacy, and overall well-being. Purdue campus partners have contributed specifically to workshops on mental health, physical fitness, sleep, student success, and interpersonal relationships, thus highlighting the holistic approach of Ab7G. This essay presents a reflective analysis of the impact of these caregiver workshops, exploring their role as informal STEM counterspaces that empower families, impact community outreach, and contribute to student success. Through their narratives, we find that engaging caregivers is beneficial to Greater Lafayette, Indianapolis, and communities beyond our borders to develop the whole child. By analyzing these workshops’ design, implementation, and participant feedback, we aim to highlight best practices for caregiver involvement in STEM education, specifically mathematics and engineering.
There are 3.5 million Disabled college students in the United States, with 4,671 utilizing disability services at Purdue University. Nationwide, 8–14% of students in higher education are Disabled, indicating a substantial number of students whose needs should be prioritized and supported. Inaccessibility impacts the way Disabled college students are able to engage with the college experience. Inaccessible classes, restrooms, clubs, job fairs, and campuses create significant barriers thatthat extend far beyond the classroom. Disabled students face challenges in securing scholarships, finding employment, graduating on time, and achieving long-term socioeconomic stability. Recognizing these barriers, HonorServes, a community service student committee at Purdue’s John Martinson Honors College, launched an initiative in August 2024 to improve accessibility within its own events and create an accessibility model for other student organizations. The project aims to assist student organizations at Purdue in being more inclusive of Disabled students while also educating the broader student body on the importance of advocating for accessibility. By creating a culture where accessibility is the norm, HonorServes seeks to ameliorate the long-term negative effects of inaccessibility. Greater accessibility on and off college campuses is vital to ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive.
Beginning in 2023, I started conducting environmental sociology research in Northwest Indiana communities because I wanted to apply what I had been learning in my sociology and behavioral science courses to real community problems. I that found toxic waste dumps (waste dumps that contain waste that is hazardous and require mandates established environmental regulations to ensure public safety) are disproportionately located in Northwest Indiana communities of color and poor whites, and I uncovered severe negative health effects that result from toxic waste dumps, in addition to the inequality faced by the populations impacted. I then conducted interviews in the community with an environmental activist who has done extensive work on site with toxic waste dumps in Northwest Indiana. This allowed me to uncover relevant information that has not yet been reported. Additionally, I reviewed data sets of toxic waste dump chemical emissions, census records, and population demographics. These efforts have filled in gaps in awareness of what is contained in toxic waste dumps in Northwest Indiana and who is impacted, expanding on existing research of intersectionality, "sacrifice communities," and environmental racism. I am working with my faculty mentor, Dr. Kim Scipes, to present this information widely, include it in an environmental resource bank he is assembling, and continue studies through two additional environmental sociology projects. Lastly, I am identifying a Northwest Indiana community partner to collaborate with for a Purdue Service-Learning Grant to increase public awareness of sacrifice communities in Northwest Indiana and new ways to turn the toxic chemicals we produce through industrial activity into non-toxic materials.
Our team’s endeavor, conducted under the guidance of Dr. Kristen Bellisario, encapsulates a service-learning journey with Wolf Park, a sanctuary dedicated to the conservation and research of wolves and wildlife. Through immersive experiences, community outreach, and collaborative partnerships, our team sought to amplify public understanding of wildlife conservation and inspire a sense of responsibility among participants. This essay examines the impact of our initiatives on both the community and ourselves, emphasizing the transformative potential of education, engagement, and community partnerships in effecting positive societal change. Our team advocates for sustained support for wildlife conservation efforts and underscore the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration and student empowerment in addressing conservation challenges. By sharing our experiences and insights, we seek to inspire others to embark on similar endeavors and to contribute to the collective effort to cultivate a more sustainable future for wildlife and the environment. Ultimately, our project at Wolf Park highlights the power of servicelearning as a catalyst for both personal growth and community transformation, driving collective action toward ecological sustainability.
