Donyae Brown vividly remembers, when she was young, watching her grandfather battle rectal and lung cancer and her great uncle battle type 2 diabetes. “Throughout my childhood, I would venture with them to their doctors’ appointments and then to the pharmacy,” she recalled. “It was not until I started high school that I understood the battle my grandfather lost to cancer and the battle my uncle lost to diabetes.
“They both endured many hardships within the healthcare system, and my great uncle had many difficulties when managing his blood glucose levels.”
As a result of those personal experiences, Brown—who is graduating with a degree in biology and a Black studies minor—wants to become an ambulatory care pharmacist specializing in diabetic care.
For the past two-and-a-half years the resident of Randallstown, Maryland, has already been working as a pharmacy technician at CVS pharmacies in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and Owings Mills, Maryland. “I have witnessed many patients not fully understanding why their physician prescribed a medication or how to use a medical device,” she said. “I hope that one day, I can help patients to better understand the importance of these technologies and pharmaceuticals to maintain a healthy and quality lifestyle.
“Many people can be leery when taking medications, but I hope to bring awareness to the upsides of therapeutics. It would be an honor for me to serve many communities as a trusted healthcare professional to help guide and assist patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
During her junior year of high school, she and her mother attended the National College Fair at the Baltimore Convention Center. When she approached Lincoln’s table, the admissions director asked her about her GPA and she was assured that, if she maintained her high GPA and did exceptionally well on her SAT test, she would be guaranteed a full scholarship.
“I was beyond excited and began to research the school,” she said. “When I weighed my options, Lincoln University felt like a home away from home.” So, she attended Feel the Roar, met students in the science departments and noticed there were a plethora of interesting organizations to join. “I could truly see myself as a student here,” she said. “Lincoln University was the only school that saw the potential in me as a student and invested financially in that potential.
“I am forever grateful.”
Following her sophomore year, Brown was inducted into the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society and the National Council of Negro Women. She also served as the treasurer (2019-2020) and the financial secretary (2020-2021) of the National Council of Negro Women, Lincoln University Section.
Last summer, she participated in the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy’s Pharmacy Scholars Program, which introduced her to the many fields within pharmacy and mentored her throughout her pharmacy school admissions process. As a result, this fall she is going home to pursue her doctorate degree in pharmacy at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore, which is ranked 14th nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.
