Joshua Jons Receives UWAA Scholarship

Joshua Jons

by RoseMarie Aridas
Alumnews Writer

Joshua Wayne Jons had already applied for admission to the University of Wyoming, but being awarded a scholarship after he caught the eye of alum Jeff Silbaugh, (BSP '75) Weston County Representative to the UW Alumni Association, certainly enhanced his college experience at UW.
 

The UWAA Scholarship Club awards 4-year scholarships of $1500 each year to outstanding students. The scholarships are funded by Scholarship Club members, an annual auction and a portion of the Alumni Association dues. The Association sponsors an average of 34 scholarships per year.
 

All seniors at Newcastle (Wyo.) High School, where Jons went to school, participate in a program that allows them to "shadow" professionals in various fields. Jons wanted to shadow either an optometrist or a pharmacist - two fields he was considering because of his previous personal exposure to each. Once he partnered with a local pharmacist, his career choice was decided.
 

As a student at UW, Jons' first two years involved meeting the university's core and pre-pharmacy course requirements. After applying and being accepted to the School of Pharmacy, he began the first of three years doing what he refers to as the "book learning" for his pharmacy degree. Between the first and second year of the pharmacy program, student pharmacists spend the summer in an introductory internship - a rehearsal of sorts for the 4th program year internship which includes nine 4-credit hour "experiential rotations" and four "reflective learning" sessions.
 

Internship rotations take place in and outside of Wyoming and further expose future pharmacists to the different categories of and settings for pharmacy work. The lottery-style Pharmacy Education Management System (PEMS) assigns rotation spots on the basis of stated preferences. Students intern at community pharmacy practices as well as hospital settings.
 

Jons' ultimate plan is to find a position in a hospital because there is more interaction with the patients and with their doctors and this, he feels, will make the best use of his pharmacy education.  Recently engaged to a young woman who is studying Animal Science and who has a future internship in a zoo in Texas, he hopes to follow her there.
 

When he reflects upon his experiences thus far at UW, Jons says that he appreciates the attractive and well-designed campus environment and the changes inherent when one leaves a community of 3,000 for a much larger one. Jons says he has found his course work satisfying and his faculty advisors helpful in "keeping me on track and telling me what to expect." He is grateful for the "straight forward" scheduling and class availability.
 

As a student in the pharmacy program, he is also a member of the American Pharmacist Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) which has enabled him to do community outreach - such as health fairs and screenings - which gives him an opportunity to give something back to the community.

While at UW, he has also been a member of the UW Ski and Snowboarding Club and jokes about how he certainly won't find those activities in Texas.

Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009