Two public health crises that the United States are contending with are diabetes and the prevalence of opioid overdoses, both of which have a significant impact on communities nationwide. Inequities in social conditions contribute to health disparities amidst these diabetes and opioid overdose public health crises nationally and locally. To address these health inequities in Indianapolis, Indiana, the the Purdue University Center for Health Excellence, Quality and Innovation (CHEQI) shaped relationships through their CHAMP (Community Health Access Model Partnerships) services with local food pantries and homeless shelters, providing Indianapolis residents pre-diabetes screening and resources and convenient access to and education on Narcan®. Our primary objective was to characterize the populations served, the geographic reach and outcomes of CHEQI’s CHAMP pre-diabetes and Narcan® services in the Indianapolis area from February 7th to March 22nd, 2024. Data collection consisted of surveys and analyses consisted of descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 77 individuals met eligibility criteria and completed the pre-diabetes survey across CHAMP pre-diabetes events at community partner sites. Most participants identified as a non-White race (54.55%), under the age of 40 (35.06%) and female (63.6%). Services primarily reached zip codes in the Indianapolis area, and secondarily zip-codes in Lafayette, Indiana. A total of 141 individuals were surveyed across CHAMP Narcan® events. Respondents frequently reported race as Black/African American (38.06%) and being between the ages of 40-49 (27.41%) and female (50.4%). Results suggest that CHEQI serves diverse populations for both services, yet future services should attempt to engage more with those most at risk of pre-diabetes, such as older ages or most at risk of an opioid overdose, such as males.
Kayla Vasilko just completed her Master’s degree in communication with a focus on semiotics and the impact of higher education on positive social change in the Purdue Graduate School and the PNW Department of Communication and Creative Arts. While earning her degree, she had the opportunity to complete a service-learning project to celebrate Spanish culture through the arts and work the community partner Latino Art Midwest. Latino Art Midwest works to promote understanding of the role of arts and creative expression among Midwestern Latina/o communities. Students can explore their site, “view the art, and interpret the unique qualities of Latina/o artistic expression in the Midwest to discover how the arts attest to all kinds of transnational experiences—from migration, to bi-national identities, to the social networks that Latina/o artists are a part of—that ultimately illuminate how aesthetic cultural production has played a role in forming strong and vibrant communities that make the Midwest global” (Latino Art Midwest, 2024). Research, reflection, university art loans, and other engagement with Latino Art Midwest create important opportunities to combat cultural discrimination and increase representation.
With unsustainable production models and a plethora of other damaging activities, humans’ strain on the environment has made it impossible to assume that the planet’s ecosystem will sustain future generations (WWF, 2018); our response to this crisis will impact current and future generations and all other species on Earth (Global Stewards, 2022; United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2022). To make a difference, education about the problem needs to be furthered. I worked with the PNW Westville Warriors and the Michigan City Lubeznik Center for the Arts (a community center dedicated to offering programming that balances joy with critical thinking, with the aim of cultivating a lifelong love of art) to learn how to spark environmental awareness through community programming. Together, we brought Indiana artist Corey Hagelberg’s “Hoosier Slide” to PNW’s Westville campus. We wanted to identify a piece that connected to Indiana’s environmental history (the Hoosier Slide tells the story of Indiana’s tallest sand dune, a dune demolished over a period of 30 years for glassmakers and a power plant before the Indiana Dunes were protected by Congress. The mining of this dune has had lasting effects on surrounding wildlife and the environment) Through reflection and mentorship, we learned how to put together educational public presentations with the art and artist at the center. This work has sparked greater awareness of environmental needs in the community, community connections among students, artists, PNW, and the Center for the Arts, and new interest in engagement.
SOAR is a social impact initiative I founded in partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters Lafayette. We provide novel leadership and character development resources for local Lafayette youth. The motto—engage, uplift, and achieve—speaks to my aims for inspiring the next generation of leaders, within Purdue members and local youth. This reflection essay is an opportunity to express the aims of SOAR, the intentionality behind this initiative, and how I hope to contribute to the development of youth in Lafayette and beyond. Mr. Brennan’s visit is a milestone for SOAR, and having the opportunity to converse with a renowned youth development leader was inspirational. Sharing this endeavor’s roots with Mr. Brennan, learning sustainability measures, and discovering ways to create transformative impact is a chief aim of mine. I also greatly value the chance to reflect on how SOAR has changed my outlook on leadership and service. SOAR has given me a platform to help fundamentally alter how youth view themselves and their capabilities. My greatest goal is providing youth avenues to learn leadership competencies, emotional regulation, and character development. Our programming is founded on empirical research, allowing SOAR to ensure strong interconnectivity between research and programming. Building SOAR into a robust organization has been a significant undertaking. Connecting and collaborating innovatively with peers has been deeply rewarding. Throughout the 2023–2024 academic year, SOAR has tripled in membership, conducted 20+ hours in volunteer efforts, and made 6 visits to Lafayette Mentors. I look forward to deepening the relationship with Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Through the Lead Forward fellowship, I have learned about the power of transformational leadership. As I step into the role of service leadership, I am eager to become more knowledgeable of providing empowerment and transformation to the youth—but also to my peers in SOAR.
