The University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy has placed second in the nation for the Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. This marks the second consecutive year the team has finished as runner-up and the fourth consecutive year competing in the finals. COP's team won the national title in 2023.
The USC COP team of Emily Fisher, Charlize Johnson and Samantha Shilhavy competed against the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington at the 2025 NCPA Annual Convention held this past weekend in New Orleans. The students made a live presentation of their vision for "Peak Pharmacy" on Saturday, October 18, with the University of Texas at Austin taking home the top prize. The team will share a $4,000 prize for second place honors.
Fisher set the competition in her sights during her first year as a student pharmacist and watched the other teams compete.
"Now having the opportunity to carry on their legacy and help build a lasting tradition at our college is both exciting and deeply humbling," she says. "I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received from our entire college and the greater community of pharmacists along the way."
Fisher also received the prestigious NCPA Foundation Presidential Scholarship.
Samantha Shilhavy says the team focused on adjusting their presentation based on the judges' feedback leading up to the competition.
"Those three judges excel in the business side of pharmacy, and I am grateful to have their input towards bettering my team's business plan," she says.
And Charlize Johnson admits she was a bit nervous to compete, given the COP team's three-year run in making the Top 3.
"But after spending months planning, I knew that we were going to keep the streak going," she adds.
These continued successes demonstrate the compassion and expertise that define our pharmacy community. They remind us of what it truly means to be a Gamecock Pharmacist: committed to advancing patient care, embracing collaboration, and pursuing excellence in all endeavors.
Dean Stephen Cutler noted that placing among the top three teams in the nation for four consecutive years is an incredible legacy.
“These continued successes demonstrate the compassion and expertise that define our pharmacy community,” he notes. “They remind us of what it truly means to be a Gamecock Pharmacist: committed to advancing patient care, embracing collaboration, and pursuing excellence in all endeavors."
Patti Fabel, executive director for the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, which sponsors the team, knew they faced a daunting task to continue the streak of being named finalists four years in a row.
"These students amaze me with their dedication, humility, and courage," she says. "Emily, Charlize and Samantha were only second-year students when they created 'Peak Pharmacy.'"
Topics: Pharm.D. Program, Business Education, Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center