July 19, 2019

A standout student leader from the DDS Class of 2021 has been selected for a national leadership award from the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) following a recent vote by the ASDA Board of Trustees.

Second-year student Anthoula Vlachos will receive the ASDA Rising Leader Award during the ASDA National Leadership Conference taking place in Chicago in November. Only one dental student nationwide is selected each year for the award.

Vlachos currently serves as the Dugoni School's ASDA chapter president as well as secretary for ASDA District 11, a region that includes California's six dental schools.

She got involved in leadership from her earliest days at the dental school and was voted as vice president of the DDS Class of 2021 during her first year.

Vlachos has a passion for collaborating with others, and has teamed up with her classmates to lead many successful initiatives, including a class fundraiser that sold 360+ personalized Patagonia jackets, a Halloween celebration with 300+ attendees that generated $4,000, and other projects to support the community and her class.

According to her classmates, her enthusiasm and passion for maintaining the integrity of the profession is inspiring and truly contagious.

"My desire to hold leadership positions was primarily because of the joyful and collective process of attaining a common goal together," Vlachos said. "The shared journey of a unified team is a powerful learning experience, open to the blossoming of lifelong friendships."

According to ASDA, the Rising Leader Award recognizes the importance of developing leadership skills and involvement in organized dentistry early in a dental student's career. The award spotlights an ASDA predoctoral member graduating in 2021 or 2022 who has demonstrated a commitment to leadership development in their chapter or community. Learn more about ASDA on the organization's web site.

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu

Categories: Awards, Featured, Honors, Leadership, Students, 2019

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu