PNC Students Accepted to Purdue Pharmacy Program

Westville – Three Purdue University North Central students who have excelled in their studies at PNC, have been accepted to the competitive Purdue University Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

The Purdue School of Pharmacy is ranked fourth in the nation and has high admission standards. This four-year program had a record 1,000 applicants from throughout the county, but only 160 qualified for admission. Among them were James Joros, of Valparaiso, Kelly Kilgore, Michigan City and Kevin Nelson, Michigan City.

The incoming class of Purdue pharmacy students has a collective grade-point average of 3.67. Joros has a perfect 4.0 and Nelson tallied a 3.9. In addition to grades, the program looks at a student’s on- and off-campus activities, their community involvement and work life in an effort to attract bright, well-rounded students.

“The program is competitive to determine who is dedicated enough to become a pharmacist,” said Nelson. “I saw this as a challenge to prove that I was dedicated and qualified to enter the pharmacy program. The program stresses dedication; making the program this competitive shows who really wants to be there.”

Kilgore, however, noted that some students do not realize just how competitive the program is, “In all honesty, I had no idea that pharmacy was such a competitive field when I first started. Thanks to the PNC Pre-Pharmacy Club, I was able to learn about the requirements and the application process for the program.”

Her work paid off, as she was also accepted to the University of Cincinnati’s Pharmacy Program.

These students strive for excellence in the classroom, but balance that with family, work and other activities.

“Sometimes combining everything was difficult. Eating and sleeping came last on my ‘to do’ list,” said Joros. “My family has been supportive. Everyone at PNC has been supportive. They had faith in me, even when I did not.”

Joros gives back to the University as a volunteer tutor helping students with math, chemistry, biology and physics – some of the most difficult subjects students face.

“I take pride in the many awards I received through the years, but my biggest achievement is being a father to two beautiful children – James and Jessica,” he noted.

For Nelson, careful time management allowed him to set priorities and keep things on track.

“It was not easy to keep things separate. It is important to find time for homework, extracurricular activities, work and personal life, without losing sight of the big picture or losing your mind. I kept my school work limited to the week and weekend days. I had weekend nights to unwind and relax. If I focused all of my time on just school, I would have burned out and would not have been as successful,” he explained.

He is the Pre-Pharmacy and Delta Sigma (Science) clubs president and is a math tutor.

Kilgore is an officer of the Pre-Pharmacy and the Rotaract (campus Rotary) club. She is part of the LaPorte County Big Brother Big Sister School Buddy program, volunteering as a mentor and role model for an elementary school student. She has participated in several student panels to talk to high school students about the importance of a college education. She will travel to Peru this summer with a PNC study group.

Both Kilgore and Nelson were part of PNC Delta Sigma Club trip to Tutwiler, Mississippi to help build homes with Habitat for Humanity.

“This was probably my favorite PNC experience. We helped to build a new home - an experience I will never forget,” said Kilgore.

Becoming a pharmacist seemed like a natural career choice for Kilgore. “My mother is a pharmacy technician and this sparked my interest in the career. When in high school my favorite classes were biology and chemistry. That encouraged me to go into a field of health care.

For Nelson, the field suits his personality. “Pharmacy is a people-oriented field. It is largely about serving individuals and the community and using your knowledge to assist others,” he said. “I want a career that focuses on helping others. As a pharmacist I will be able to apply my knowledge to helping others.”

Joros added, “As a pharmacist I will try to positively impact the field to the best of my ability. I want to be in a field in which I can help other people.”

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