The start of a new semester brings many challenging changes for students. One of the many changes that have impacted students this year is the closure of CVS Pharmacy’s Campustown location.

The CVS, previously located at 2420 Lincoln Way, closed in May. It was a spot directly across from campus where students and others in the Ames community could grab prescriptions, medical equipment, groceries, school supplies and other items necessary for health and wellbeing. What once was a place of convenience has now created an inconvenience for returning students who relied on the location’s services. 

Emily Trewet, a senior in interior design, has noted frustrations with transportation and lack of CVS locations in the Ames Community.

“It used to be a lot more convenient because I could just walk to the CVS after class,” Trewet said.

Now, the closest CVS is located in the Target on Duff Avenue, which is 2.3 miles away from the former location. Trewet noted challenges associated to having a lack of transportation and gaining access to pharmacy services carried by her insurance provider since the closure.

“It was like a five to 10 minute walk,” Trewet said. “Now, all of the prescriptions got transferred to Target because that’s the next closest CVS, and I don’t have a car in Ames, so it’s just really frustrating because if I had to get my prescription, then I would have to have one of my roommates drive me. I just feel bad bothering them, and our schedules don’t line up all the time.”

Many other pharmacies are not within walking distance for many students who are without transportation. The closest on-campus resource with pharmacy services, Thielen Health Center, lacks flexibility in evening hours, which can be an obstacle for students who attend class during the day and work jobs in their remaining free time.

Harrison Neipert, a sophomore in environmental engineering, noted convenience was the best part of CVS.

“When I was in Helser, the convenience of just being able to walk right across the street was the biggest thing, and now that’s not an option, and lot of people don’t have cars,” Neipert said.

Other pharmacies, such as Hy-Vee and Walgreens, are further off campus and are most easily accessible by car or bus. 

Ella Seitz, a junior in culinary food science, said it takes a while for the buses to circulate and notes it would be challenging for those who are sick, especially, to be able to use public transportation to get to the nearest pharmacy. 

“So if you need to go in between classes or something, you have to go way further,” Seitz said. “And if you’re really sick, you can’t just walk right to the convenience store. You have to take the bus, which is more compact, so it would increase exposure to other people.”

CyRide’s blue route takes passengers to the CVS on Duff Avenue approximately every 40 minutes, according to CyRide’s bus schedule.

Jeanne Paskach, a CVS pharmacy technician who formerly worked for the closed location, said the store was more than just a pharmacy. The staff built relationships with students and their parents, along with the community. Paskach now works for the Duff Avenue location. 

“We had a rapport with the students,” Paskach said. “There were people sometimes, they’d come in and say, ‘O.K., I’m going to my interview,’ or ‘I’m going to the job fair,’ you know, ‘Does this look okay,’ you know? I mean, it was more than just coming in to pick up prescriptions.”

Paskach noted that students and staff were sad to see the store close. Staff were given a two-week notice when the store closed and were not given a reason for the closure. 

“When the students would come and say, ‘We are so sad that you were closing your store,’ like, [then] it made you just kind of get all teary, because you’re like, oh, you notice,” Paskach said. 

According to an article from USA Today, CVS planned to close over 900 stores nationwide in 2022. CVS has already closed 600 stores and plans to close another 300 in 2024. 

According to their website, Thielen Health Center offers an on-campus pharmacy and wellness services at their location near State Gym: 

• Call your insurance provider to ensure you are covered to pick up your medications through Thielen. Without insurance coverage, you will be charged the full costs of medications. Prescriptions can be paid by card or can be billed to your student U-Bill.
• Thielen also provides access to over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
• Call the Student Health Pharmacy at (515) 294-7983 to transfer a prescription, or if you have any additional questions.

More information on Thielen Health Center can be found on their website.