MICC graduate Wally ’18 has a new job! Wally recently began an exciting new role at Unity Hospital as a Certified In-Patient Pharmacy Technician. His journey with MICC began when he traveled from his hometown of Chicago to attend MICC’s three-week overnight Summer Program after a family member recommended the program to his dad. While in Richfield, Wally gained early work experience through internships, including one at Walgreens. After joining MICC’s College Program, he was hired as a cashier at Walgreens and went on to graduate in 2018 with a Retail Career Certificate.
After graduation, Wally says he was promoted at Walgreens to eventually become a shift lead, which involved managing employees, resolving customer issues, counting the till at the end of the night, and closing the store. During this time, he also got his pharmacy license! Eventually he felt he had learned everything he could at Walgreens and was looking to grow his career. He developed an interest in doing in-patient work, where he would focus on medications, instead of working directly with customers. He says, “I wanted to learn more advanced techniques, like making IVs, and an in-patient position would be perfect for that.”
The right opportunity came along at Unity Hospital! Wally applied and was offered a role as a Certified In-Patient Pharmacy Technician, where he has been employed for three months now. Each day, he fills prescriptions and delivers medications to the different wings of the hospital, then prepares the next day’s orders. When he arrives to work, he has to put on a sterile uniform, before going into a clean room to prepare the IVs. Wally says he really enjoys the complex process of making the IVs and growing his pharmacy skills. He also likes his co-workers and manager, and says the job has great long-term potential.
One of the best parts of his new job is the schedule! At the hospital, he works seven days on and seven days off, so he has long stretches of free time. He hopes to use it to get more involved in the Community program as he previously wasn’t able to attend many social activities. He lives in an apartment near campus and enjoys seeing his fellow MICC graduates. His favorite hobbies include cooking, baking, riding his bike, and travel!
The new schedule gives Wally more time to visit his sister in Madison and the rest of his family in Chicago. He also shared, “I’m saving up for a trip to the Bahamas!” Wally has taken cruises on his own, including one to Alaska and one to Mexico and Central America. Wally says, “I like traveling by myself.”
When asked what his favorite part of living an independent life is, Wally shared, “I can do what I want, when I want.”
Learn more about our programs and curriculum on our programs page!
See more photos below of Wally from his current role at the hospital making IVs in the clean room, at his MICC graduation (with his dad), a previous internship at the YMCA, and his travels: