Google the word “busy,” you may find the name “Emily Hannan” listed in the definition. Do the same for the word “success,” and the senior from Sharpsburg, GA, who will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a minor in Biology from the UGA College of Pharmacy, surely is listed. This hard-working PharmDawg epitomizes these descriptors.
In the past few weeks alone, Emily has received a prestigious CoP scholarship, presented a poster at UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) annual showcase, and this Wednesday, she received the esteemed Presidential Award of Excellence, the highest recognition that an undergraduate can receive at the University of Georgia.
The Presidential Award of Excellence spotlights seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, strong extracurricular involvement, and service and engagement in their respective school or college. Selected by the recipient’s Dean, awardees exemplify the best of UGA’s undergraduate student body.
Remarked Dean Kelly Smith, in her notification letter to Emily, “Your hard work, accomplishments, and leadership throughout your studies have been recognized by your selection. It is wonderful to see a superb student showcased in such a positive light.”
Speaking of light, Emily, who is a first generation college student in UGA’s Morehead Honors College, shined brightly at the recent CURO event, where she and more than 300 of her fellow UGA undergraduate classmates shared their research. Her poster, “Evaluation of Knowledge Gaps in Historical Clinical Trials for Single-Agent Chemotherapy Drugs and the Impact on Today’s Combination Chemotherapy Regimens,” was a stellar standout. Dr. Eugene Douglass, PBS Assistant Professor, has been a mentor to Emily while she worked in his lab and was her lead professor on the research poster. He remarked, “Emily has been an excellent member of our lab. She is hard working, creative, and incredibly humble. In my experience, this combination of ability and humility is rare and a mark of the very best in a scientist. I am excited to see what she will accomplish as a future clinician!”
Complementing these milestones is Emily’s recent award of the College’s David and Jane Chu Scholarship for Excellence in Pharmaceutical Sciences, which helps students attend college without financial burden. The $1200 award was made possible by benefactors Dr. David Chu, CoP Emeritus Professor, and his wife, Jane.
Said the soon-to-be PharmDawg Alumna, “The Presidential Award of Excellence has been the greatest accomplishment of my undergraduate career, but I also am very honored to have received the David and Jane Chu Scholarship as well as the Howard C. Ansel Endowed Student Scholarship. In addition, I am grateful to have received the CURO Research Award during my time as an undergraduate research assistant (a $1000 package), and I have enjoyed studying as a student in the Morehead Honors College.”
She remarked, “All of the faculty within the BSPS program have enriched my time in the College of Pharmacy, but Dr. Wided Missaoui and Dr. Eugene Douglass have provided me with invaluable mentorship and support at very critical points in my academic journey.”
Emily said that following graduation, she will work as a medical assistant to gain additional clinical experience before attending medical school. “I will submit my applications during this upcoming cycle, so my hope is that I will start medical school next fall.”
Emily summed up her achievement by saying, “Twenty-four hours in a day doesn’t always seem like enough, but I’m grateful for the support system I’ve had that has helped me make the best use of my time here these past four years.” When she’s not busy excelling in the classroom or in the research lab, she is most involved in UGA’s American Medical Student Association (AMSA) as a Student Mentor, Extra Special People at UGA as the Vice President of Communications, and UGA Future Health Promoters as the Treasurer. In addition, she works at Piedmont Athens Regional in the Patient Experience Department and has volunteered in the hospital’s Emergency Department as well as the General Surgery unit. Further, she serves on the College of Pharmacy’s Wellness Committee as an Undergraduate Student Representative.
Wherever she journeys, it is certain that Emily Hannan will be busy…and successful. Congratulations, Emily! You make us PharmDawgs proud!
