When it comes to collegiate rivalries, few surpass that of Michigan and Michigan State.
So what happens when former students from MSU make the one–hour move from East Lansing to Ann Arbor in search of a pharmacy education?
Just ask second–year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student Philip Williams, a 2005 graduate of MSU.
“Michigan Pharmacy students are the best I’ve interacted with,” Williams confides. “I heard that U–M students were arrogant and so competitive that they wouldn’t help anyone else. These stereotypes are completely false. I really enjoy the people here. We are all very close because the student population is small. I can go anywhere in the College and faculty, staff, and students know who I am. It makes for a great learning environment.”
Meet 11 of the 14 former MSU students who enrolled as first–year U–M PharmD students in 2007. They include, back row: Elizabeth VanWert, Richard Taylor, Peter Fleck, Kevin Fiebelkorn; middle row: Kimberly Penprase, Tennille Jameson, Oyebimpe Olanrewaju, Tina Kopinski; front row: Maho Hibino, Emily Rouse, Jaime Heissler. Not pictured: Hanna Elchemmas, Salem Kamalay, and David Sudekum.
Equally pleased with her transition from MSU to U–M is third–year PharmD student Karalea Rothenberg, a 2004 graduate of MSU.
“I love the fact that each Michigan PharmD class is limited to about 75 people so you get as much individual attention as you want,” she says. “I also like that the College of Pharmacy is located on central campus: No more walking 20–30 minutes in a blizzard to get to class! At first, my MSU friends gave me flack about attending U–M. I told them: ‘How can I not go to a school with a pharmacy program rated one of best in the nation?’”
U–M has long been the pharmacy school of choice for MSU alumni. Four to eight former MSU students enroll each year in Michigan’s PharmD program. But in 2007, a record 14 MSU alumni enrolled as first–year PharmD students. That’s nearly 20 percent of the Michigan PharmD Class of 2011.
“Admission to our PharmD program is competitive,” states Assistant Dean for Student Services Valener L. Perry, who makes six to seven annual recruitment visits to the MSU campus. “Not only are our MSU transfer students exceptional individuals, they are also exceptionally bright. Their credentials compare favorably with the best, anywhere. They make us better by being here.”
Dyed–in–the–wool Spartan Oluyemisi Ali Oke, now a third–year U–M PharmD student, reports that Michigan was her first choice of pharmacy programs.
“I chose Michigan because of its top reputation, in–state tuition, and generous scholarship program,” observes Ali Oke. “I would tell any MSU student considering a career in pharmacy to choose U–M. The education you receive here will successfully prepare you for any pharmacy career path you choose.”
Ali Oke also likes “the vast selection of good restaurants” available in Ann Arbor. Yet Ann Arbor is by no means perfect, she observes.
“The parking here is awful. However, parking wasn’t great at MSU, either,” says Ali Oke whose license plate carries a prominent “S” logo.
Rothenberg also had to made a few adjustments.
“There’s a lot more to do in downtown Ann Arbor than in downtown East Lansing — more shops and a lot more unique restaurants — but I do miss BurgerRama at the Riv,” she says. “I also miss MSU’s beautifully–landscaped campus. If you could put MSU's campus in Ann Arbor you would have the best of both worlds.”
And, yes, wisecracks fly the week of the Michigan–Michigan State football game. As Rothenberg points out, it’s turn–about time when the basketball teams meet, at least in recent years.
“The ribbing is all in good fun, nothing malicious or personal,” she says. “I wear my MSU clothing around campus — especially on exam days, for good luck. I will always be a Spartan because MSU is where I got my undergraduate degree. But Michigan is a Big Ten school with a great pharmacy program. Both schools will have contributed to my career and life success when all is said and done.”
As for Williams, he’s unabashedly “U–M all the way.”
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Williams explains that he was a commuter student when he attended MSU. “I drove an hour every day to get to school, so I never really got to experience the student culture,” he reflects. “Now that I live really close to campus, I go to the football games, eat at campus restaurants, and live the college life. My MSU friends give me grief every chance they get. I just tell them: Go Blue!”
