Jade Stewart moves to the rhythm of her passions—from dance to pharmacy

Featured Featured News News Sidebar Featured News Students,

Mariava Phillips
March 12, 2025

Written by Sabrina Shaw

Jade Stewart fell in love with the art of dancing and its ability to heal; now she’s pursuing pharmacy for the same reason.

Stewart’s passion for dance began at a young age as an outlet for creative expression and a means to build connections, but it evolved into a lifelong pursuit as she received her BFA in dance from Howard University in 2024. During her undergraduate studies she also took STEM courses, which piqued her interest to double minor in biology and chemistry, strengthening her evolving interest in science.

“I want to use my background in the arts to make health care more approachable and engaging for those who may not always trust the medical system,” she said. “Dance and pharmacy may seem like different worlds, but both are about helping people thrive, whether through movement or medicine.”

At Howard she choreographed and performed, concentrating on modern-contemporary dance with African influence. During her early years of college, Howards resources were limited because of COVID.

Despite the circumstances, Howard transformed Stewart’s involvement in the arts and allowed her to deepen her artistic passions through extensive training and performance opportunities. Stewart was rewarded with the Liz Cherry Jones Memorial Commission, allowing her to travel to Tunisia, in North Africa, to perform and teach Tunisian dancers. The trip helped solidify her aspirations of helping others, either through dance or pharmacy.

“Dance transcends language, it connects people beyond words,” said Stewart. “Dance is a way for people to heal; pharmacy is a way for people to heal.”

Ultimately, the decline of her grandmother’s health from adverse medicinal reactions, that could have been prevented, deepened her passion for pharmacy. This personal experience made Stewart more aware of the disparities in the health care system when it comes to medically underserved communities, like her grandmother, and it propelled her into pharmacy.

“I found my love of pharmacy through the heartbreak of watching my grandmother struggle,” she said. “I have seen firsthand how patients can be overlooked, and I want to be part of the solution by advocating for better medication education, increased health care access, and patient-centered care.”

Now a first-year pharmacy student at the UNC Eshleman School of Pharmacy, Stewart emphasizes that dance is not a thing of the past, it is something that remains central in her life. She will continue to blend the discipline and creative collaboration she learned from dance with the healing focus of pharmacy.

“There are so many transferable skills that you can gain from different fields and apply them in unexpected ways,” said Stewart.

She encourages those wanting to pursue non-traditional career paths or diverge from the usual: “Do not limit yourself to one thing—just do it.”