WASHINGTON, DC – The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation today announced Margaret Ashley Underwood, as the 2020 recipient of the Ton Hoek Scholarship. The Scholarship provides a stipend for a student pharmacist, fellow, resident, or PharmD graduate pursuing graduate studies to attend the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress and learn firsthand about global health and pharmacy issues.
Underwood is a third-year pharmacy student at the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy. During her second year, she co-founded an active chapter of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) at her college of pharmacy.
“I am excited for the opportunity to represent student pharmacists at the FIP World Congress this year” said Underwood, a third-year pharmacy student at the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy. “I hope to integrate what I learn from this experience my clinical knowledge, leadership skills, and dedication to public health to become a global advocate for our profession.”
Margaret’s interest in global health stems from her expatriate experiences growing up in the Middle East. Having the opportunity to volunteer with the Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare services in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, she experienced firsthand the value of a pharmacist on a culturally diverse interdisciplinary healthcare team which prompted her interest in global pharmacy. That interest became concrete for her after serving on a humanitarian trip to Haiti as a pharmacy staff volunteer in 2016 with the Haiti Health Initiative (HHI) where she saw a lack of access to healthcare.
Margaret currently serves as the APhA-ASP President for the Oregon State University Chapter, is an Executive Member on the Board of Directors for the Oregon State Pharmacy Association, a Rho Chi member, and works as an intern with Kaiser Permanente. She also serves on her college’s Wellness and Diversity Committees where she works with other members of the College to ensure a welcoming environment for all students and faculty.
After graduation in 2021, Margaret is pursuing a pharmacy residency experience in ambulatory care to further enhance her clinical skills with the additional goal of completing a Master of Public Health degree with a global focus.
Underwood will be recognized at the APhA Foundation Contributors’ Breakfast during the 2020 APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition. The event will be held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington, DC on Monday, March 23, 2020.
The Ton Hoek Scholarship recipient is selected by the dedicated members of the Ton Hoek Scholarship Review Committee.
About the Ton Hoek Scholarship
The Ton Hoek Scholarship was established to memorialize Mr. A. J. M. (Ton) Hoek’s commitment to the global community of pharmacists. In his role as Chief Executive Officer and General Secretary of FIP, Hoek (1955-2012) built many global relationships in the pharmacist community. His leadership efforts resulted in positive collaboration for FIP, both within pharmacy and at the broader level of world health.
The Ton Hoek Scholarship is endowed through the generous contributions of Foundation supporters interested in advancing global pharmacy initiatives. To learn more about the Scholarship, please visit the APhA Foundation website.
About the American Pharmacists Association Foundation
The APhA Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is a trusted source of research demonstrating how pharmacists can improve health care. The APhA Foundation’s mission is to improve health by inspiring philanthropy, research, and innovation that advances pharmacists’ patient care services. The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association, the national professional society of pharmacists in the U.S. For more information, please visit the APhA Foundation website www.aphafoundation.org. Follow the APhA Foundation on Facebook for the latest updates.