A first-generation college student at Ohio Northern University, Chelsie Schoepflin has a singular reason for pursuing her doctorate in pharmacy. He happens to be about 4 feet tall and is currently in the third grade.
“I’m pretty geared toward my son, Clayton,” she said. “For me, it’s about giving him a better life and showing him that he can do whatever he wants to do.”
Being a single mother while navigating a rigorous, six-year PharmD program isn’t for the faint of heart. Chelsie’s days are nonstop: a one-hour commute to Ada; intensive coursework; helping Clayton with his own homework; and managing a calendar of soccer practices and household chores all while working part-time at a Walmart Pharmacy. While she credits her mother and grandmother as an invaluable support system, Chelsie admits that three years into the program, she’s “still trying to find my groove.”
At every step of her journey, however, she’s been uplifted by the Polar Bear community. It began when she got a job as a pharmacy technician during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was surrounded by ONU pharmacy alumni who encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming a pharmacist.
“As a single mom, I didn’t know if it was the right move,” she said. “They told me ‘yeah, it’s hard—but you can do it if you put your mind to it.’”
Bolstered by their confidence in her, she enrolled in the Raabe College of Pharmacy where she’s found close friends and “study buddies,” despite the 10-year age gap between her and many of her peers. The support extends to the faculty. “The professors here are very kind,” she says. “If something comes up, they accommodate me. I’ve even had professors tell me I can bring my son to class if I need to.”
Her proudest moment thus far was receiving her White Coat at the college’s Professional Commitment Ceremony. As she walked off the stage, she saw her son proudly recording the achievement on his phone while grinning widely.
With each passing semester, Chelsie is one step closer to her goal of becoming a community pharmacist. And most importantly, to proving to herself and to her son what’s possible with persistence.