August 14, 2024
Career services, housed in the office of student affairs at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is there for students from orientation to graduation and six months beyond as they settle into whatever is next.
“Next” for PharmD graduates can look quite different from student to student – full-time jobs, residency, and fellowships; plus, the internships and part-time jobs they experience along the way. However, the journey to get there is supported by the career services team – Sarah Pankracij, director of experiential student and career services, and Steph Olson, career services coordinator.
“We provide wrap-around support for students on anything related to their career – practically this looks like one-on-one appointments, workshops, events, and being a one-stop shop for career resources,” said Olson.
Specifically, career services run career week, a CV/resume drive-thru, mock interview week, annual networking events, and residency and fellowship prep series. They also offer support in career exploration, job searching, applications, and helping students connect with potential mentors.
“I feel very passionate about empowering students to know how to direct their careers and not be afraid to take opportunities or advocate for themselves,” said Olson.
Through Pankracij’s role, career services resources are tied into the leadership and professional development course curriculum, and she works with students while on their immersion experiences ensuring that they can utilize these specific experiences for future career opportunities.
“Something that always inspires me are the stories of these students,” said Pankracij. “When I talk to a student and really get to know them and learn their ‘why’, it’s amazing how diverse the response is for pursuing pharmacy.”
Understanding a student’s “why” is crucial for the career services team. Ultimately, the team is helping each student reach their goals, while always reflecting on the reason behind it. This is why both Olson and Pankracij agree that the best days are orientation and graduation.
“It’s a reminder that the journey is all worth it – seeing a student’s progression from orientation to graduation and knowing what they are doing next,” said Pankracij. “What’s awesome about career services is you are part of the ‘next’.”
The impact of the School’s career services team goes beyond Carolina’s walls as Olson is passionate about the larger career space and volunteers with several organizations, including the North Carolina Associations of Colleges and Employers and The Placement Exchange. Due to her passion for offering cutting edge information and resources to students and spearheading collaborations across campus, she received the Carolina Career Community (C3) Rising Star Award.
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