Alumni Spotlight: How Becky Champion balanced pharmacy leadership online and off (MS Pharmacy Leadership)

You don’t have to put your career on hold to continue your education. Becky Champion, PharmD, MS, BCOP, is living proof.

She currently serves as Director of Pharmacy Services at Norton Cancer Institute, but she’s also a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Because she enrolled in UC’s online Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership (PHLD) program, she felt confident stepping into a leadership role at work—all while earning her degree online and raising children. 

We recently spoke with Becky about her experience as an online graduate student and how UC’s program allowed her to learn on the job.

For more than 20 years, Becky has worked in oncology pharmacy, a specialized branch of pharmacy focused on cancer treatments. The patients were what initially drew her to the field. 

“I found myself naturally gravitating toward supporting people at one of the most vulnerable and defining moments in their lives,” she said. 

The fast pace of discovery in oncology pharmacy appealed to her as well. Daily innovations in the field don't occur in a vacuum; instead, they translate into “real tangible improvements in patient care."

“We’re learning so much, so quickly,” Becky continued. She includes herself in that effort, too. She’s never shied away from a challenge—even when it means returning to school. 

With two decades of experience under her belt, she took the next step in her career: stepping into the role of Director of Pharmacy Services at Norton Cancer Institute.

As Director, Becky plays a key role in shaping the direction of her pharmacy team. By providing “strategic oversight for a large community practice,” she’s able to influence the broader pharmacy field and continue delivering high-quality care. In many ways, the role is a perfect match for her experience level and passion.  

Becoming a director is a major professional milestone. For Becky, it was also what motivated her to pursue her Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership. 

Becky’s promotion to Director wasn’t contingent on earning her master’s, but she viewed it as crucial to her success.

She said, “It felt like the right way to ensure I was truly prepared for the responsibilities ahead—not simply stepping into the role because of my tenure, but because I had the skills, perspective, and training to lead effectively.” 

When exploring pharmacy leadership degree programs, UC’s online program caught her eye due to its strong reputation in the pharmacy world. 

“UC’s pharmacy school is well established, highly respected, and known for producing strong leaders in the field,” she said. “Choosing UC felt like the right combination of credibility, relevance, and academic rigor.” 

A closer look at the program’s curriculum confirmed that it would be a good fit. 

Compared to other programs she considered, UC’s coursework struck the right balance between leadership development and pharmacy-specific application. Exposure to pharmacy-related leadership concepts, rather than studying them as independent topics, was a non-negotiable for Becky. 

“I needed structured, pharmacy‑specific leadership training that aligned directly with the challenges and opportunities I was facing in practice." 

Another benefit of UC’s pharmacy leadership program? Becky was able to complete it 100% online, even as a full-time pharmacist and mother. 

“The online format was absolutely essential in making this degree possible for me,” she said. 

For many online learners, their choice to go back to school is tied to career growth, just like Becky. Abandoning your full-time career to pursue full-time, in-person study is not only unrealistic—it's also a step in the wrong direction. Because Becky enrolled in UC’s online program, she didn’t have to compromise on her career, family responsibilities, or her education. 

“The online format didn’t make the program easier—it made it attainable,” she added.

Although online learning provided Becky with additional flexibility, it wasn’t always easy to balance everything in her life. She had to be intentional and plan ahead in order to succeed. 

“I created a routine where my kids and I would all focus on our schoolwork together,” she shared. “It became a shared commitment—something we did side‑by‑side.  I wanted them to see that hard work doesn’t have an age limit, and that pursuing something challenging later in life is not only possible but worthwhile.”

Any parent knows that, when raising kids, things don’t always go according to plan. Instead of thinking of school and life as two independent priorities, Becky found ways to turn studying into family time—and be a role model for her kids at the same time.

Becky's main goals for her master’s were to broaden her perspective, gain new tools, and deepen her understanding of effective healthcare leadership. 

“After being with the same organization for 20 years, it’s easy to develop a narrow viewpoint without even realizing it,” Becky said. Fortunately, her PHLD coursework did just that. It reshaped her leadership philosophy from the ground up, both through evidence-based coursework and interactions with her peers.

“The academic environment—and the opportunity to learn alongside people from different backgrounds and practice settings—challenged me to step outside my usual frame of reference.”

Asynchronous programs don’t require regular physical or virtual attendance. However, even as an online student, Becky had ample opportunities to connect with her classmates and instructors. Group projects and online discussions allow online learners to collaborate, network, and develop friendships that continue after graduation.

The program faculty play a major role in maintaining the program’s academic rigor; as a result, online students learn from the same professors as in-person students. Becky found it easy connecting with her professors virtually. 

“Everyone I interacted with was supportive, responsive, and genuinely invested in helping students succeed,” she said. 

Dr. Jenelle Sobotka, Professor and Director of Pharmacy Leadership, made a lasting impact in particular. 

“Returning to school at 50 meant relearning a lot of technology that didn’t exist when I was in pharmacy school, and she was incredibly patient and kind throughout that process.”

How has Becky been able to take her education offline? As it turns out, her UC experience took her out into the real world before and after graduation.

While some assume that on-campus resources events aren’t open to online students, that isn’t the case at UC. Becky described what it was like attending an on-campus meet-and-greet and meeting her instructors, like Dr. Sobotka, face-to-face.

“Dr. Sobotka went out of her way to welcome me. She introduced me to professors I had only met online and made me feel truly connected to the program. Her warmth and encouragement helped me feel like I was part of the class, not just an online student.”

Offline, Becky was able to continuously connect her program to her day-to-day work—a feature that makes the PHLD program ideal for current pharmacists and PharmD students.

Beyond theoretical concepts and hypotheticals, her coursework was “grounded in the real challenges pharmacy leaders face—everything from navigating HR issues to understanding reimbursement models for high‑cost medications.” One of her classes covered reimbursement concepts, which has proven particularly valuable in her role as Director. 

Furthermore, the curriculum as a whole was relevant and up-to-date with today’s pharmacy world. The topics Becky studied informed not only her own practice; they also provided insights applicable to her whole team, as well as her broader organization.

“Even after 20 years in clinical practice, the program introduced me to leadership and operational concepts I had never formally encountered before.”

When asked if pharmacy leadership was the right choice for her, Becky’s answer was a resounding “yes.” As she transitioned into her role as Director, the program set her up for professional success. It also helped her prepare her organization for long-term sustainability moving forward.

“The focus on Pharmacy Leadership wasn’t a niche for me,” she reflected. “It was exactly what I needed at this stage of my career.”

Interested in online master’s degree options? Explore your options at the University of Cincinnati. UC’s online Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership allows working professionals like Becky to grow in their career without taking time off. 

You don’t have to have all the answers yet. You can start by connecting with your Enrollment Services Advisor today. We’re here to help you sharpen your vision for the future and take that first step.