Advising & Mentoring

The advising and mentoring for Doctor of Pharmacy students is based on professionalism and socialization into the profession of pharmacy. The Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs in conjunction with other key College of Pharmacy individuals and administrators provide a cohesive approach to achieve this goal.

Academic Advisors Heading link

The College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs has academic advisors who are available to

  • provide academic and career counseling to current pharmacy students,
  • develop and implement academic, career, and other current student programming,
  • collaborate on outreach to internal and external constituencies including prospective and admitted students, alumni and community agencies on issues benefiting students in career and academic goals.

Current students can schedule an appointment with their advisor online.

Tierra Biggus Heading link

Academic Advisor

Rockford, Illinois

David Brand Heading link

Academic Advisor

Chicago, Illinois

Programs Heading link

The Pharmacy Learning, Advising, Mentoring, and Engagement for Students (PhLAMES) program aims to support and advance the longitudinal professional and character development of student pharmacists utilizing:

  • network-based mentoring
  • co-curricular activities that complement the didactic and experiential coursework of the professional PharmD curriculum

The mentoring aspect of PhLAMES utilizes network-based mentoring which takes advantage of the professional networks and experiences of faculty mentors and a group of student pharmacists to:

  • support academic and professional development needs
  • encourage intellectual pursuits
  • improve intergenerational understanding in the College of Pharmacy community

Active student participation in student-led and student-centered co-curricular continuing professional development (CPD) activities aim to “expand the horizons” of the student pharmacist and instill the importance of independent lifelong learning and self-accountability in four core domains:

  • health promotion and education
  • advocacy for the pharmacy profession
  • professional/leadership/career development
  • service to the College of Pharmacy and broader communities

The Peer Advising Program is a program designed to help first-year students adjust to their new academic environment.  Peer Advisors (PA) are second or third-year students who want to assist new students.  PAs can offer advice and assistance from a student’s perspective because not so long ago (one to two years) they had to deal with the same first-year issues.  How often students meet, talk or email each other is up to them.  Some students just like knowing that there’s another student they can contact if they need to.