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SJRCC Press Release
November 2009
SJRCC graduate Ryan Blanco wins Rising Star Award
St. Augustine resident Ryan Blanco was recently honored with an award from the Florida Association of Community Colleges. The owner/manager of Island Family Pharmacy was nominated by St. Johns River Community College and won in the "Rising Star" category. The award is one of three LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni awards presented during the FACC annual convention in Orlando.
Criteria for the award are based on successful professionals who begin their academic careers at the community college level. Before earning his degree in pharmacy from the University of Florida, Blanco, 33, earned his associate in arts degree from SJRCC.
The award was created in 1990 in honor of the former Florida Governor LeRoy Collins and his contributions to the Florida community college system. Two additional recipients were also presented with LeRoy Collins awards for "Against the Odds" (St. Petersburg College) and "Lifetime Achievement" (Broward College).
As the owner of a thriving business, Ryan Blanco, R.Ph., believes in the power of customer service. One may ask the 33-year-old pharmacist how the complex science of compounding and dispensing of medications is interrelated to communicating and relationships. Blanco says it is an essential counterbalance. Putting people first is a trait he says he learned to appreciate by attending a community college.
Blanco began working toward his associate in arts degree at St. Johns River Community College as a dual enrollment student and found that his local community college not only satisfied his math and science prerequisites for a university transfer, but also provided him with the confidence and foundation to continue his education away from home. Blanco said his experience at St. Johns gave him an appreciation for the personal attention he now devotes to his customers and the community.
"I chose to stay close to home and attend a community college. The one-on-one time with my professors was a huge deal, especially with the type of classes I was taking in preparation for a degree in pharmacy," Blanco said. "With science and math classes, everything builds on what you learned the day before. To let one lesson go with one unanswered question could have snowballed into an unsuccessful semester. The professors were willing to work with me and were so personable."
Blanco said it was hard to appreciate that type of relationship until he transferred to the university level. "I was shuffled into classes with hundreds of students where in some cases I never even met the instructor," he said.
Blanco said the relationships he built at St. Johns River Community College helped to shape who he is today. "My experiences at St. Johns helped me realize I wanted my career to be connected to a community and not just a matter of finance." As the manager and owner of Island Family Pharmacy in St. Augustine, Blanco said he is there for his customers and can relate to how personal attention can make a difference in someone's day and in someone's life. "That is much of the reason I decided to return home and open an independent pharmacy, to have a means of building patient and community relationships."
While Blanco has been voted the best local pharmacist for the last seven years, his dedication to community relationships extends through his support of organizations such as the Good Samaritan Clinic and the Epic Community Services.
Ryan Blanco is a young professional who, at the age of 28, had the foundation and determination to begin his own business based on a solid education and a sense of community. He is proof of how a few extra minutes of attention given during crucial moments can turn into a lifetime of paying it forward.
PHOTO CAPTION:
FACC President Will Benedicks (left) and SJRCC Provost Glen Moore (right) congratulate SJRCC alumnus Ryan Blanco for winning the LeRoy Collins "Rising Star" Distinguished Alumni Award during the Florida Association of Community College's annual conference. Blanco earned his A.A. degree from St. Johns River Community College.
Return to SJRCC home page.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Kessler
SJRCC Director of Public Relations and Publications
5001 St. Johns Avenue
Palatka, FL 32177
(386) 312-4020
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