A Year of Growth, Faith, and Service with UMSOP CPFI

Pictured: Daniel Z. Mansour, Charmaine Rochester-Eyeguokan, Jeffrey Bates, Harriet Abena B Akoto, Derrick Kwateng Nyamekye, Ariana Murgor, Victoria Omoniyodo, Olivia Amoako, Jamie Padilla, Aurore Suzanne Fokam Kamnang, Nana Esi Bray, and Gloria Okeke

By Ariana Murgor, PharmD Candidate 2027, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

This past year has been one of incredible growth, both personally and for the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s student chapter of Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International (CPFI). When I joined the School’s chapter in September 2023 as a first-year pharmacy student, I never imagined the journey that would unfold not just in service to our community but in deepening my faith and finding a family within pharmacy. At a time when many organizations were rebuilding after the pandemic, our chapter had just one member. Still, I’ll never forget the words of our then-president, Nana Esi Bray: “Pray, Ariana. Others will join you.” And God answered. By the fall of 2024, we had grown into a vibrant family of many more student pharmacists, rooted in shared values and energized by our purpose.

One of the greatest joys of this year was attending the 2025 CPFI National Conference and Annual Retreat in May at Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons Island, Ga., alongside eight of my peers, where we were incredibly honored to be named the CPFI Dr. Manasseh Heeralall Student Chapter of the Year. Established in 2012, this award recognizes one student chapter annually for its dedicated service to the National Student Council and its advancement of student activities and leadership development. This recognition was a direct reflection of our members’ commitment to outreach, discipleship, and Christ-centered fellowship. From health fairs and service projects to prayer nights and campus ministry, the Lord opened doors for us to serve with both compassion and clinical excellence.

One of our most impactful events from this past academic year came through winning the Hands and Feet Grant. With it, we partnered with My Sister’s Place Women’s Center, a day shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness in Baltimore. Our chapter assembled and delivered care packages containing winter essentials, such as sleeping bags, warmers, sneakers, and hygiene items, along with handwritten joyful Bible verses and notes of encouragement. We also offered clinical services, including blood pressure checks, medication reviews, health education, and health care referrals, reaching dozens of women with both physical care and spiritual hope.

Throughout the academic year, our chapter participated in six major outreach events, including the Hollins House Fair, Randallstown Community Health Center Fair, St. Mary’s Outreach, and several community vaccination clinics across Baltimore. These events were made possible through collaboration with other School of Pharmacy student government organizations, including ASCP, APhA-ASP, SNPhA, and ASHP-SSHP. Beyond outreach, we remained grounded in fellowship and professional development. We hosted bi-weekly fellowships with our peers from the Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy, explored Christlike leadership with CPFI’s Regional Director, Dr. Erin Ballentine, and held an APPE panel to guide students through their final year of pharmacy school with faith and excellence.

Personally, one of the most spiritually enriching experiences for me was attending the annual conference with my peers, our faculty advisors, and preceptors, including Dr. Charmaine Rochester-Eyeguokan, Dr. Daniel Mansour, and Dr. Ballentine. In addition to celebrating the chapter of the year honor, we connected with health care professionals from across the country, participated in workshops, and found encouragement in the shared mission of serving Christ through the profession of pharmacy.

We were especially filled with joy when Dr. Mansour, our devoted faculty advisor and director of education and interprofessional clinical training at the School of Pharmacy’s Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging, was honored with the CPFI Psalm 145 Advisor of the Year Award, a prestigious national accolade established in 2014 to recognize CPFI’s outstanding chapter advisors. Dr. Mansour’s mentorship has been central to our chapter’s growth and our ability to live out a mission grounded in service, reflection, and care.

Looking back, I see more than a calendar full of events. I see answered prayers, transformed lives, and a chapter of student pharmacists who have stepped boldly into their calling. We are so thankful for our alumni, our partner organizations, and everyone who supported us with time, resources, and prayer. And if you’re reading this, wondering if you’ll find your place here, I want you to know there is room for you. There is a place for your gifts, your faith, your questions, and your heart. Join us in this joyful journey. We’re saving you a seat.

To our current members: thank you for showing up. Thank you for serving with love. Thank you for saying yes to something bigger than all of us. And to those who came before us, thank you for laying the foundation, for planting seeds of faith, and for paving the way. Your prayers, efforts, and quiet sacrifices continue to bear fruit in this chapter today.

And to God, be all the glory.