Martha Ndung’u, PharmD
Department: Pharmacy Practice
Position held: Assistant Clinical Professor
Graduating Class of 2019 PharmD, 2016 Undergrad- University of Pittsburgh
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”- Maya Angelou
“What I love about Pacific is the family-like environment and the commitment of the students to excel in an accelerated program.”
Why did you choose to teach at UOP?
The pharmacy program here was something of interest to me as it had a Pre-Pharmà Pharmacy program which I felt was a great way to have motivated students going into the career. I also appreciated that they were looking for at the time for professor who would take over the skills and more practical aspects of pharmacy training which was my background.
What is the ratio of Black/African American student involvement in Pharmacy at UOP compared to other student demographics?
Currently there aren’t many students who identify as Black/African American on the pharmacy campus however there are students passionate to see the upliftment of the community and have advocated in several ways including starting a White Coats for Black Lives organization on campus.
In your bio, you mentioned that “your love for science and helping others led you to pursue a career in pharmacy.” As a black female student, did you experience any biases? If so, how did you overcome them?
Yes, I think at this point any black female student in a predominately white institution is bound to run into several types of biases. I made a great group of friends who were like- minded and listened to my grievances, I also had wonderful mentors who were allies to my cause and most importantly staying in my path helped me know that I could overcome and surpass other’s perceptions of my worth.
If there are black students currently studying for a pharmacy degree at UOP, what advice would you offer to help them as they climb these types of hurdles?
As long as they stay focused and create a positive community around them they can accomplish anything they want.
Do you have any suggestions on ways to help increase the involvement of Black and African American students in the pharmaceutical field at UOP, especially from within the local Stockton community?
I believe recruitment in Stockton would be a great way to bring in more diverse students. The university is trying to put in such programs and working towards outreach at high schools in the area. I am new on campus, so I still haven’t gotten a good answer to this question, but I hope to see more progress towards recruitment!
Martha Ndung’u, Elaine Hanly, Stockton, April 21,2022.
