Pharmacy student Matthew Hill’s greatest passion is to bring service and joy to others. Through his involvement at Ohio Northern, he’s found multiple ways to do exactly that while also receiving a first-class education.
Matthew’s passion for pharmacy stems from his own experiences in a hospital setting.
“When I was 18, I was diagnosed with an aggressive, rare form of bone cancer that took a year of my life, one of my legs and very nearly my life from me,” he says. “The most magical part of this time, however, was having a front row seat to watch pain and suffering go head to head with the indomitable will of the support and selflessness that was provided to me and my family by our community.”
Matthew has been able to witness this exact same phenomenon through his involvement with several student organizations, including Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Theta Epsilon, Colleges Against Cancer and – his favorite – the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP).
Through his love of music and ASCP, Hill had the opportunity to play an integral role in the growth and development of the Music Therapy Outreach, an outreach program that helps alleviate symptoms in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia. “This has been an incredible experience to be able to mix a major life passion with my career,” he says.
Ohio Northern has been the best fit for Hill because of the professors. “They are all very accessible and strive to help their students maximize their potential in their fields of interest,” he says. “I have developed relationships and been granted opportunities that I am confident I would not have been provided at other schools.”
Hill’s plans for after graduation include going to Ohio University to obtain a Master of Business Administration, while working full time at a local hospital as a pharmacist. After getting his MBA, he plans to seek a career in pharmacy leadership and start an independent long-term care consulting business to help bring invaluable care to a number of patients in need of it.
Hill has strong advice for future students: “Above all else, whatever you choose to do in life, do what you are passionate about. Develop a strong work ethic and an ironclad mental toughness to apply to those passions, and you will exceed every definition of success.”