For Dr. Kayce Shealy, associate professor of pharmacy practice at the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy, service is more than a nifty slogan or a lofty ideal; it is an everyday commitment to her profession, her students, and her community.

This summer at the 141st annual meeting of the S.C. Pharmacy Association in Hilton Head, Shealy assumed a prominent leadership role as the group’s newest president, where she delivered an inaugural speech reminding colleagues that they all vowed, in part, to serve others. She also called upon them to do so with passion.

“At the end of the day, each of us took the same oath,” Shealy said. “While our passions may lie in different areas of the profession, I hope that we are all passionate about pharmacy.

“We are all bound by the same regulations and purpose. No one position is more important than the other; the truth is, all of our different roles and responsibilities are necessary to make sure that all patients achieve optimal outcomes. Each of us has a role in advancing our profession, serving our patients, preparing our future generations. This takes hard work; it’s not easy. But working hard for something that you love is passion; we must have passion to get us through those tough days.”

A graduate of the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Shealy has served as a member of the PCSP faculty since 2010 and teaches courses in therapeutics, self-care, and pharmacotherapy outcomes. She has been a member of the SCPhA, a group dedicated to advancing the practice and science of pharmacy, since 2005.

“I enjoy being involved and serving others,” she said. “Being a leader in the association provides the opportunity to learn more about our profession, the great works that those in our profession are doing, and how we can help make that better.”

Shealy said she also will continue to emphasize to her students the importance of being active in a professional association like the SCPhA.

“I feel that it is very important to be engaged in professional associations that have their interests in mind,” she said. “Being involved in advocating for our profession, specifically how we are able to practice our profession, is necessary to ensure we continue to move forward and progress in our changing healthcare environment.”

Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.