From Struggle to Service

Pharm.D. Student Receives National CVS/AACP Community Pharmacy Scholarship 

Nov. 3 — University of Houston College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. student Jose Ayala has been named one of 21 recipients nationwide of the CVS Health / American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Community Pharmacy Award for Student Pharmacists. 

The award, which includes a $20,000 scholarship, recognizes student pharmacists who demonstrate a strong commitment to serving their communities and advancing public health while overcoming financial barriers in their pursuit of education. 

For Ayala, the honor represents both a personal milestone and a continuation of a lifelong mission to expand access to health care, a cornerstone of the scholarship. 

“Growing up in South Texas, I saw how poverty and limited access to health care affected families emotionally, economically and medically,” Ayala said. “Those experiences taught me resilience and shaped my purpose—to serve communities like the one I came from.”

Ayala’s journey toward pharmacy began with hardship. When his father became chronically ill and required care hours away from their home, Ayala stepped into the role of provider. Using his savings, he began selling snacks and tacos at school to help support his family—efforts that evolved into a small catering business named Taquizas Don Beto, in honor of his father. 

“That experience taught me leadership, resourcefulness and the value of helping others,” Ayala said.

In addition to earning his pharmacy technician certificate while in high school, Ayala obtained his associate’s degree in biology as part of a dual-enrollment medical science program with South Texas College. He also volunteered at McAllen Rio Grande Regional Hospital, gaining hands-on experience observing patients in hospital and clinical settings. Ayala said the volunteer and shadowing experiences reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing a career in pharmacy and developed his discipline, responsibility and time management skills.

It was while working as a pharmacy technician that Ayala realized pharmacists truly are the most accessible health care professionals, particularly in underserved areas where language and cultural barriers can prevent patients from seeking care. 

“I constantly see patients come in with fear or confusion about their medications,” Ayala said. “Many hesitate to ask questions because they don’t see anyone who looks like them or speaks their language. I want to change that.”

He realized that pharmacy offered the kind of patient-centered care he was truly seeking.

“I enjoyed the personal connection with patients and the opportunity to educate and empower them in real time,” Ayala said. “Pharmacy isn’t just about dispensing medication—it’s about human connection, advocacy and education.”

Ayala plans to use his pharmacy education to create culturally aware community pharmacy spaces that promote health literacy, trust and empowerment. His goals include expanding community-based services such as immunizations and health screenings, as well as establishing a nonprofit organization to mentor students from underserved backgrounds interested in health care careers. 

“Through pharmacy, I’ve found a way to turn struggle into service,” Ayala said. “I want to make community pharmacy a space of wellness, understanding and hope—especially for the communities that need it most.”

— Kristin Marie Mitchener