Students from the Faculty of Pharmacy win the Banque Populaire du Sud Foundation's Youth Initiative Award

As part of the call for projects launched by the Banque Populaire du Sud Foundation, sixth-year pharmacy students distinguished themselves by winning first prize in the Youth Initiative competition on September 26.

Committed to preserving heritage, specifically the Droguier, the students responded to the call for projects for the Prix Initiatives Jeunes (Youth Initiatives Award) in the Heritage category of the Banque Populaire du Sud Foundation. Selected as the Jury's 1st Favorite among 30 participants, they were rewarded with a check worth €2,000.

On December 8, the students will present their project at the Foundation's headquarters during a ceremony dedicated to the winners' particularly outstanding projects. On this occasion, they will receive a trophy in recognition of their student commitment to heritage preservation.

The prize money will be added to the €1,000 awarded by the University of Montpellier Foundation as part of its call for projects. Together, these two prizes will facilitate the purchase of a 3D scanner, which is essential for continuing the herbarium digitization project.

Students invested in the medicine cabinet

A total of 12 students regularly contribute to the digitization and description of samples from the Droguier. Initiated several years ago by Ms. Chantal Marion, head of the Droguier, this work is part of their sixth-year thesis and aims to preserve this unique collection.

At the same time, students are involved in promoting this heritage through activities outside the Faculty of Pharmacy.  "Several events are planned for 2024," says Chantal Marion. "These include exhibitions at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier and the Lattara Museum in Lattes. We also have a project in collaboration withthe Montpellier Opera House, for which students will create a herbarium in the form of a painting."