OAKWOOD, VA (NOVEMBER 9, 2026) — Appalachian College of Pharmacy second year pharmacy student Chinel Dixon has been awarded a CVS Health Foundation/ American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Community Pharmacy Award. Dixon was one of 21 students chosen nationwide to receive the scholarship award.
The total award of $420,000, which is funded by the CVS Health Foundation, is intended to support students who will care for the needs of patients, the profession and the public, both within and outside healthcare settings. The scholarship will help reduce financial barriers for student pharmacists in pursuit of a Pharm.D. degree who are committed to improving the well-being of individual patients in communities across the United States.
Recipients of the $20,000 scholarships are chosen for having already demonstrated the leadership and commitment to the profession of pharmacy that will be needed in the years ahead.
“We congratulate Chinel on her selection as one of 21 pharmacy students nationwide to be selected to receive the CVS Health Foundation/AACP scholarship,” said ACP Provost and Dean Susan Mayhew. “Chinel has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence and advocacy and we look forward to watching her continue to excel in the future.”
“Being selected as one of 21 national recipients for the 2026 CVS Health Foundation / AACP Scholarship is an extraordinary honor,” Dixon said. “The decision to elevate my career and pursue my PharmD required monumental sacrifices, including living apart from my husband across state lines. This scholarship alleviates a major financial weight, offers powerful reassurance along a challenging journey and stands as a testament to what perseverance paired with strong community support can achieve.
“It is a constant reminder that every sacrifice made on this path has purpose,” Dixon added. “I am deeply humbled and blessed to walk in that purpose and give back to the communities that have supported me along the way.”
Building a strong pharmacy workforce in the future is one of the reasons the scholarships are awarded, according to CVS sponsors.
“Pharmacists play an essential role in the health and well-being of the communities they serve and that role will only continue to grow,” said Lucille Accetta, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer, CVS Health. “It’s critical that we support student pharmacists today, giving them the opportunities and resources they need to succeed, so we can help build a strong pharmacy workforce for the future and help ensure communities continue to benefit from the knowledge, care and trusted support pharmacists provide.
To read more about the scholarships and this year’s recipients, interested persons may visit https://www.aacp.org/article/twenty-one-student-pharmacists-receive-cvs-health-foundationaacp-community-pharmacy-award.
Dixon noted she plans to pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist within the VA or a military treatment facility, delivering high-quality, autonomous care to veterans, service members and underserved populations.
ABOUT ACP: The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is the only three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded in 2003, the college accepted its first students in 2005. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its mission is to cultivate a learning community committed to education, community outreach and the professional development of pharmacists. Its graduate pharmacists are now practicing throughout the United States. Learn more at www.acp.edu.
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