The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy will partner with Southeastern Community College, Western Piedmont Community College, and Carolina College Advising Corps to provide rising high school juniors and seniors from rural and underserved communities in North Carolina an immersive summer camp supplemented with a yearlong, longitudinal program.
Photo Credit: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
High school juniors and seniors can now apply for the Promoting Innovation and Lifelong Learning in STEM (PILLS Academy).
Made possible by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the school received a total of $180,000 through the Fund’s Student STEM Enrichment Program initiative. The grant will fund three years of PILLS.
The program will take place over two days, immersing students in the world of pharmacy practice. “We’ll have a lot of hands-on activities planned for the students to have fun and to ensure they will be engaged in activities that will be of interest to them,” said Wendy Cox, Associate Dean for Admissions and Accreditation and program primary contact.
Both days will offer educational activities like DNA extraction of strawberries, creating products while learning about the components of them, and panel discussions with pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists from the surrounding area.
Students can expect an engaging experience while learning about the booming STEM career opportunities that their communities have to offer.
This immersive experience will be held July 15 and 16, 2025, from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM at Western Piedmont Community College, in Morganton, NC.
At The PILLS Academy, students will have the chance to:
• Dive into hands-on pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences activities
• Participate in interactive demonstrations
• Explore pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences career opportunities
• And much more!
Year-Long Virtual Mentorship: In addition to the summer program, participants will enjoy a year-long virtual mentorship, fostering continuous learning and development. Students will have the opportunity to meet with both current Pharmacists, and PharmD students.
Important Details:
• The summer program is in-person only, with no virtual option.
• Each day students will be at the PILLS Academy from approximately 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
• The program is 100% free of charge.
• Lunch is provided.
• Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Academy site each day.
Application: Please apply to the location you hope to attend. There is limited space available at approximately 30 slots per camp. Applications are due by May 30, 2025. Western Piedmont Community College – The PILLS Academy Application
We look forward to seeing your application and supporting your journey in STEM! Questions? Please reach out to Hannah Amundson at hamundso@unc.edu.