Black Pharmacy Students Association (BPSA)

Who We Are

The BPSA is a student group at the University of Alberta that was begun by Black Pharmacy Students in October of 2020, with the vision to increase Black representation and engagement in the pharmacy profession.

Vision & Mission

Our vision is to increase black representation and engagement in the profession of Pharmacy.

Our mission is to provide a safe space for black pharmacy students, to empower them, and to create a strong and extensive network for them. Specifically, to advocate for and support current and prospective Black pharmacy students.

Our Goals

  • Representation: We want increased representation of black students and staff in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FoPPS).
  • Advocacy: We want to have a collective voice to advocate for black pharmacy students, staff and our community at large. We advocate for a safe way to report racist behaviours within the faculty.
  • Mentorship: We want to promote the recruitment, admission, and retention of black students in the pharmacy  program by providing mentorship to prospective applicants and fostering a sense of community among the black students within the program.

Initiatives

  • Incorporate black health into our curriculum
  • More black student representation (About only 2% black students each year)
  • Hiring black staff
  • Mental health space for black students
  • Safe space to exist as well as to report racist behaviours at all levels within the faculty

Allyship & Activism

BPSA sends out bi-monthly newsletter to update its allies about all the initiatives that BPSA has worked on and plan to work on through the school year. We also inform our allies about how they can get involved with our initiatives and support us. You can email BPSA@ualberta.ca to get our newsletter delivered to your inbox bi-monthly.

Sponsorship & Donations

If you are interested in becoming a BPSA sponsor, you can check out our sponsorship package on our website:

www.uabpsa.com

Funds go into planning and executing our initiatives as well as professional development for Black Pharmacy Students.

Contacts

Hafza Ali
Black Pharmacy Student Association Representative
hafza@ualberta.ca