Winter 2011 [pdf] - University of Kentucky - College of Pharmacy

Ross
continued from page 14
just may be the perfect fit for the multi-dimensional
Turner, the academic and the person who likes reaching
out and making a difference in the lives of others.
Like Pruitt, Turner did an internship as a college freshman
at a pharmacy in his hometown and fell in love with
the community aspect of pharmacy, the idea of giving
back and the ability to work closely with people. He
was also influenced as he watched his sister, Amie, go
through UK's pharmacy program ('00) and go on to
enjoy her job as a Kroger pharmacist in Nicholasville.
Turner believes pharmacy is more personal than the
other medical professions. "What's missing in the medical
profession is communication," he said. "In pharmacy, I'll be
able to connect with people on a more personal level."
Interacting with the crowd seems to be
what Turner loves most. "I'm a keen communicator and
I can make a 7-year-old smile or a 70-year-old," he said.
Turner's already abundant energy is further fueled by
the enthusiasm of the crowd. "I get chills every time the
lights go out and I run out onto the court or field with the
players," he said. "It's cool to see the pride the university
has for the sports programs and that pride carries on."
Like Pruitt, Turner can't talk to his legion of fans so he has
to find creative ways to communicate without words. In a
large place like Rupp Arena or Commonwealth Stadium,
every gesture has to be exaggerated. "I can't simply
wave to the crowd, I have to do this," he says as he leaps
forward like a cartoon character with arms open wide
and waving madly. "Somebody is always watching the
Wildcat. I like being able to touch people in that way.
There are no words to describe how awesome it is."
And watch him, they do. One night after a game, Turner
and some of his friends went to Wendy's to eat. At the
next table sat a family who had been to the game and
they were talking about what the Wildcat did that night.
The parents said to their kids, "we'll have to go to another
game to see what the Wildcat does." Turner seems genuinely
amazed as he recalls the night and said, "Wow, this is the
men's basketball team and they want to see the Wildcat?"
Although his friends encouraged him to go over and
introduce himself, he didn't. As personable and outgoing
as Turner is, both in and out of the Wildcat uniform,
he is also quite down-to-earth. "Being associated with
UK sports, people put me, the Wildcat, on a pedestal
and I use this to talk about my faith, self-esteem and
setting goals," he said. "Kids will listen to me."
At games, Turner's friends don't see the Wildcat, they see
their friend Ross. Some have even wondered why Turner
decided to go into pharmacy because they just don't see
the profession as fitting with his exuberant personality.
However, community pharmacy, which is his interest,
This is Turner's fourth year as
the Wildcat mascot. He is also completing his first year
in pharmacy and realizes he is going to have to devote more
time to academics for the remainder of his time at the College
of Pharmacy.
"It's going to be hard to hang it up and I'm going to miss it and
the fur-turnity of the other mascots," he said. The "furr-turnity"
that Turner refers to are his back-ups, Scratch, Stitches, the
Kentucky Children's Hospital mascot, and his mascot friends
all over the NCAA and NBA. "It's going to be a totally different
perspective being in the stands and not on the floor."
Turner has his eye on the future. You see, the Wildcat wants
to be a pharmacist. You may not see him prancing around
Rupp Arena or doing push-ups on a board high up in the air,
but look for him making people smile at a local pharmacy,
maybe near you.
16 Focus on Pharmacy