Hawaii Independent Pharmacies endow UH Hilo College of Pharmacy scholarship

Posted: Jul 11, 2011

HILO – The Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, Inc. has established an endowment at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Pharmacy. Their gift of $72,500 will be matched by the Student Access and Success Fund bringing the fund total to $145,000. Beginning in fall 2011, The Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, Inc. Endowed Excellence Scholarship at UH Hilo will provide scholarships to full-time, professional pharmacy students at the College of Pharmacy.

 

"Your timing for this scholarship fund is perfect," Dean John Pezzuto told the group of independent pharmacists in a gift ceremony at the College of Pharmacy. "Our new graduates who got their degrees in May are just starting jobs as pharmacists throughout the country, and they're now finding out what it is like to pay back student loans that may total more than $200,000. Not only will your scholarship make a huge difference in future students' lives, it will also reinforce the role of independent pharmacists among the very population who knows the value of what you do. Thank you for thinking of UH Hilo."

 

The Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, Inc. was established in 1987 as a network of independent pharmacies across the state of Hawai‘i, to facilitate group purchasing of merchandise and other related activities. At the time of its founding, chain drugstores were increasing their presence in Hawai‘i and this organization helped independent pharmacies to stay competitive, while also providing a means of communication among independent pharmacists, professionally and socially. Upon the dissolution of the organization earlier this year, members voted to allocate its remaining assets to the establishment of an endowed scholarship at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Pharmacy.

 

Phyllis Robinson, outgoing president of Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, commented that she and her colleagues welcome the opportunity to support UH Hilo, stating, “It is our hope that having the college here will raise the level of pharmacy practice across the state of Hawai‘i.”

 

To make a gift to the UH Hilo College of Pharmacy or to learn more about UH Hilo’s matching scholarship fund, please contact Margaret Shiba at (808) 933-0829 or Margaret.Shiba@uhfoundation.org.