Faculty Member Honored with Two National Teaching Awards, Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award

Sally Arif, Pharm.D., BCCP, Professor, Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove (CPDG) received two Pearson’s National Teaching Awards for Fostering Inclusion and Community Engagement. Dr. Arif was also awarded the Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).

“I am deeply honored to receive these awards, and they inspire me to further my commitment to creating culturally affirming learning spaces as an equity-minded educator. It is a privilege to be in a position where I can inspire students and witness their journey towards realizing their full potential as compassionate and skilled healthcare professionals,” Dr. Arif said. She also shared how she incorporates fostering inclusion and community engagement into the classroom. “These two areas are truly the heart of my teaching philosophy. I strive to create an environment where students from diverse backgrounds can feel fully supported, while also ensuring that our work benefits communities often impacted by health disparities,” she said. 

Dr. Arif continued, “It is really rewarding to represent the pharmacy program at Midwestern University. I think it showcases one of our core values of inclusive teaching and recognizes that we have a very diverse student body. As educators, I believe that we should be in this role of authentically validating our students’ lived experiences and all their identities both inside and outside the classroom.” She expanded on the importance of community engagement for students. “Service-learning opportunities allow our students to really take what they've learned in the classroom, apply it to real-world contexts, and give back to their community while feeling empowered that they have agency and capacity to make a difference in healthcare,” Dr. Arif said. 

College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove student Haya Alalfi (CPDG ’25) shared her learning experience with Dr. Arif. “The knowledge and insights that I gained from Dr. Arif are invaluable, from learning how to interact with different patients from different backgrounds, cultures, and paths of life to the therapeutic knowledge that will help me as a future pharmacist,” Haya said. She stated that Dr. Arif takes time to explain concepts in order for the students to comprehend and relate them to their patients.  Haya added, “She is passionate about teaching students and helping them become better humans and pharmacists by making learning fun and interesting.” Haya affirmed that the classroom environment with Dr. Arif is welcoming and supportive, ensuring that students feel heard and valued. 

College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove student Mohammed Baghdadi (CPDG ’25) added, “Learning from Dr. Arif has been one of the best educational experiences I have had as a student. Her passion for educating and leading future generations of healthcare professionals is infectious and inspiring.” He shared that Dr. Arif encourages students to share personal experiences and express their views. “This opens a dialogue in the classroom and enables students to begin to share aspects of their lives that may not be normally shared otherwise,” Mohammed stated. He expanded that the dialogue allows students the opportunity to meet people who are different from them, expand their knowledge of and understand different identities, and create new connections with others.

Dr. Arif also serves as the founding faculty advisor for the Midwestern University student organization Middle Eastern Pharmacist Association (MePA), a post she’s held for the past 11 years. For two weekends each month, MePA provides healthcare services, including free community health screenings and educational events. “This year, we expanded our bylaws to include other health programs here at Midwestern. It’s inspiring to see our students elevate health awareness in the community, improve patient access, and advance health equity,” Dr. Arif related. She stated the experience teaches students to become more culturally competent healthcare providers, and that the students join with the desire to address cultural barriers in the community, as well as apply their classroom clinical skills and knowledge to help patients achieve their optimal health. “We work predominately with immigrants and refugees, and these patients often have a lot of linguistic and cultural barriers. There might be mistrust or lack of understanding in how to navigate a new healthcare system that's different than their home country. Witnessing our students serve as cultural ambassadors and trusted healthcare providers to community members is very rewarding.” For some screenings and healthcare events, MePA has also partnered with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), the Compassionate Care Network (CCN), and the Chicago Muslim Medical Alliance (CMMA) to treat patients. 

Haya discussed her experience in MePA. “Joining MePA was one of the best things I have done in pharmacy school,” she said, adding one of the primary reasons is working under the mentorship and supervision of Dr. Arif. Haya continued that the health screenings “allowed us to counsel patients on hypertension, diabetes, and many other conditions, helping us to spread awareness and enhance and develop our skills as future pharmacists.” Haya shared, “Dr. Arif is a beacon of support and motivation to all her students. I feel like words can’t describe how grateful I am to have professors like Dr. Arif who can turn moments of doubt into opportunities for growth, leaving a positive and lasting impression.” Mohammed added, “She has been an inspiring mentor in helping me navigate healthcare accessibility for underserved communities. I have learned so much from her wisdom and experience as a pharmacist and educator.”

Faculty at Midwestern University offer a wide array of knowledge, abilities, and encouragement for their students through the classroom and community service that give students additional experience to prepare them for their future healthcare careers.