Aminda Skan, the daughter of former Wrangell resident Mercedes Angerman, is a second-year pharmacy student with Doctor of Pharmacy program that is jointly organized by the Idaho State University and the University of Alaska Anchorage. She received her bachelor's degree in biological science from UAA in May 2017. Her doctorate program has ISU's name on it, but as she explained in an email, it allows her to remain in Alaska to achieve her degree.
Recently, through her work to increase the number of vaccinations in the Anchorage area, she became a top 10 recipient of the United States Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award.
"This recognition is a strong reflection of the abundant support and opportunities that this wonderful college, its faculty, and my classmates have provided me," Skan said in an email. "I am extremely grateful and appreciative that I can represent my college and the profession of pharmacy in such a positive way."
The award Skan has received, she said, was established to recognize pharmacy students that make "significant contributions to public health." She received this recognition because, this school year, she sat as the Operation Immunization Chair for the UAA campus. Operation Immunization is a national initiative to educate people on vaccines, and to provide them to the public. Skan said that the Anchorage campus of the UAA/ISU College of Pharmacy partnered with Providence Alaska Medical Center to travel to 80 assisted living home in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. The residents of these homes often cannot travel to a doctor to receive their vaccinations, Skan said, so they decided to bring the vaccines to them. They provided pneumonia and influenza vaccines to residents, employees, and visiting family members at these homes.
"This year we really 'injected' new life into the program and increased immunizations by 44 percent over the previous year giving 631 vaccines in two days," she said in an email.
Skan's grandparents are the late Fred Angerman, Sr. and Mercedes Angerman, Sr. While Skan has not permanently lived in Wrangell, she said that she has many fond memories of the island and visits as often as she can.
"As soon as I was able to walk, I would spend a month every summer, always in July so I wouldn't miss the Fourth, with my grandparents," she said in an email. "They taught me how to fish and bait the perfect hook! As I got older, I started working for my uncle and aunt, Jeff and Dawn Angerman, at Angerman's Clothing and Sporting Goods. I still visit my Wrangell family often."
Skan is expected to graduate in May 2021. She said that she plans to remain in Alaska serve Alaskans. She will be publicly receiving her award in Anchorage on May 9.
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