{"id":236637,"date":"2025-10-14T16:28:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T20:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=236637"},"modified":"2025-10-14T16:28:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T20:28:38","slug":"a-dose-of-history-pharmacists-in-the-phamily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/10\/a-dose-of-history-pharmacists-in-the-phamily\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dose of History: Pharmacists in the Phamily"},"content":{"rendered":"

From New Haven to Storrs: Amelia Ardizzone and Joyce\u00a0<\/span>B.\u00a0<\/span>Comer<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Graduating\u00a0from UConn\u00a0with her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1975, and\u00a0before completing her Pharm.D.\u00a0at Creighton\u00a0University\u00a0in 1977,\u00a0Joyce Comer had pharmacy in her blood. Originally from North Haven, Joyce\u2019s parents were both pharmacists and inspired her to pick a practical major like teaching or nursing, where she could change lives. Naturally, growing up with parents in the pharmacy industry influenced Joyce to choose pharmacy!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A
A picture of Joyce from her yearbook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Joyce is thankful for her time\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0School,\u00a0she is most thankful for what her UConn School of Pharmacy education allowed her to do. After receiving her Pharm.D. from Creighton, Joyce completed a fellowship at Hartford Hospital and continued to work there after her training. After working in pharmacy for years, Joyce decided to pivot her career and taught\u00a0pharmacology\u00a0at UConn\u2019s School of Nursing for a couple of years before teaching and working\u00a0in hospitals in Connecticut.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Joyce has worked in\u00a0<\/span>a number of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Connecticut\u00a0<\/span>hospitals<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0including Saint Francis, Waterbury, Bristol, an<\/span><\/span>d the VA,\u00a0<\/span>facilitating<\/span>\u00a0staff development and clinical coordinator activities.<\/span>\u00a0Amidst working in hospitals and at colleges, Joyce has also worked in home care and\u00a0<\/span>as a\u00a0<\/span>consultant<\/span>\u00a0with Bristol-Myers Squibb<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“My education has given me many options, and I\u2019ve never gotten bored because there\u2019s always been something different to do.\u201d – Joyce\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Joyce\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>mother<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Amelia Ard<\/span>izzone, graduated from UConn in 1938 with her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Living in New Haven, the Connecticut College of Pharmacy (the original name and location of UConn Pharmacy) was within walking distance of her house. In a graduating class of less than twenty students, Amelia was only one of two women.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Joyce's
Joyce’s mom, Amelia, in the 1938 yearbook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After graduating, Amelia went to work for\u00a0<\/span>Eudowe<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Pharmacy<\/span>\u00a0in New Haven<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>also within walking distance from her home.\u00a0<\/span>After the Depression, when jobs were far and few between<\/span>, Amelia took a job at Meriden Hospital, where she lived in a nurse\u2019s dorm.<\/span>\u00a0During her time there, Amelia met Joyce\u2019s father,\u00a0<\/span>Ben Comer<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who worked at Merck<\/span>\u00a0after graduating from Rutgers<\/span>\u00a0College of Pharmacy<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>As a pharmacist working as a wholesale\u00a0<\/span>salesman<\/span>,<\/span> Joyce\u2019s father went to Meriden Hospital, where he met Amelia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amelia and\u00a0<\/span>Ben<\/span>\u00a0married and started a family after WWII.\u00a0<\/span>Amelia took a break from the pharmacy industry to raise\u00a0<\/span>her children\u00a0<\/span>with the intention of going back to work.<\/span>\u00a0However, by the time her\u00a0<\/span>children\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>grown<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>pharmacy<\/span>\u00a0had changed so dramatically<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>she decided to make the career break permanent.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since\u00a0Joyce and her mother both\u00a0attended\u00a0the\u00a0School, they shared some memories of their experiences studying pharmacy. However, these memories also differed since many years\u00a0separated\u00a0their UConn experiences. For example, Joyce remembers the difficulty she faced while taking a pharmacognosy course, which her\u00a0mother\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0seem to understand.\u00a0Her mother would say:\u00a0\u201cYou just memorize the plants, berries, and roots,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0not that difficult.\u201d But when Joyce completed this course, 30 years later, it\u00a0involved biochemistry and was more\u00a0than just memorizing plants, berries, and roots.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The
The School’s 1938 yearbook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although both buildings Joyce and her mother studied in are long gone, Joyce is excited for current students to\u00a0<\/span>enjoy\u00a0<\/span>new<\/span>\u00a0classrooms, labs, and opportunities. Joyce is also\u00a0<\/span>excited\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0return<\/span>\u00a0to UConn, looking forward to\u00a0<\/span>seeing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>how\u00a0<\/span>much UConn School of Pharmacy has grown!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After Amelia passed away in 1982, Joyce\u2019s father endowed a scholarship in her name at the School, the Amelia Ardizzone Comer Memorial Pharmacy Scholarship, to carry on her legacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about the future of UConn Pharmacy, Joyce emphasizes how strong the\u00a0<\/span>School<\/span>\u00a0has become.\u00a0<\/span>She\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0also interested in seeing how advancements in technology, including the rise of artificial intelligence, will\u00a0<\/span>impact<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0practice\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>pharmacy<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Father, Like Son:\u00a0<\/span>Dan and Ryan Shan<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A 4<\/span>th\u00a0<\/span>year Pharm.D. student, Ryan\u00a0Shan\u00a0grew up in a Husky family. Born and raised in Chesire, Ryan spent his youth cheering on UConn basketball and helping his older brother, now a UConn alum, move back to UConn each fall.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ryan
Ryan and his dad Dan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Growing up, Ryan\u2019s dad, a School of Pharmacy alum, would tell him and his brother stories from his challenging yet rewarding days working at CVS Pharmacy. Although Ryan likes to joke that these stories were part of his dad\u2019s strategy<\/span>\u00a0to get him interested in pharmacy<\/span>, he found a passion for pharmacy all on his own. Enjoying science while curating an interest in the healthcare field during high school, Ryan chose pharmacy as an intersection between his academic interests and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>desire to help others<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that Ryan is in his 4<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span>\u00a0year, doing rotations and living off campus, he misses late nights in the library with friends and\u00a0<\/span>participating<\/span>\u00a0in UConn\u2019s annual\u00a0<\/span>ooze ball<\/span>\u00a0tradition. Because of the closeness of UConn\u2019s pharmacy students, Ryan also cherishes his memories of celebrating milestones<\/span>\u00a0with friends<\/span>, like completing another\u00a0<\/span>finals<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to making memories, Ryan has given back to the\u00a0<\/span>School<\/span>\u00a0through his dedicated involvement. Looking back, one of his most proud moments as a Husky was being chosen as a finalist alongside his team\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0the Academy of Managed Care (AMCP) Annual National Student Pharmacist Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Competition. Attending a conference in person and presenting their work led Ryan and his team to win this prestigious annual competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from his time in the AMCP, Ryan helped lead the industry pharmacist organization club and was an active member of the Dean Student Liaison Committee. He has even looked elsewhere to give back to the pharmacy industry outside of UConn, volunteering at immunization and migrant farmworker clinics and helping to provide homeless patients with resources through the South Park clinic in Hartford.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went into healthcare to do something meaningful.\u201d – Ryan\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Aside from leadership, Ryan works with Adrian Hernandez (Ph.D.) in the\u00a0<\/span>School<\/span>\u00a0to conduct research using meta-<\/span>analysis<\/span>\u00a0and systematic reviews.\u00a0<\/span>Exploring comparative effectiveness and outcomes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of cardiovascular medications\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>Hernande<\/span>z<\/span>\u00a0has helped Ryan gain exposure to research in the cardiovascular space<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a final-year student\u00a0in\u00a0the School, Ryan is now working on completing his rotations and has gained experience in various settings, including the ER department at UConn Health, Pfizer, Aetna, IPD Analytics, and more. He also worked as a pharmacy technician at John Dempsey Hospital and completed an internship with Cigna Healthcare last summer. Looking forward to the future, Ryan hopes to explore his interest in managed care while being flexible to other career paths.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ryan\u00a0remains\u00a0grateful for the strong clinical foundation UConn has provided\u00a0him with\u00a0and the professionalism he has gained through working with classmates and juggling a busy schedule. Developing perseverance and resiliency in a safe environment like UConn has allowed Ryan to see all that\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0capable of.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked if he has any current advice for students just starting out in pharmacy, Ryan emphasizes the importance of getting involved as early as possible and staying open-minded to any learning opportunity. And, at a welcoming environment like UConn, Ryan urges students to be curious and ask questions to build a strong network of \u2018Huskies Helping Huskies.\u2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ryan
Ryan and his dad at a conference<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ryan\u2019s dad, Dan Shan, clearly has a lot to be proud of with both of his sons as current or past Huskies. Before Ryan and his older brother were born, Dan and Ryan\u2019s mother came to the United States from China for college. Dan attended UConn\u2019s School of Pharmacy, graduating in 1989 with his Bachelor of Science, and continued his education at the University of Florida in 2009, where his preceptor was a UConn Pharmacy faculty member.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dan is currently working in the pharmaceutical industry, helping sales representatives understand the medical and scientific side of drugs and diseases. Talking to healthcare providers, he\u00a0facilitates\u00a0non-biased discussions with other professionals in the pharmaceutical industry to improve healthcare.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the curriculum has evolved since Dan has been at UConn, Ryan and his father have bonded over their shared UConn experience. Talking about classes,\u00a0<\/span>professors,<\/span>\u00a0faculty members, and rotations, Ryan and Dan are proud to be Huskies. Spending time together while attending pharmaceutical conferences or talking about classes at the dinner table, Ryan and his dad have become\u00a0<\/span>a father<\/span>-son duo.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about the future of UConn Pharmacy, Ryan and his dad are excited for the bright direction the\u00a0School\u00a0is heading. Introducing more experiences related to industry and managed care, Ryan is excited to see more students pursue these paths and continue the success of past and present students.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being proud of UConn Pharmacy is an understatement for Ryan and his dad. Their involvement in creating the\u00a0School\u2019s\u00a0legacy is bigger than a father-son duo, a true testament to Dan\u2019s resiliency and Ryan\u2019s admiration to carry on the pharmacist\u00a0title!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From Car Rides to Labs: Mike and Ana Andriyashko<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Moving from Ukraine at four and six,\u00a0second-year student\u00a0Ana and\u00a0third-year student\u00a0Mike\u00a0Andriyashko\u00a0grew up in Wethersfield with their parents before moving to Glastonbury for high school. Both interested in STEM from\u00a0a young\u00a0age, but\u00a0still wanting to be close to their family\u00a0and hometown, Ana and Mike\u00a0both chose UConn Pharmacy and are proud commuter students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Headshot
Headshot of Mike (UConn photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mike chose UConn pharmacy because of the accessibility and the prestige of the program, excited to explore more career options after working as a pharmacy technician during high school. Ana<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>chose pharmacy because of the career stability and her\u00a0<\/span>personal experiences<\/span>\u00a0in the healthcare field after volunteering with her mom, who works in a dialysis clinic. Not necessarily wanting to go into the nursing field but not wanting to spend years in medical school, Ana was excited to follow in her brother\u2019s footsteps and become a Husky!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Between classes, weekend jobs, and their car rides, Ana and Mike\u00a0have become\u00a0involved\u00a0community members, both within and outside the\u00a0School. As students wanting to take care of their minds and bodies, Mike and Ana have played on club volleyball teams at UConn. Mike even got to captain the team, leading them to\u00a0Nationals\u00a0in Kansas City!\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0also involved in the Ukrainian Student Association, a general assembly for Ukrainian students on campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Headshot
Headshot of Ana (UConn photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A past member of the women\u2019s club volleyball team and where she traveled to Kansas City, Ana also loves getting active and meeting new friends outside of her classes. Ana\u00a0and Mike are\u00a0proud\u00a0members\u00a0of the National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD), a new organization on campus this semester. Running NORD\u2019s Instagram account, Ana plays an integral role in marketing the organization to students within the\u00a0School\u00a0and beyond, raising awareness for rare diseases.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once home for the weekend after a busy week in Storrs, Ana and Mike continue learning through their jobs.\u00a0Starting out as\u00a0techs\u00a0before obtaining their licenses and becoming\u00a0interns, Mike works at New Britain General and Manchester Memorial, while Ana works at Yale and CVS. Aside from their current jobs, Mike has completed summer rotations at Big Y as a community pharmacy intern and at Yale Hospital in New Haven\u00a0and Ana completed one rotation working in community pharmacy. Having recently started a job in\u00a0operating\u00a0room pharmacy, Ana is looking forward to more professional experiences in the future, including a hospital rotation next summer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about his future, Mike is leaning\u00a0toward working\u00a0in a hospital setting as a clinical pharmacist. However, networking with UConn alumni has allowed Mike to keep an open mind with future opportunities by learning about the many career options within pharmacy. As he continues his academic and professional careers, Mike is learning more about places where pharmacists are needed.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Mike and Ana encourage any student interested in STEM and\u00a0passionate\u00a0about the healthcare field to consider going into pharmacy.\u00a0Involved in\u00a0the advising program, Mike and Ana also emphasize the importance of creating a school-life balance. Creating a weekly schedule, and scheduling breaks in-between classes, work, and studying to have fun is vital to\u00a0being a\u00a0happy and healthy\u00a0student\u00a0in the\u00a0School. They also emphasize networking and making connections with UConn alumni and current students, as this can create small connections that lead to big opportunities. Because professionalism is emphasized in every aspect of the School, Mike and Ana feel comfortable and prepared to interact with patients at their jobs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProfessionalism at the School of Pharmacy is definitely one of its top qualities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span> – Mike\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When asked about his favorite memories at UConn so far, Mike credits the basketball games for their contagious energy and electric student section. Watching UConn\u2019s back-to-back championships was also a highlight for Mike. Ana, on the other hand, appreciates her day-to-day routine of hanging out with friends after class, going on walks, and getting coffee while studying.\u00a0<\/span>She\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0especially thankful for the wellness events the\u00a0<\/span>School<\/span>\u00a0has, where she can play games with her friends and recharge her mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reflection, Mike and Ana are happy they both chose UConn Pharmacy, especially because of their shared Husky experience. Knowing the struggle of an 8 a<\/span>.<\/span>m<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0class, quizzing each other during car rides, or yelling across the house to help with homework, Mike and Ana have\u00a0<\/span>remained<\/span>\u00a0close with each other, their family, and their love for pharmacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I\u2019m <\/span>very happy<\/span>\u00a0and I love going here.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0awesome. I have no regrets.\u201d – Ana<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Looking forward, Ana and Mike are thrilled to see the future of UConn pharmacy. As the curriculum\u00a0keeps on\u00a0advancing to match the needs of current and future credits, Ana\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0wait for new students to dive into more involvement, programs, clubs, and lab opportunities and find their own success at the\u00a0School. Mike hopes to become a preceptor upon graduation, excited to mentor other future pharmacy students with their rotations and clinical knowledge.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As current students\u00a0of\u00a0the School, Mike and Ana embody the Husky spirit!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though\u00a0generations of dedication and passion, UConn Pharmacy families have made their mark on the\u00a0School, shaping the legacy celebrated in this Centennial year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For a century, UConn\u2019s School of Pharmacy has welcomed generations of families to its community: mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and siblings. Within the classroom and beyond, these families have etched their names and dedication into the legacy of UConn Pharmacy. Read on to hear some of these families\u2019 remarkable stories. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":221,"featured_media":236648,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1864],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2644],"class_list":["post-236637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pharm"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-25 21:31:20","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236637"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":236655,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236637\/revisions\/236655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/236648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236637"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=236637"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=236637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}