Arian Novaj

UConn School of Pharmacy

I was born in the Bronx, New York. My parents are immigrants from Montenegro and came to America to find better opportunities. I am a first-generation college student and currently a second-year pharmacy student. In 2017, I obtained my Biochemistry degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent back home in the Bronx. Even though, I was raised in America, I still have an understanding about the political unrest in Montenegro/Albania. Growing up in an urban area has given me tough skin. I also understand what many people in the urban area go through on an everyday basis. I also work at Foxwoods Pharmacy. Here, the Pequot tribal members are underserved, and I can relate to what they go through on a daily basis being from an urban area myself.

I sought the Urban Track Service program to learn how to work with other healthcare professionals. I also want to be able to make a difference in the urban community. As another community member living in the Bronx, I never had the power to actually do something to enrich the lives of others. UST can give me that platform I need in order to reach that population at a larger scale. I hope to be able to bridge the gap between the urban community and healthcare with the help of the interprofessional teams and life experiences.