For CUSP student Mariana Velarde-Alvarez, the path to pharmacy has always been about people. Born and raised locally in San Diego, Mariana began her pharmacy journey through Chapman University’s APEx program, then matriculated into the Pharm.D. program.

“From a young age, I felt drawn to pharmacy because of its focus on medication management and the important role pharmacists play in healthcare,” says Mariana. “Through my education, I have come to see pharmacy not only as a career, but also as a way to advocate for patients, improve access to care, and make a meaningful impact in the communities I serve.”

Leadership Beyond the Classroom

Before arriving at CUSP’s Irvine campus, Mariana was already sharpening her leadership skills during Chapman’s APEx (Pre-Pharmacy Experience) program at the Orange campus. In her undergraduate years, she served as the School of Pharmacy Senator and sat on the Student Government Association’s Allocations Committee. This experience gave her the chance to work with students from every field, akin to real-life pharmacists working with people from various backgrounds.

Those cross-disciplinary relationships reshaped how Mariana understood hard work and leadership itself. “I came to appreciate that hard work and service can take many different forms. Whether it was film students spending hours editing and perfecting their craft, or liberal arts students dedicating themselves to research and academic discussion, every person has their passion.” The experience shaped a leadership philosophy grounded in advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration. “Strong leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating space for discussion, respecting different forms of expertise, and making decisions with both empathy and accountability.”

“Serving on the Allocations Committee was especially valuable because it taught me the importance of collaboration, thoughtful discussion, and financial stewardship.” Reviewing and voting on funding requests from across the university required careful listening, thoughtful questions, and decisions made in the interest of the entire undergraduate student body. Every day, pharmacists make important decisions that keep people of all kinds safe and healthy.

Research With Real-World Impact

Similarly, Mariana entered pharmacy school with a clear goal: to conduct meaningful research. Driven by a passion for public health and HIV prevention, she approached Dr. Jerika Lam. Lam, a practicing HIV specialty pharmacist with AltaMed, has nearly 30 years of experience in this niche field.

“Her level of expertise and guidance has taken me to new heights as a student. More importantly, Dr. Lam’s character as a professor, ever kind and supportive, made her the right mentor for me.” Beginning in her second trimester, Mariana assisted with patient recruitment for Dr. Lam’s qualitative HIV research. By her third trimester, she had joined a multi-institutional collaboration with UC Berkeley Public Health, UCLA School of Public Affairs, and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, engaging with pharmacy staff across California to examine pharmacist-furnished HIV PrEP implementation in the wake of recent landmark legislation, including SB 159 and SB 339. These bills both expand access to PrEP, drugs that prevent people from acquiring HIV, and in turn significantly reduce transmission.

That work culminated in a meaningful milestone: a formal acknowledgment in the policy brief “Policy Potential for Expanding Pharmacist-Initiated PrEP in California,” published through the California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center. Mariana also completed a research poster to be presented at CUSP Research Day on May 13th. “My involvement in this project has allowed me to witness the true impact that pharmacists have in advancing public health initiatives. This experience has shown me that data is essential to understanding how policy translates into real-world patient access.”

Service in Student Organizations

Mariana’s commitment to service extends beyond research. As a board member of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP), the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO), and the Hispanic Pharmacists Association (HAP), she has approached every role through the lens of service-driven leadership. She additionally served as Student Liaison for the CUSP Alumni Advisory Board, connecting current students with pharmacy professionals invested in their success.

As CSHP Delegate, she represented her peers at the annual House of Delegates. As Director of Professional Programming for IPhO, she designed events that gave the CUSP community a window into industry pharmacy careers. Through HAP, she helped deliver a patient education session at Family Health Matters Clinic in Anaheim. “The most fulfilling aspect of being involved was the ability for my actions to serve the needs of others. I maximized every opportunity to not just be a leader, but to influence others to believe that they can pursue whatever leadership opportunity they put their heart into.”

Preparing for What’s Next

Now on the cusp of her P3 year and APPE rotations, Mariana is more excited than nervous. “I have seen my friends in the program complete their APPE rotations and become ready for graduation, and I’ve come from looking up to them to now stepping into their shoes.” She sees APPEs as the most valuable learning opportunity in the entire Pharm.D. journey, as they represent the moment classroom knowledge becomes clinical practice, and a soon-to-be pharmacist steps fully into their purpose.

CUSP is committed to supporting students like Mariana, future pharmacists who bring passion, leadership, and a deep sense of community to their education and to the patients they will one day serve.

This article was co-written by Silas Fernandes.