Panther Profiles are Q&A interviews that highlight Panthers of all stripes -- students, faculty, staff, alumni, board members and anyone else in the campus community.
Shloka Suresh Sahetya ’22 received her bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences from ACPHS and is on track to receive her doctorate in pharmacy in May 2024. She is a native of India, where her father is a pharmacist and pro chancellor (akin to the president) of the JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research. Her sister, who has a master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, works as a quality assurance specialist in the industry.
Given your family background, did you ever think about being anything other than a pharmacist?
I actually did. When I was in 12th grade, I wanted to study literature and write books. But my dad told me there's a difference between passion and profession and that I should focus on my profession first, and then my passion will follow suit.
If I do end up writing a novel, it would probably be pharmacy-related. I still have a passion for writing, but now I also have a passion for pharmacy.
Of all the pharmacy schools you might have attended, how did you choose ACPHS?
My father encouraged me to get my degree in the United States. I wouldn't have done it if he had not pushed me. I applied to a lot of schools.
When I got an early decision acceptance, I looked at the ACPHS website and the Instagram pages; it seemed very lively – a lot of interaction with students and faculty, and the whole close-knit community that we talk about.
When I came to visit ACPHS, I liked the school a lot. I remember walking around with my parents saying, “This is my dream school, this is where I belong.” A lot of the things I saw on the website and social media, I think are truly here. As soon as I got here, I was able to connect with my peer mentor and with my faculty advisor. I think that was one thing that really sold me on being here.
What was it like to be a student from India coming to a campus in Albany, New York?
It was definitely scary. I was moving to a completely different country without anyone that I knew, nothing like what I was used to. The transition was a little hard, but once I was able to reach out, make some friends and just make the most of what I had on campus, I knew it was a good decision. Being able to engage in activities on campus is what brought me to where I am today.
If I had any requests for anyone, including in the cafeteria, they would help me out. There were some days, because of my religion, where I had to be vegetarian. There were multiple times I would go to the cafeteria staff and let them know that these are my restrictions for the day. And they would be more than happy to adjust and help me out with that.
I would reach out to my peer mentor all the time, ask for advice on my classes and what's good to do in Albany. I would go to Linda Roberts, our class advisor, to talk about dealing with certain situations. And she did help me a lot, as well as my faculty advisor.
What clubs and organizations did you join?
I got involved in the Crafts Club for something to just enjoy, and then helped organize events and spread the word about events. That helped me realize how much fun it is to be on the organizing side. I then applied to be vice president of the Multicultural Club, and then last year, I became the president of the Multicultural Club.
Being president of the Multicultural Club was a really fun and memorable year for me. One major event was the MCC Fest. We have about 300 students and faculty attend. We invite students from other schools to perform. We have a ton of food. Organizing and planning started in August the year before; this event usually is in March. We tried to represent multiple cultures, and I think a lot of students enjoyed being at the event and learned so much.
As for professional organizations, I was in the American Pharmacists Association for two years and then Managed Care Pharmacy for a year.
Being a leader on campus also means that you get to apply to be in a pharmacy leadership society. I applied to Phi Lambda Sigma, or PLS, a leadership society for pharmacists. I chose to apply to the International Affairs Committee on the national board. We had our first meeting last week and were talking about bringing pharmacy leadership to different countries around the world. I want to be able to promote leadership in schools in India as well.
You were also part of the committee that interviewed candidates for the new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). How did that come about?
I have to thank Dr. Ray Chandrasekara (an associate professor of humanities) because he put me on the committee. And I was more than glad to be on it.
I was so glad the committee was filled with students. We interviewed different candidates to see who would be the right fit for our school. Because in the end, the person hired is there for the students, to stand up for the students and help the students.
On the topic of diversity, who are your friends on campus?
My friends are very diverse. We talk about our different cultures all the time. I get to cook Indian food for my roommates almost every week -- they don't let me not cook it. My roommates really love the chicken dishes I make, and they love samosas, as well as paneer, which is like cottage cheese.
My past roommate was Italian and she made homemade pizza from scratch, better than any pizza in any restaurant. I have another roommate who is Russian, and she does cook some traditional meals as well, which I really do enjoy.
When I first moved here, I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to get along with people because my experiences are all very different from the students that are here. But being able to talk to all these friends that I've made and learn about their cultures and then share my culture with them – they were very open, very friendly, and they wanted to know more than I had expected.