IPPC Indigenous Pharmacy Scholarship by Shoppers Drug Mart
2024-25 PharmD Scholarship Recipient
Makenzie Karpounin
University of Alberta
Makenzie Karpounin is a 22-year-old Métis student entering her fourth year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Alberta. Being the first person in her family to attend university, Makenzie wants to accomplish the unimaginable and make her family proud. Throughout her university career, she has been on the honors roll 3 times and continually strives to work hard and expand her knowledge. For the last 2 years Makenzie has volunteered to mentor first-year pharmacy students, giving them advice on how to succeed in the program because she remembers how overwhelming it was when she began the program.
From a young age Makenzie has always wanted to make a difference in people's lives. As she grew older, she wanted to integrate this passion with her love of science. Through personal visits to pharmacies, Makenzie quickly learned how accessible pharmacists are and realized that this field would allow her to have the greatest impact on people's lives, while also allowing her to pursue her interest in science. During the clinical rotations in the pharmacy program, Makenzie has enjoyed her ability to form positive connections with patients, using her education to answer medication questions and play a role in their care. “My experiences with patients so far have shown me how important the role of the pharmacist truly is in patient care,” she explains. “I’m so excited to complete my studies and become an active member of this profession.”
Born and raised in Edmonton, AB, Makenzie aspires to become a reliable pharmacist who serves the needs of not only her own community, but surrounding Indigenous communities as well. She looks forward to using her pharmacy education to improve Indigenous health care and provide increased accessibility to health resources.
Makenzie hopes that her story and accomplishments will inspire other Indigenous individuals to work towards their dreams because no matter how big or small, anything can be achieved.
This scholarship has been generously supported by Shoppers Drug Mart.
