Welcome to the Big Easy Bulletin, your guide to all the networking and education opportunities that we're bringing to the 2025 NCPA Annual Convention in New Orleans, Oct. 18-21 — and how to spend your off-hours in the city. See you in the Big Easy!

If you’re registered to attend the convention, you should have received our Know Before You Go email where we break down the basics of navigating the convention and ways to prepare and answer the most frequently asked questions we get in the lead-up to #NCPA2025. You can also find it on our website here. 

Catch the Independent Rx Forum podcast broadcast directly from the convention floor on Sunday, Oct. 19 from noon-2 p.m. CT and Monday, Oct. 20 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. CT. Host John Beckner will speak with several experts about topics covered during the convention, including medical billing, vaccines, and social media promotion. He’ll also speak with NCPA President Jeff Harrell and incoming NCPA President Kristen Riddle. 

The live podcast will be streamed across Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Join us at 7-8 a.m. CT for this year’s worship service in the Rivergate room on the first floor of the convention venue. This year’s speaker, Paris Ragan, began his theological training in 2014 at Jimmy Swaggart Bible College, where his passion for teaching and pastoral ministry quickly developed. By 2017, he joined the faculty as an instructor, becoming a full-time professor in 2018. From 2019 to 2023, he served as dean of students, providing leadership and guidance to the college community. 

Today, Paris serves as campus pastor and full-time professor at Jimmy Swaggart Bible College. In addition, since 2021 he ministers as the youth pastor of Crossfire Youth Ministries. Paris also serves as a voice for the gospel through SonLife Broadcasting Network, where he is a cohost and panel member on the Message of the Cross, Francis and Friends, and A Study in the Word. He hosts Generation of the Cross, a program dedicated to equipping young people to live for Christ in today’s world. Paris has been married to his wife, Marybeth, since 2015. They welcomed their first son, Oliver, in January 2025. 

If you’re approaching the end of your time in pharmacy school and looking for new growth opportunities, swing by our Community Pharmacy Residency and Fellowship Showcase, which will run Sunday, Oct. 19 from 1:15 to 3 p.m. CT. The showcase will include residencies and fellowships across the country, giving you a leg up on networking with potential future employers and ensuring you know your options before you graduate.  

P.S.: If you’re already out there working in the pharmacy industry but know high-potential pharmacy students, send them our way.

Come see the latest research and solutions to challenges in community pharmacy practice at the Innovation in Community Practice Poster Symposium, to be held by the NCPA Innovation Center on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 12:15-1:45 p.m. CT in the convention exhibit hall.  

The symposium engages pharmacists and pharmacy students in peer-to-peer learning about new opportunities to move their practice forward. Hear from various pharmacists and students on topics like the impact of community health workers, how pharmacies can help combat the opioid crisis, and immunization counseling, among many others.

If you’re looking for a peaceful, non-touristy spot to grab dinner after a long day’s work, Esplanade Avenue is a picturesque road with a calming, cozy feel. The street is lined with beautiful multi-colored homes, verdant oak trees, and the occasional bookshop or museum. While the neighborhood is quiet, we heard from a local that there’s a cluster of local restaurants worth checking out where the avenue meets Mystery Street, right next to the tiny Fortier Park. Here are just a few:

There are also a few historic spots you can swing by four blocks up the street, including the Edgar Degas House and the Free People of Color Museum. Looking for more off-beat trip ideas? Check out this long list of things to do at Atlas Obscura (we recommend using the map function!).

Who's on the expo floor? Click here to see the up-to-date lineup!