Logan Acker pursues NFL cheerleading while completing clinical rotations
Logan Acker never imagined her final year of pharmacy school would include performing at NFL games, but the fourth-year student is doing just that as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Roar cheerleading team.
The Columbia native and lifelong Gamecock fan spent three years with the USC Coquettes dance team before auditioning for the Jaguars’ professional squad last spring. When she made the team in May, it required a complete overhaul of her rotation schedule.
"I’m sure I scared Dr. Baker when I asked if I could change my entire schedule," Acker says, "but she was very supportive and told me to pursue it."
With help from the college’s experiential team, Acker relocated to Jacksonville in July 2025 to begin rotations at University of Florida Health Shands Hospital while juggling practice schedules and game-day performances.
Everyone has things they’re balancing other than just being a student ... What you put into it is what you get out of it.
A 20-year dance veteran who performed at the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with USC’s Carolina Band, Acker credits her college experience for preparing her for the NFL’s highest level of dance.
Balancing both commitments has been manageable, Acker notes, as her practice schedule does not interfere with rotation hours. She focuses on rotations during the day before switching to her evening role as an NFL cheerleader.
Her preceptors at Shands have been supportive beyond accommodating her schedule — encouraging her to pursue residency training despite the added complexity.
"I just think it will open more doors if I complete it now instead of waiting five years," says Acker, who plans to apply to Jacksonville-area programs with a possible specialization in infectious disease.
She hopes to stay with the Roar through her five years of eligibility, auditioning each spring while building her pharmacy career in Jacksonville.
"Everyone has things they’re balancing other than just being a student," Acker says. "What you put into it is what you get out of it." For Acker, that means two careers — and one unforgettable year.
Topics: Pharm.D. Program, Experiential Learning, Student Experience