LinKSNewsletter2011
Lambda Kappa Sigma
April 2016
In This Issue





TriviaLKS Trivia
It is time for the spring trivia question! The first 5 collegiates who answer the question correctly will win a prize! (Sorry, you cannot win more than once a year.)

Just email your answer to [email protected].

Here is the question...

In what year was it decided
that Hygeia Day should be traditionally observed by
the presentation of a professional program?
RemindersReminders
4/30:
5/6:


5/10:
Application Deadline for Core Values and Research Poster Presentations

5/15:

6/1:

6/30:

7/3:
Last Day for Discounted Hotel Room Rate for Convention

7/8:
7/20-7/23:
in Scranton PA
LKS Contacts


Grand VP for Collegiates
Afton Wagner

Region Supervisors
New England
Justine Dickson

Eastern Atlantic
Amanda Higgins

Northeastern
Christina Inteso

Mid-Atlantic
Melissa O'Brien

Northern Lakes
Tracee Abrams

Midwestern
Kaitlyn Harnden

Southern
Arielle Bibeault

Western
Nicole Lombardo
Quick Links
LinkedIn

seasonal_flowers2.jpg

Greetings from your Grand Vice President for Collegiates!

Welcome back from your well-deserved spring breaks! The next few months will be a busy time for chapters as you host end-of-year events, finish up projects and hold elections for new officers. Spring is the time of year when a number of chapters have officer transitions. Having a successful transition is a critical step in maintaining the stability of a chapter and the continuity of the chapter's progress, goals and growth from year to year.

While leaders may change, ensuring that you have a smooth transition in place will help set the tone for the next year and ensure continued success. Transitions also provide an opportunity for incoming officers to establish new goals from the previous year and to plan for the future.

Each chapter should set time aside after any new election where outgoing and incoming chapter officers can meet in person to exchange officer files, discuss best practices and talk about any changes that should be made for the upcoming term. What does your chapter have in place for officer transitions? Please email your ideas to me at [email protected] so that we can share with all chapters! Also, please read the article below submitted by Alpha Beta Chapter on how their chapter addresses officer transitions through a spring lock-in.

As you finish the semester, always remember that you can contact your Region Supervisors for assistance. If you have any questions or need suggestions (on anything from how to improve your Chapter of the Year standing to assisting with officer transitions), we are all here for you. Your Region Supervisors and I would also like to personally thank chapters who have hosted their Region Supervisors for visits this year. We loved meeting with your chapters, advisors and faculty!
I hope you all enjoy this edition of LinKS. 

Feel free to email suggestions for future publications to me at [email protected].

Fraternally,

Afton Y. Wagner, PharmD
Grand Vice President for Collegiates
LAMB 4 LIFE
Chapter Spotlight:AlphaBeta
Alpha Beta Spring Lock-In
Each spring, Alpha Beta Chapter holds one of our most anticipated events, the annual Lock-In. Well before I was initiated, the Lock-In originated as a sleepover that our faculty advisor, Dr. Robin Bogner, graciously hosted at her home. It was established as a casual kick-off to our spring semester to motivate long-standing and newly initiated lambs alike. With time and significant growth in membership, the Lock-In has become a more condensed night at our advisor's home with great food, sister bonding and extensive planning for the semester ahead.

As winter break comes to an end and the spring semester begins, the first few weeks back are crucial for new leadership to get off to a running start. Most of our officers and committee chairs hold their positions for the calendar year, so the Lock-In provides a low-pressure atmosphere to ease our leaders into their new roles.

The event is party first, business later. We kick off with dinner and catch up on our holiday breaks before transitioning to business mode when the desserts are gone. Each of our six committees and their respective chairs take over a section of Dr. Bogner's house to establish expectations for the semester. As a group, they decide which events to keep, change, or improve and set several goals for the semester. Eventually all 50+ girls come back into a huddle on the living room floor to share ideas and feedback.

