“Mommy is going to be a doctor,” is what Cindy Rosario’s oldest son says of her journey to becoming a pharmacist. Rosario, who will be a P3 pharmacy student in Wilkes University’s Nesbitt School of Pharmacy this fall, recently received the Luzerne County Council on Adult Higher Education’s Outstanding Adult Learner Award.
Rosario was nominated by Faith Wellings, assistant professor of pharmacy practice. “When this award was announced, I immediately thought of Cindy. She embodies the spirit of this award to the highest degree,” says Wellings, who shared Rosario’s story on her dedication and commitment to her studies, despite how long it has taken and the difficulties Rosario has faced along the way.
Rosario is in her thirties with a family, including two young sons. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Rosario moved to Paterson, New Jersey, when she was a teenager. Beginning in her twenties, she held multiple part-time jobs while working as a pharmacy technician at an independent pharmacy. She later advanced to more opportunities with other organizations, such as Horizon BCBS of New Jersey, to gain experience and further her career. She is currently a pharmacy intern at The Cigna Group.
“While working with medications and helping patients, I realized that I wanted to become a pharmacist,” says Rosario. She switched her major from criminology to science at Passaic County Community College. Over 10 years ago, she began completing the prerequisite courses and earned an associate degree in biology as she worked toward her goal of attending pharmacy school.
“I thought, ‘I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’m going to become a pharmacist, even if I graduate at 35.’ And guess what? In two years, I’ll be graduating at 35!” says Rosario.
Once she got accepted into Wilkes, Rosario and her family packed their bags and uprooted from New Jersey to northeastern Pennsylvania. “I applied to four different schools, and Wilkes was the first to reach out to me way before everyone else. They were so kind and so warm,” she says, noting that the genuine kindness shown by faculty, staff and fellow students have been evident throughout her entire academic journey at Wilkes. “The classroom sizes are much smaller, and I wanted to be able to talk to the teachers. I needed something more personalized, warm and supportive, especially with having kids,” says Rosario. “I have no regrets.”
It wasn’t the easiest transition for Rosario, especially after moving away from her mother, who had been a huge source of support. Northeastern Pennsylvania was a different change in pace and a different challenge, with fewer resources. “It took an incredible amount of grit and personal sacrifice for her to care for her family, including helping her children settle into their new environment, while also transitioning to being a full-time student and still working outside of school,” says Wellings.
Rosario didn’t know anyone in the area, except for her brother. She credits Julie Olenak, professor and associate dean of admissions and student affairs for the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, for sharing resources to help with the transition, even helping to find daycare for her younger son. In addition to Wellings and Olenak, she acknowledges Kimberly Ference, professor of pharmacy practice and director of pharmacy care labs, and Marie Roke Thomas, professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences, as her mentors. “They’ve been incredible. Everyone is so kind, genuine and always willing to help,” says Rosario, who pays it forward in kind. “I push myself to do more and keep going. I never want anyone to think I’m making excuses or taking advantage of the help I receive. When people go out of their way to support me, it motivates me to work even harder.”
Even when time seems impossible, Rosario finds ways to make an impact on the community through volunteering for Script Your Future, a national consumer education campaign that helps to raise awareness about the importance of medication adherence as a vital first step toward better health outcomes. She has also served as an interpreter at Volunteers in Medicine, a non-profit organization where she helps patients communicate more effectively with their healthcare provider to ensure they are informed and educated about their medical conditions to improve their health.
“Cindy’s ability to persevere and advocate for herself, doing the often-hard work of supporting her own well-being so that she can continue to help others, is admirable,” says Wellings.
In managing her family, career, community service and education, Rosario leans on her faith and the support of her loved ones. Her biggest support is her husband. “He cooks and makes sure I’m fed, hydrated, comforts me when I’m crying and, if I’m too tired, he takes over to help. Also, my oldest son has chipped in to help,” says Rosario. Her optimism and faith keep her grounded, believing that one can always do better the next day, and so on and on, because at the end of the day, “I’ll be a pharmacist,” she says. “I might as well just do it.”
The time away from her family takes its toll, and Rosario admits it is a heavy sacrifice, even though it will pay off eventually. She reminds herself, “I’m doing a good job, keep going,” and that her dream is a shared dream for her and her family. This award symbolizes all the hard work, the tears, uncertainty and risk, moving to a different state and all the ongoing support from her mother, children and husband. Together, they look to the future, and Rosario is keeping an open mind with no specific plan, other than to become a pharmacist and focus on her family.
“It means more than you realize, and it really inspires me,” says Rosario, reflecting on her accomplishments so far. “Sometimes, you just have to look back and say, ‘Wow, I really did all that.’”