Aaron Davis makes a difference in people’s lives everyday as a pharmacist at Meijer. That commitment to work to help others was supported by the examples he saw while a student at St. Clair County Community College.
“Janice Fritz and Joe Gibbons both sparked my interest in science and were instrumental in my acceptance to, and success in, pharmacy school,” Davis said. “I remember the passion that Dr. Fritz had for teaching and the excitement she would bring to her lectures. Anatomy and Physiology was my favorite course I took in my entire collegiate career.”
“I also fondly remember spending hours with Professor Gibbons in the chemistry lab discussing not just the course material but also life experiences,” he continued. “These professors were more than teachers to me; they were sources of inspiration as well as friendly faces I could confide in. They deserve so much recognition for the incredible work they do.”
Davis, a 2009 graduate of Marysville High School, chose SC4 for several reasons, including its convenient location close to his home and the overall cost of community college tuition.
“Going to SC4 allowed me to work full time while also enrolling in classes full time,” Davis explained. “I was able to build my schedule around everything else I had going on in my life. I got a great education for a fraction of the cost of attending a university right out of high school. I completed the majority of my prerequisite courses without having to take any student loans.”
Class size and individual attention also factored into Davis’s decision to attend SC4.
“I believe the opportunity to receive that attention from my professors was something that furthered my education beyond what a university could offer,” he said. “I spent more one-on-one time with my teachers at SC4 than I did during the rest of my undergrad and pharmacy school classes combined.”
Davis transferred to Wayne State University in 2012 and completed his bachelor’s degree and then completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy degree in 2017. He currently works at Meijer Pharmacy.
“My profession allows me to work closely with patients and make a positive impact on their lives,” Davis said. “I am an easily-accessible resource for anyone in the community to seek out advice. That brings me great career satisfaction that I can’t imagine getting in any other way.”
Davis highly recommends community college as a starting point for any student starting their college journey.
“Community colleges allow people from all walks of life the chance to improve their lives through education and experience,” Davis said. “Many barriers that exist at universities can be overcome by institutions like SC4. Students with families, full-time jobs, or other financial burdens can find an education at SC4.”
“SC4 is the perfect way to transition from high school to college,” he continued. “Community colleges offer the same prerequisite courses that universities do, but at a fraction of the cost and with a much better opportunity to receive individual attention from educators.”