EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Students, faculty and staff from the UTEP School of Pharmacy picked up litter along Rio Grande Avenue Tuesday as part of the school’s first Adopt-A-Street cleanup.
About 25 to 30 volunteers took part in the cleanup, which began at 8 a.m. near Virginia Street and Rio Grande Avenue.
The event was part of Community Partner Day during Pharmacy Week, an annual observance recognizing pharmacists and their work in the community.
Dr. Amanda Loya, a clinical professor and associate dean for community and clinical programs, said the effort was a way for the school to thank its neighbors and help beautify the area.
“We wanted to make sure that not only the school looks great, but the neighborhood looks great,” said Lorenzo Rodriguez, a first-year pharmacy student and Navy veteran.
Rodriguez said he chose pharmacy after serving eight years as a hospital corpsman and seeing patients struggle to take medications as prescribed.
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He plans to return to El Paso after graduation and provide patient-centered care to the community where he was raised. He was born in Ciudad Juárez.
Loya said the school’s four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program is helping address the region’s need for more pharmacists.
The program graduated its first class in 2021 and has since graduated six classes.
Pharmacists are among the most accessible health care professionals, Loya said, and play an important role in patients’ health and wellness.
The school also emphasizes Spanish-language and cultural training to prepare students to serve the region’s Spanish-speaking community.
Loya encouraged people interested in pharmacy to contact the school and learn more about the career. She also urged residents to thank their local pharmacists during Pharmacy Month.
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