At this fall’s 3rd Annual Convocation event, “Reimagining the Workforce of Tomorrow,” the School of Pharmacy community started the 2025-26 year with a reminder from keynote speaker Anna Prilutsky, M.S., of how important partnerships, professional relationships and support are in paving the way to a brighter future.

“What brings me here today is being in the role of the head of R&D for Haleon, North America,” said Prilutsky, addressing the school’s newest Pharm.D., graduate and undergraduate students. “However, what got me here is my first academic advisor when I was just an undergraduate chemical engineering student.”

Prilutsky, who has led the Over-the-Counter category at Haleon since 2022 and has worked in research and development for organizations including Revlon and Johnson & Johnson, shared how she got her start in her career as an innovator.

“I stand here before you forever indebted to that academic advisor who, during a regular office hour, just looked at me and said, ‘you know what? I see something in you. I think you should join this graduate program and do an experiment with the graduate students,’” she said, recalling how her advisor walked her through the process of applying for an industry scholarship and, later, an internship. “He recommended me for an industry internship. For me, that was a pivotal experience because it drove me to fall in love with consumer health care. With that, I just always remember that, when he didn't have to, he chose to invest in my development, and that was profoundly meaningful as it shaped my career to date.”

Reflecting on the internship program that propelled her in her early career, Prilutsky expressed her excitement for the opportunities VCU students will have through Haleon’s new internship program, the Haleon-Commonwealth Consumer Healthcare Internship Program for Advanced Life Sciences.

“With the inception of this program, the idea is that innovation is not just a new product. It's not just a new package. It's not just an AI enabled tool,” she said. “It is really figuring out how to open doors for those who will make the biggest difference, that will drive the inventions that we have yet to imagine.”

Before handing out seven faculty and staff awards and celebrating five new faculty promotions, K.C. Ogbonna, Pharm.D., M.S.H.A., dean and Archie O. McCalley Chair at VCU School of Pharmacy, reflected on an exceptional 2024-25 year and the celebration of milestones that showcase our individual – and collective – success.

“This weekend, my daughter Olivia is celebrating her birthday, and when we asked her what’s important as we celebrate her milestone, she said, no matter what we do, make sure it’s Moana-themed. When I asked her why, she said, actually quite offended,” he said with a laugh, “‘it’s just a great movie, Dad.’ But when I pressed a little more, she described the bravery it takes to move forward when no one else will and inspire your community along the way. Leave it to a seven-year-old to leave me speechless and, yet, inspired.

“I’m encouraged by our desire to dig in, make the hard decisions and move forward when others will choose to remain still,” Ogbonna said. “Like Moana, each of us serves as a catalyst for positive change within our community.”

Faculty and staff awards and recognition

 

Faculty promotions

Photos by Nancy Parker/Cabay Photo