ellie balken
South Dakota State University
Ellie Balken is a third-year student pharmacist at South Dakota State University. She has been an active APhA-ASP member for the past five years, holding various positions in her local chapter beginning as a pre-pharmacy student. Within her local chapter, she has served as a public health and education committee co-chair, secretary, president-elect, and chapter president for the past two years. She has enjoyed establishing friendships and connections within APhA-ASP through local, regional, and national efforts, such as legislative days, patient care screenings, Midyear Regional Meeting, APhA Annual, and the Summer Leadership Institute. She looks forward to further developing connections through her role next year on the Member Engagement Standing Committee. Ellie is involved with other pharmacy student organizations outside of APhA-ASP, including Kappa Psi, Rho Chi, and Phi Lambda Sigma. She has a passion for education and learning, which was strengthened through her work serving as a peer tutor for microbiology and medicinal chemistry. She has been a campus peer mentor through the SDSU College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and Honors College and dedicated four years with a mentoring non-profit as a mentor and student liaison. She currently works as a pharmacy intern at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.