View Larger Image Chelsea Flowers
Pharmacy student Chelsea Flowers is recognized for receiving the Walgreens Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Scholarship. More than 100 College of Pharmacy students received scholarships at the April 10 ceremony. Image by Evan Lewis

College of Pharmacy Students Recognized with 112 Scholarships at Ceremony

By Benjamin Waldrum

| More than 100 UAMS College of Pharmacy students received scholarships in a ceremony held April 10. The annual tradition marked an opportunity for students to be recognized and for some, to meet the donors supporting their education. The college also announced the creation of three new scholarships, each representing a graduating class.

“Each year, through the gifts of donors and the College of Pharmacy, we are able to provide scholarships and awards to more than 100 students,” said Brendan Frett, Ph.D., assistant professor and chair of the College of Pharmacy Awards Committee. “The applications and essays this year were phenomenal and demonstrated the hard work and dedication that our students have to the profession as well as the community.”

Newsome with COP students

COP alumnus Lenora Newsome, Pharm.D. (center right), poses with students who received the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy Rural Pharmacy Practice Student Scholarship.Evan Lewis

Thanks to donor contributions, these scholarships and awards will help students continue their education and provide more of a financial cushion during their time in school.

“A big thank you to all of the donors that are making this day possible,” said Dean Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. “It seems like every year we increase the number of scholarships, and it’s really a testament to everybody’s commitment to leaving a legacy by donating to these funds.”

Stowe also announced three new scholarships: the Class of 2013 Endowed Scholarship, the Class of 2020 Practice Resilience Award and the Class of 2021 Serving the Community Award.

Donations began for the Class of 2013 scholarship while the students were still in school. It was also a way to honor Josh Neal, a second-year pharmacy student who died in 2010, Stowe said.

Scholarships for the Class of 2020 and 2021, who began their pharmacy education in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, were formed from donations by the College of Pharmacy Dean’s Society and the Chancellor’s Circle, which is UAMS’ premier giving society.

“These scholarships recognize these students and young pharmacists as they answered the call during the pandemic,” Stowe said. “The Class of 2020 graduated right after the pandemic started, and entered a profession and practice setting quite different than they had imagined. The Class of 2021 completed much of their didactic education during the pandemic. We want to send a big shout-out to these students and new practitioners for making a difference.”

Hannah Howard, a graduating senior in the Class of 2023, received the USA Drug Employees Endowed Scholarship last year. She said the scholarship not only supported her financially but also helped shape her into the student pharmacist she is today.

Hannah Howard

Hannah Howard, a graduating senior, said her scholarship helped shape her into the pharmacist she is today.Evan Lewis

Howard mentioned applying for the scholarship in 2021 but not receiving it, saying the rejection motivated her to work harder.

“I challenge you to do the same,” she said. “When you run into an obstacle — which you will — instead of looking back, look forward and ask yourself, ‘What can I do better next time?’ Allow yourself to grow from your experiences, not just right now but throughout the rest of your career.”

After the ceremony, students mingled with the donors present and were treated to a box lunch.

Lenora Newsome, COP ’80, is president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and a member of the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. A scholarship donor for years, she said she was pleased to see how much the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy Rural Pharmacy Practice Student Scholarship has grown. This year, 13 students received the scholarship.

“I was taught to give back to your profession,” Newsome said. “I’m very proud of all of these students for their hard work. I’m from Smackover, which is a small town. My greatest joy is working in a small community pharmacy every day. We need more of our graduates in small towns, and pharmacy has so much to offer.”

In addition to student recognition, each year a faculty member receives the Rho Chi Honor Society Teacher of the Year Award, voted on by all pharmacy students in the first three years of the program. This year the honor went to Frett. He joined UAMS in 2016 and teaches courses on drug development, medicinal chemistry and molecular biology.

