When Samantha Townsend was visiting the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy for her admissions interview, Christian Phillips, then-president of the Pharmacy Student Government Association (PSGA), gave her a tour of the college.
“I remember looking up to him and thinking that PSGA was something I could see myself doing,” she said.
Fast forward to her pharmacy school orientation when she met Piper Olivet, who succeeded Phillips as PSGA president. “She seemed really cool and approachable, and that’s the type of leader I want to emulate.”
Now a third-year pharmacy student, Townsend is following in the footsteps of Phillips and Olivet as PSGA president. Through that role, she also serves as president of the university-wide Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) and student representative on the UT Health Science Center Advisory Board, allowing her to increase her impact and advocate for all students across the university.
Townsend’s higher education journey and interest in pharmacy began at Louisiana Tech University, not far from her hometown of Benton, Louisiana. While she was initially on a pre-med track, she discovered she had a knack for chemistry during her classes and while conducting research that involved medicinal chemistry and pathophysiology. She graduated with bachelor’s degrees in both biology and chemistry.
While in college, Townsend worked at a multispecialty clinic, where she conducted prior authorizations for patients needing imaging, surgeries, medications, and other care. This led to her developing an interest in advocating for patients, and she saw pharmacy as the perfect option to blend this new passion with her love of chemistry. Her recent summer internship at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore confirmed she made the right career choice.
“This internship has solidified that the pharmacy realm is the right place for me,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve learned and seeing firsthand how pharmacists help patients, even if it’s behind the scenes in different avenues.”
For Townsend, pharmacy school gave her the opportunity to broaden her horizons. She chose UT Health Science Center for its reputation, its proximity to leading medical institutions, and the chance to work with patient populations she had never encountered before. She said it was the ideal environment to challenge herself and grow, both personally and professionally.
“I’m getting to serve and advocate for all of our students across all of our campuses, helping make sure that they have the best experience and access to all the things they feel that they need.”
Samantha Townsend
In addition to the supportive faculty and close-knit community of students, Townsend has appreciated the College of Pharmacy for the leadership opportunities it has provided, including in the college’s chapter of the American Pharmacists Association–Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). As she steps into her new leadership roles in PSGA and SGAEC, Townsend’s immediate priority is to be proactive in learning about the problems students in all six colleges are facing. She aims to be as open and responsive to students’ needs as possible so she can make a difference for them.
“It’s a very big responsibility, and it’s definitely not one that I would ever take lightly,” Townsend said. “It’s such an honor and a privilege because now, not only am I advocating for the students in the College of Pharmacy, but I’m getting to serve and advocate for all of our students across all of our campuses, helping make sure that they have the best experience and access to all the things they feel that they need.”
In addition to being a voice for students, Townsend’s goals as SGAEC president include uniting students across UT Health Science Center’s colleges. She hopes to do this by promoting and organizing events that foster collaboration among students from different disciplines. “Promoting more intermingling and getting to know each other better now can help promote more interprofessional collaboration later in our careers,” she said.
With nearly two years of pharmacy school to go, Townsend is still deciding what her future career will look like. After graduating in 2027, she plans to pursue residency but is not yet sure what area of pharmacy she wants to practice. She hopes her rotations in her fourth year will help her make that decision.
In the longer term, Townsend hopes to work in an ambulatory setting, where she believes she can have the biggest impact in patient care. She also would like to precept students so she can give back to the profession by helping shape the next generation of pharmacists.