Express Scripts Scholars Program

The Express Scripts Foundation appreciates the financial challenges dual degree students face and supports the efforts of academic pharmacy to educate students with diverse interests. The goal of the scholarship program is to provide supplemental funding for students enrolled in a dual degree program that may be used for tuition, fees, books or cost of attendance.

Students must be a United States citizen or permanent resident. Students must be enrolled in a dual degree program related to pharmacy. Students must be enrolled in a professional pharmacy degree program or graduate program at an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited college or school of pharmacy with at least precandidate ACPE status.The dual degree program must be officially recognized as a dual (or joint) degree program at the institution or institutions granting the degrees. The dual degree program must be a professional degree (e.g. PharmD) combined with a graduate or professional degree (e.g. MBA, PhD, JD).

Socioeconomic status is tied to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' poverty level guidelines. The Low-Income Level is based on 200 percent of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines and used to determine what constitutes a low-income family.

2018 Low Income Levels

Number of persons in Family/Household - Income Levels*

1 person   - $24280
2 persons - $32920
3 persons - $41560
4 persons - $50200
5 persons - $58840
6 persons - $67480
7 persons - $76120
8 persons - $84760
For each additional person, add $8640.

*Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2017. Changes in your current year financial situations will not be considered.

The program will provide each awarded student $2,500 per semester for 4 consecutive semesters, totaling $10,000 over 2 years that may be used for tuition, fees, books or cost of attendance. If you do not have 4 semesters remaining in your program, then you will be awarded $2,500 per semester that you have remaining (e.g. 2 remaining semesters = $2500 + $2500 totaling $5000).

Fill out the Online Application with the required information and upload the application forms as PDFs. The following constitutes a complete application package: Student and School Information, Dual Degree Verification, Student’s Statement of Career Goals, and Student’s Resume or CV.

Part One

Student and School Information

Part Two

Dual Degree Verification

Please provide a letter from the Dean’s or Admission’s Office verifying your enrollment in a dual degree program and that you are in good academic standing. Format Example: Student's Academic Standing

Example One

School Letter Head

Dean X
X College of Pharmacy
Address

Date

Dear AACP,

Student X is currently enrolled in the XX dual degree program at X College of Pharmacy and is in good academic standing.

Thank you,

Dean X
X College of Pharmacy

Example Two

School Letter Head

Admissions Director X
X College of Pharmacy
Address

Dear AACP,

Student X is currently enrolled in the XX dual degree program at X College of Pharmacy.

Thank you,

Admissions Director X
X College of Pharmacy

Part Three

Student’s Statement of Career Goals

Students must describe the reasons for wanting to participate in this Program, their career goals, and other academic and personal attributes they may wish evaluators to consider.

Part Four

Student’s Resume or CV

Please provide a current copy of your resume or CV.

The application deadline is Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

A 50 point evaluation scale for scoring each of the evaluation criterion is used. An application meeting of all the requirements of a given criterion could receive a high score on that criterion. A poorly conceived application could receive a minimum score, whereas a “strong” application could receive a maximum perfect score. Only integer scores will be utilized. Additional consideration will be given to low socio-economic status* students as well as students who are underrepresented minorities.

AACP leaders from dual degree programs and one AACP staff member will use the following criteria by which all applications will be judged. The evaluation team will look for a well-thought-out, organized, articulate and complete application.

30 points – Career statements/goals

• Do the student’s goals relate to the goals of the program (~15)
• Articulation of goal (~10)
• Grammar (~5)

10 points – Evidence of professional involvement

Student has a leadership role(s) or shows evidence of participation in activities, programs, meetings, or events. Evidence may come from both the student’s essay and CV.

• Evidence of both professional involvement and leadership role (10)
• Evidence of only professional involvement, but no leadership role (5)
• No evidence of professional involvement or leadership role (0)

10 points – Applicant’s Resume/CV

• Pharmacy specific involvements (~4)
• Additional experience and/or skills (~3)
• Presentation, format, spelling, and grammar (~3)

Scholarship recipients will be announced in August 2018. Funds will be forwarded to the awarded student shortly after the awards are announced.

AACP will announce the scholarship recipients in Academic Pharmacy Now, in other appropriate publications, and in a News Release for trade journals and newsletters. AACP will arrange for publicity of the recipients at the AACP Annual Meeting.