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For a fourth year in a row, faculty members from 91����’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have won Excellence Awards from the Provost’s Office.

Clinical Assistant Professor Rachel Lucas won her award for interprofessional education. The award recognizes an individual whose efforts have made a significant and sustained impact on interprofessional education (IPE) at 91����.

“It is truly an honor to be selected to receive the Provost Award for Interprofessional Education,” Lucas said. “This recognition is deeply meaningful to me because it reflects a shared commitment among faculty, disciplines, universities and students to enhance student preparedness for real-world collaborative practice. It also reflects the progress we have made growing The Rural and Underserved Service Track (TRUST) to enhance interprofessional education between 91���� and Upstate Medical University.”

To win the awards, nominees must submit a self-statement, receive a nomination letter and secure letters of support from colleagues, students or community partners highlighting their dedication to interprofessional education. The final decision is made by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald E. Hall based on the recommendation of a University committee.

“I was incredibly grateful to be nominated by my colleagues for this award,” Lucas said. “My work in interprofessional education has always been driven by the belief that students learn best when they understand and value the perspectives of others. Receiving this award reinforced the work that we are doing in TRUST to enhance interprofessional education through community engagement.”

Associate Professor Tracy Brooks won an award for undergraduate research mentoring. It honors 91���� faculty who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment as mentors for undergraduate students in research, scholarship or creative activities outside of normal course assignments.

Brooks said she is deeply honored to receive this recognition: “For over 20 years, since my time as a postdoctoral fellow, I’ve had the privilege of working with undergraduate students whose enthusiasm for science and willingness to embrace new ideas creates an environment where we all learn together. This award is particularly meaningful because it reflects the collaborative journey I’ve shared with so many talented students at 91���� and SOPPS. Their fresh perspectives and willingness to explore new concepts have enriched my own work, and I hope my mentoring has been equally valuable for them.”

For this award, nominees must:

• actively and effectively guide students’ research, creative projects and development, helping them to move from guided toward independent research and creative work
• establish expectations clearly and maintain high standards for undergraduate performance
• actively help undergraduates to develop their own scholarly profile, helping them to share the results of their work as appropriate to the discipline (such as meetings, conferences, committees, performances and publications)
• actively prepare students for success in applications to graduate and professional schools

Brooks said one of the best part of mentoring is that every student brings unique perspectives, interests and goals to the lab. Her motivation comes from helping those student find their place in science by designing projects that speak to their individual experiences and aspirations.

“I strive to create an environment where students can embrace the trial and error that precedes those ’eureka’ moments, and where they feel comfortable being their authentic selves,” she said. “I model this by being genuine myself — sharing my enthusiasm, acknowledging my mistakes and bringing my quirky personality to our work together. This authenticity, I believe, helps students feel safe to take intellectual risks and grow.”

IPE is a major focus and passion for Lucas, who is also the director of TRUST. The idea brings students from different health-related programs together and exposes them to different ways of thinking about healthcare and patient health. The hope is that when these students graduate and step into the professional world, they’ll already know how to work collaboratively across disciplines to provide patient care.

“As a clinical pharmacist, I have observed firsthand how interprofessional collaboration can enhance or hinder teams in practice,” Lucas said. “I want to ensure that students have an opportunity to practice their interprofessional competencies in their didactic years to ensure they are prepared to understand roles and enhance future teams that they may work on. My motivation also comes from observing students grow in confidence, empathy and professional identity in this space. Interprofessional education allows students to see beyond their own discipline, develop effective communication skills and recognize the power of collaboration.”

Lucas continued by thanking her colleagues and collaborators across the university who continually support and contribute to interprofessional initiatives, especially the faculty and staff who participate in TRUST.

“TRUST would not exist without their help,” she said. “I am so grateful for their support in preparing students for the interprofessional workforce. I am also grateful to the students, whose passion, engagement, curiosity and openness make this work meaningful. Their willingness to learn from one another to enhance interprofessional collaboration in their future practices is what truly brings so much meaning to this work.”

Brooks thanked her colleague, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Nathan Tumey, for nominating her for this award, as well as her former students.

“Their trust, creativity and willingness to explore new research directions with our group have made this journey incredibly fulfilling,” she said. “They are the reason this work is so meaningful.”