Shannon Hammond ’19, PharmD '21 didn’t really plan to go to college in her backyard.
But when you grow up in Forest Grove and want to be a doctor, 鶹Ӱ’s stellar reputation in the health professions is pretty tempting.
Hammond has been interested in healthcare since junior high, when a friend’s brother was diagnosed with brain cancer. She volunteered at Doernbecher’s Children’s Hospital, and she hoped that her biology major and chemistry minor would lead her to 鶹Ӱ school and a career helping people.
“I was playing with the kids, and they found out I was a jumper and started asking me to teach them how to jump.”
– Shannon Hammond '19
In the meantime, Pacific let her broaden her horizons, even while living at home.
As an under鶹Ӱ, she took part in an education travel course to Ecuador, where she got to immerse herself in another culture, study her Spanish (a second minor), and provide some community service along the way.
She also competed in the heptathlon, hurdles and other jumping events on the track and field team, setting a school record for women’s indoor high jump, long jump and triple jump, as well as for the women’s outdoor high jump.
After earning her bachelor's degree, Hammond immediately made her way to Pacific's School of Pharmacy, where she earned her doctorate in three years and also gained notice of faculty, earning the school's Merck Academic Excellence Award.
“As a student, Shannon participated in multiple extracurricular activities in addition to demonstrating dedication to her academic pursuits,” said nominators. “Her natural warmth and humility made her a fantastic school ambassador for incoming students and we are lucky to have her continue to serve as a PUSOP alumni and pharmacist.”
She's gone on to a residency in Salem, Oregon, as she continues to build the healthcare career she always dreamed of.