The Power of the Council
Written by Daisy Willis
The Class of 2017 Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) Student Council poses for ALEX. Photo Provided by student council president, Shaun Lasky.
Student involvement is something that graduate schools, along with current and future employers, look for in their selection process. Being involved with a program on campus is guaranteed to boost your resume and put you near the top of the “student to hire” list. It will also improve on many skills that are needed to work in the real world. Some of these skills include leadership, communication, time-management, and conflict resolution. The University of Hawaii at Hilo has many opportunities for students from all of its’ colleges to become more well-rounded graduates. One of these opportunities are the student councils that operate out of the Pharmacy program.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) currently has three student councils, one for each upcoming graduating year. These student councils are an opportunity to not only network with other students in the Pharmacy program, but also to be a part of on-campus medical studies, community volunteer services, and community fundraising for programs such as Relay for Life.
Shaun Lasky is the current student council president for the class of 2017. As a student leader, Lasky had a few words to say about the benefits of the council for the student pharmacist community. “We hope”, Shaun states, “that our student council impacts all of the students on campus at the College of Pharmacy. We try to be very active in our efforts in the community, and to be role models for our fellow classmates on campus. Virtually all of the members on our council hold leadership positions in other organizations on campus, and every one of us are in at least one other organization. Being in a doctorate program means that most of your time is going to be dedicated to studying, but we try to serve as positive examples to our peers [and show] that it’s possible to take charge of your education and give back to the community at the same time.”
Shaun Lasky smiles for the camera sporting his University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy jacket. Photo provided by Shaun Lasky.
As President of the Class of 2017 Council, Shaun benefits along with his members. With responsibilities that include making the meeting agenda, running the council meetings, approving budgets and spending, and representing his class as an upstanding leader, he has learned skills that, in his own words, are “things you don’t actually learn in class.”
“Time management, organization, people skills, being reasonable, and [having] comfort with public speaking are probably some of the most important values for my position. You have to be friendly and understanding with everyone, and know how to handle issues fairly and firmly if there are ever any disagreements,” stated Lasky.
Shaun also mentioned a lot of interesting projects his council is working on, from designing the DKICP float for this year’s Merrie Monarch Parade, fielding a team for the UH Hilo Heart Walk, and conducting a study that involves bringing puppies on campus to relieve student stress (all on the name of science, of course).
There are many other clubs, organizations, and student councils all over campus that students can be a part of. If you want to improve your resume and your skill set, go out and find something you are interested in!
RISO (Registered Independent Student Organizations) has a list of active organizations that you can join and Shaun is open to receiving new members from the DKICP for his council any time. You may contact him at stlasky@hawaii.edu and the RISO Link is provided below. Get active and improve yourself as a student!
Registered Independent Student Organizations (RISO) Active Organizations