This year, in typical New England fashion, a snowstorm unfortunately got in the way of our annual tradition. Winter Storm Jonas came through Storrs, Connecticut, the weekend of the scheduled Lock-In and "snowed on our parade." Just enough snow fell to affect our plans. But one of the attributes I love most about our chapter is its ability to overcome obstacles.

So we improvised by combining aspects of the Lock-In with our typical bi-weekly chapter meeting at the School of Pharmacy. This allowed for all of the planning and bonding that comes with the event without the scheduling conflicts. As an added bonus, Dr. Bogner plans to cater a future chapter meeting with a homemade lamb cake! If it's anything like the one we dined on at a previous Lock-In, it's sure to be amazing.

Whether it takes place in a living room five minutes from campus or a lecture hall we sit in five days a week, the Lock-In is meant to help make each semester better than the last. Alpha Beta has grown immensely since I was initiated in 2012, and much of that is because we constantly strive to improve upon years past. Starting the new year with a positive attitude and a list of goals is our key to success, and Alpha Beta is excited to see all that we can accomplish this semester and beyond! Submitted by Chelsea McDonnell

Chapter Spotlight:AlphaOmicron
Alpha Omicron Celebrates Hygeia Day
Alpha Omicron held a very successful program to help celebrate Hygeia Day. One of the goals that the chapter set at the beginning of the year was to establish an event that was CE accredited. Michigan recently passed legislation that requires pharmacists to have one continuing education credit hour in human trafficking.



Alpha Omicron was able to host a lecture on "Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking" that had a great turn out. They had a total of 95 people in attendance, including 45 pharmacists and technicians, allowing us to raise $450 for the chapter. This was undoubtedly our most successful Hygeia Day yet! Submitted by Alexis Tarcha
Professional Development:Balance
Work/Life Balance
Learn more about the topic of work/life balance in this article written by Southern Region Supervisor, Arielle Fanuef, PharmD, BCPS.

If you wish to contribute articles pertaining to Professional Development, please email your article to [email protected].
Region Supervisor Spotlight:Arielle
Arielle Faneuf, Southern Region
Where do you work? I am employed at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute-Yawkey Center for Cancer Care in Boston as a Level II Clinical Dispensing Pharmacist. I specialize in adult hematology oncology in the ambulatory care setting. This includes leukemia, lymphoma, stem cell transplant and benign hematology. My daily duties involve reviewing standard and research oncology regimens to ensure appropriateness for treatment based on cancer diagnosis, laboratory results and response to therapy. At this time, I am also completing the 2015-2016 ASHP Oncology Patient Care Traineeship. I will be learning to better serve oncology patients, while developing collaborative drug therapy management policies and procedures for my institute with the help of ASHP, Johns Hopkins Hospital and leadership in my department at Dana Farber. 

What was your chapter of initiation and/or alumni chapter? I was initiated into Alpha Chapter at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 2004 and have remained as active Alpha alumni since 2009.

How has LKS contributed to your leadership skills and experience? LKS has taught me how to work as a team player. I believe you are only as strong as your weakest link, and this has allowed me to develop stronger relationships in any professional setting.

What positions have you held and what committees have you been a part of as an alumni member? I am currently a member of the Awards Nomination & Selection Committee.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a pharmacist and how did you overcome it? Knowing that I don't have to attend every fight I am invited to has served me well. It took me a few years to really understand this concept. Throughout my career, I have encountered a diverse group of personalities and difficult situations. 

I once had a prestigious physician report to my vice president that he was extremely insulted by the way I interacted with him. When meeting with my supervisor about this encounter, it was explained to me that he found it most offensive that I had not introduced myself with a hand shake. He also felt that I spoke down to him when explaining that he could not order a very expensive drug for an indication that was not FDA approved. My supervisor explained the importance of understanding a generational gap and of being more conscious of this in the future. I could have argued how silly I felt all this was, but instead I listened and learned. Remembering that carrying myself with confidence, poise, and being open to the perspectives of others (whether I agree or not) makes for much healthier professional relationships.

What is your greatest source of inspiration? The people I have chosen to surround myself with.