Scholarship Recipients

  • Dr. Brandon and Kaley Achor Advancement in Community Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship — Madison Everett
  • April Abston Williams Memorial Endowed Scholarship — Amanda Russell
  • Arkansas Association of Health-System Pharmacists Endowed Scholarship — Jeff Davis
  • Arkansas Pharmacy Foundation Charles M. West Award — Mary Catherine Prosser
  • Arkansas Pharmacy Foundation Endowed Scholarship — Jenae Powell
  • J.C. Baker and Family Endowed Scholarship in Pharmacy — Jenni Langley and Mary Kate Record
  • Joey Baker Endowed Scholarship — Emma Wooldridge
  • Charles K. Born Endowed Scholarship — Rilie Vote
  • Buice Drug Endowed Scholarship — Claire Mosley
  • Clark Family Endowed Scholarship — Bang-Giao Nguyen and Hayden Wood
  • Class of 2003 Doug Eoff Memorial Endowed Scholarship — Bobby Frazzini and Manuel Gamboa
  • Class of 2004 Endowed Scholarship — Ben Quattlebaum
  • Class of 2013 Endowed Scholarship — Phi Tang
  • Class of 2020 Practice Resilience Award — Jasmine Ciera Wilson
  • Class of 2021 Serving the Community Award — Katherine Snider
  • Collier Family UAMS Northwest College of Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship — Ashton Hale
  • CVS Health Foundation Pharmacy Scholarship — Paloma Salazar
  • Emmanuel Endowed Scholarship — Megan Sander
  • The Groves Family Endowed Scholarship — Dylan Yowell
  • Karrol and Vicki Fowlkes Excellence in Community Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship — Joel Araujo
  • Dr. Don Kenneth Hall Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship — Nicholas Hollowell
  • Dr. Jan and Cpt. Terry Hastings/Dr. Bill and Mrs. Betty Loe Endowed Scholarship — Emma Wooldridge
  • Lester E. Hosto Endowed Scholarship — Hayden Hyman
  • Lester E. Hosto/SNPhA Award — Kennedy Smith
  • Kappa Psi Endowed Scholarship — Morgan Davis
  • Wilma Knoll Endowed Geriatric Scholarship — Lauren Romo
  • Leonard Kremers Endowed Scholarship — Whitney Austin
  • Larkin Family Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship — Alex Phongsavanh and Rachel Siebenmorgen
  • Robert N. and Robert H. Manley Endowed Scholarship — Jacob Parker
  • Jack McCormack Endowed Scholarship — Mary Rose Siebenmorgen
  • L.D. Milne Endowed Scholarship — Payton Davis
  • National Pharmacists Association of Arkansas Endowed Scholarship — Maddie Butera, Ashlyn Crawford, Ravyn Faulkner and Pilar Simmons
  • Gene D. Pynes, Ph.D., Pharm.D. and Mrs. Bobbie Pynes Memorial Scholarship — Kirsten Tilley
  • Rhea Family Freshman Incentive Endowed Scholarship — Abbi Akin
  • Rho Chi Endowed Scholarship — Lauren Romo
  • Mark S. Riley, Pharm.D. Endowed Scholarship — Kendall Perkins
  • Neil and Clara Spain Endowed Scholarship — Monica Badillo
  • Larry and Peggy Stanley Excellence in Pharmacy Practice Endowed Scholarship — Jocelyn Brown
  • John Swaim Endowed Scholarship — Victoria Tang and Rachel Ward
  • Lloyd R. Thompson Endowed Scholarship — Lauren Abbott, Aubree Seibert-Jeffrey and Morgan Ware
  • Dr. Richard G. Underwood Student Award — Garett Seal
  • USA Drug Employees Endowed Scholarship — DeAnna Massey
  • Walgreens Multilingual Award — Olgaaurora Rodriguez
  • Walgreens Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Scholarship — Chelsea Flowers
  • Walmart-Sam’s Club Student Leadership Endowed Scholarship — Linda Leonhard
  • Honorable George Wimberly Endowed Scholarship — Anden Hammack

College of Pharmacy Awards

  • Jessica Allred
  • Jasmine Block
  • Kerigan Bradshaw
  • Alanna Bramwell-Shittu
  • Joseph Brill
  • Jared Bristow
  • Jordan Fryman
  • Evan Griesse
  • Alan Herrera-Rueda
  • Tori Hoggard
  • Alexis Jacobus
  • Macy Kottler
  • Kayla Matlock
  • Mackenzie McGuire
  • Kennede McLeroy-Charles
  • Rachel Murray
  • Jordan Myers
  • Emery Parker
  • Alexa Ramick
  • Lauren Saulsbery
  • Jessica Shapard
  • Natalie Smith
  • Makenna Steele
  • Gracie Stover
  • Phi Tang
  • Morgan Wadkins
  • Stephanie White

Arkansas Board of Pharmacy Rural Pharmacy Practice Student Loan/Scholarship

  • Joseph Brill
  • Gracen Caraway
  • Emily Coffman
  • Fawn Freeze
  • Haley Hedrick
  • Rachel McClellan
  • Tiara Mickens
  • Neelie Minor
  • Mary Catherine Prosser
  • Olgaaurora Rodriguez
  • Clayton Smith
  • Morgan Wadkins
  • Kendall Wilson

Student Research Fellowships

  • Sarah Aviles
  • Monica Badillo
  • Amberly Clifton
  • Fawn Freeze
  • Evan Griesse
  • Erik Hsu
  • Emily Kanwischer
  • Halle Morgan
  • Mitchell Rotenberry
  • Megan Sander
  • Rachel Siebenmorgen
  • Pilar Simmons
  • Kirsten Tilly
  • Jordan Turner