September 6, 2023
Emma Hacker, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2027, knew she wanted to become a pharmacist in high school. As part of a school project, she created a five-year plan outlining college and career goals.
“Through that process, I discovered UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and decided that would be my dream school,” Hacker said. “I kept that thought in the back of my mind and decided to see where college would take me.”
She went to a small rural high school and had the opportunity to do a work study with the local pharmacy during her senior year. She spent half a day every weekday at Joe’s Menifee County Pharmacy in Frenchburg, Kentucky, where she witnessed the impact a pharmacy can have on local communities.
“I was surprised by how small our town was. I was able to get to know everyone through the pharmacy, and it felt like I was making a real difference,” Hacker said.
Born and raised in Kentucky, she attended Eastern Kentucky University. She studied bio medical science and chemistry, while also being a student athlete and playing basketball. Although she had a fifth year of eligibility left in basketball, she went ahead and applied to the School during her fourth year. To her surprise, she was accepted to her dream school, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and decided to forgo her last year of basketball to come to Carolina.
“I’ve been in Kentucky my entire life, so I’m excited to do something new. It’s a beautiful campus, and I can’t wait to get started,” Hacker said.
Coming to a new place can be daunting, but Hacker was able to make some quick connections and even met her roommate during the interview process. For her first year at pharmacy school, Hacker hopes to learn more about opportunities in the hospital and industry settings and is looking forward to having emersion experiences.
“I really want to thank Dr. Joe Wells from the pharmacy I worked at in high school and my college basketball coach, Coach Todd, along with my friends and family. Everyone really encouraged me and supported me along the way, and I wouldn’t be here without them,” she said.
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