Chapter Honored for Excellence and Organ Donation Awareness

Belmont University Chapter of PRSSA received a 2011 Star Chapter Award at the recent PRSSA National Conference in Orlando. Only a handful of the 300 chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of America are designated as a Star Chapter. The annual award was established in 2009 and recognizes chapter excellence in 10 criteria; the Belmont Chapter received the award in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Belmont PRSSA also received a national third place award for organ donation awareness, recognizing the work of Susan Barnes’ event planning class in Spring 2011. The award is sponsored by the National Organ Donation Awareness Campaign and Rowan University.
“These awards recognize the excellent leadership and service of our student officers and members, as well as the creative and effective promotion by Professor Barnes’ class of the importance of organ donation,” said Bonnie Riechert, director of the public relations program.

Faculty advisor for Belmont PRSSA, Riechert was one of six advisors honored at the national conference for distinguished service as a faculty advisor. Riechert has served as Belmont PRSSA advisor since 2006, and she was faculty advisor to the University of Tennessee Knoxville Chapter from 2001-2005.

The Belmont University School of Pharmacy rose above 85 competing schools to rank No. 5 in a national pharmacy and clinical skills competition.

The group traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa. on Oct. 15 for a live competition at the annual American College of Clinical Pharmacy Clinical Pharmacy Challenge and lost to Campbell  University College of Pharmacy by less than 300 points in the quarter-final match. Both teams were quick on the buzzer and displayed a broad knowledge of clinical pharmacy. Ultimately, the winner of the match came down to the last 300 point question.

Team members are Rebecca Lucas, Kimberly Bentley and Lee Rembert. John Barnwell and Courtney Manning are alternate members. Assistant Professor and Director of Drug Information Services Cathy Ficzere is the students’ coach.

Ficzere said, “There were so many questions in several rounds that our students could answer. I was amazed. Many times the students associated a specific faculty member with the topic.”

School of Pharmacy Dean Phil Johnston said, “We are in some tough company in the finals, but we have been competing with well established schools in all the previous rounds and obviously scoring very well.  What is so impressive to me is that we have students competing who have not completed all of their electives nor their final clinical rotations, yet are showing they have great critical thinking skills, work well as a team, and can apply their knowledge. We are absolutely thrilled with the success of the team, the faculty coaches and supporters, and happy that this reflects well on Belmont.”

All team members and alternates received certificates for their achievement from ACCP staff.