Students at Purdue University are largely unaware of conservation efforts and research being done by both their fellow students and local organizations. This is why under the guidance of our mentor and as a part of the HIFI Lab, our group, the Wildlife Ambassadors, has created a website meant to push ecological efforts at Purdue University. This is done through the use of animal ambassadors, including but not limited to a wolf at Wolf Park, a local organization with which this project has been conducted in correspondence. This website will integrate and display the work of over three dozen other Honors College students upon its completion while additionally containing its content. Education about our animal ambassadors and the subject of corridor ecology (the study of habitat connectivity) is in place alongside unique experiences and merchandise that will drive further engagement to us and our partners while promoting easy access to meaningful ecological knowledge and efforts here at Purdue. In this community partner snapshot, we aim to show the benefit that increased knowledge and participation can have in environmental preservation.
In recent years, the Information Technology (IT) industry has witnessed significant turmoil, marked by waves of mass layoffs that have left numerous skilled professionals grappling with job loss and uncertainty. The year 2023 alone saw over 250,000 tech workers in U.S.-based companies lose their livelihoods due to corporate restructuring, with renowned giants like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta being forced to trim their workforce. This unsettling trend highligts a pressing need to support those affected and empower them to regain stability in their careers. Against this backdrop, I, an experienced technical program manager and software engineer with a background at Google and Microsoft, embarked on a mission to leverage my industry expertise to help fellow professionals weather the storm. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Purdue University, my research is centered on project management education and multicultural team dynamics—themes that lend profound resonance to the endeavor I embarked upon - to provide targeted support to those impacted by offering free-of-cost interview preparation, conducting mock interviews, and facilitating connections with potential employers. From January to April 2023, I dedicated over 125 hours to mentoring 32 individuals who had been affected by the industry's instability. These professionals represented a diverse spectrum of roles and experiences, all united by their desire to reintegrate into the job market successfully. Leveraging my insights as a technical program manager, I tailored interview preparation sessions to equip them with the skills and confidence needed to excel in high-stakes interviews. As a result of this intervention, 18 of my mentees have already secured new positions—a testament to the transformative power of targeted mentorship. Beyond securing employment, the impact of this initiative extends to the preservation of livelihoods for those on H1B visas, who would otherwise face the prospect of leaving the country due to job loss. The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated, as it reflects a triumph of community support and mentorship over adversity. This experience highlights the profound impact that individual industry professionals can have on reshaping lives and careers during times of crisis. This experience has not only reaffirmed my commitment to academic pursuits but has also kindled an enduring passion for empowering fellow professionals through mentorship and tangible support. By sharing my experience, I hope to inspire others to embrace the transformative power of mentorship and community support.
Maera Williams is a sophomore in Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. She joined the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) Urban Farming team as a freshman and now serves as project manager of ten undergraduate students collaborating with Jovial Family Farm to design and develop three indoor hydroponics systems for a laboratory space on their property in Broad Ripple, IN. Jovial Family Farm is a nonprofit organization founded by Drs. Bobbie and Brian Jellison with the mission to provide senior citizens, their families, and their communities with meaningful engagement opportunities on an intergenerational scale through urban agricultural activities. Through the process of working alongside Jovial Family Farm, EPICS Urban Farming has been able to expand its partnerships to include Purdue Polytechnic High School, Westminster Village, Indiana University, Broad Ripple Elementary Schools, and Purdue Extension. The project will facilitate multigenerational educational opportunities and community engagement in indoor hydroponics systems. These systems will provide fresh produce on a year-round basis for community members, which will support the initiative to combat food insecurity in the Indianapolis area. By increasing accessibility to fresh produce and distributing healthy recipes, Jovial Family Farm works to promote a healthy lifestyle amongst the community. The laboratory space will allow for research and testing of optimal conditions for growing greens and other specialty crops hydroponically. Through these initiatives, Jovial Family Farm is supporting service-learning through Purdue University’s EPICS program and fostering opportunities for a wide network of groups regardless of age, mobility, or experience level. Their continued support and involvement in this project have created an environment focused on experimentation, experiential learning, and hands-on engagement that reveals the invaluable experience of service-learning.
