Keith VenJohn’s childhood dream of playing college sports set him on a path that led to Garden City Community College (GCCC) in 2006.
“It was an opportunity to stay in a community I love and chase both dreams of college education and sports, all while completing my general education classes and figuring out what I wanted to be when I ‘grew up,’” Keith said.
During his time at GCCC, Keith was actively involved in campus life, serving as a Presidential Ambassador and joining the prestigious honor society Phi Theta Kappa. He also achieved his athletic dreams of playing on the basketball team during the 2006-2007 season and the football team in the fall 2007 season.
Keith graduated with an associate’s degree in science in 2008. Reflecting on his GCCC experience, Keith emphasized the importance of the relationships he built.
“The most important thing in my life today was fostering great friendships and relationships with teammates, classmates, professors, and GCCC staff. I learned from everyone I met, from all over the country/world. Being able to learn and relate to different people and adapt to the needs of people is a skill that helps me every day in the pharmacy,” he said. “And learning life while studying hard for tests has helped me now be confident in applying knowledge as I try to relate to patients.”
Keith continued his education, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Southwestern College in Winfield in 2010, and a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2015.
Today, he is a Pharmacist/Pharmacy Manager at Walmart Pharmacy in Garden City. He is passionate about helping patients achieve the best health outcomes in the most affordable way.
In his role at Walmart Pharmacy, Keith processes and accurately dispenses prescription orders, administers immunizations, oversees OTC and pharmacy areas, ensures compliance with company and legal policies and regulations, provides supervision and development opportunities for associates, and builds trusting, collaborative relationships with patients and medical providers to drive positive health outcomes.
“GCCC’s motto, ‘From here you can go anywhere,’ is without a doubt the truth,” he said. “Even though I ended up a few blocks away in a pharmacy, the opportunities are endless for routes to pursue. And people from anywhere can come to GCCC, and you can learn so much
from them.”
Offering advice to current or prospective GCCC students, Keith encourages them to stay
resilient and focused.
“Set a goal and go after it. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks. Take one day at a time, and you can achieve anything you want,” he said.
Keith gives back to his alma mater by serving as the President-Elect of the GCCC Endowment Association’s Board of Directors. He strongly believes in removing financial barriers for students by increasing scholarships through his work with the GCCC Endowment Association.
Garden City Community College is proud to have played a role in Keith’s success. Make a
difference for future Busters by starting your own Endowed Scholarship through the GCCC
President’s Scholarship Initiative.
