I don’t know about you, but I thought the summer flew by faster than normal this year. As in past years, with the new school year upon us, I have been reflecting on the compassion of the network of University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy alumni, their remarkable talent, and their generous contributions of time, talent, and treasure to the School to improve the experience of current students in all of our programs. The impact of all forms of giving by our alumni is remarkable.

Alumni connections

I have also been reflecting on three opportunities I’ve had since late spring to interact with the alumni in our Pharmacy Badger community: the Milwaukee Innovators School of Pharmacy Alumni Engagement Event on April 23, the Madison Innovators Engagement Event on May 21, and a virtual reunion for the School of Pharmacy Class of 1974 on September 12 were terrific ways to build and strengthen connections across our alumni network.

Our Milwaukee event was co-hosted by alumni Melissa Theesfeld (PharmD ’06), Nick Olson (PharmD ’03), and Nick Ladell (PharmD ’11) and they did an awesome job planning and marketing the event to our Milwaukee-area alumni. We had a packed house for the event! The program speakers, Brooke Foster (PharmD ’16), Marisa Goninen (PharmD ’16), and Angela De Ianni (BS ’98) shared highlights about their careers and informed the attendees about the innovative aspects of their respective practice roles. Brooke is a leader in ambulatory care pharmacy practice for patients with asthma and other respiratory conditions, Marisa is developing and leading a population health management program, and Angie is providing expert consulting services to health system pharmacy leaders across the U.S. The role of pharmacists in health systems is evolving rapidly and in very exciting, impactful ways. Brooke, Marissa, and Angie are leaders who are shaping pharmacy practice and improving patient care in health systems.

Our Madison event was co-hosted by alumni Stephanie Bishop (BS ’15, PharmD ’19), Sharon Faust (BS ’07, PharmD ’11), and Eric Friestrom (BS ’15, PharmD ’19, MS ’21). They identified three speakers who shared their innovative careers with attendees. Associate Professor Cody Wenthur, a faculty member in the Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research Division at the School of Pharmacy, shared information about his successful research program studying the therapeutic benefits of psychoactive substances such as ketamine and psilocybin, as well as a recent U.S. Senate appropriation to expand the role of Wisconsin community pharmacists in the opioid epidemic through the creation of the Wisconsin Opioid Overdose Response Center, housed at the School of Pharmacy. Andrew Wilcox (PharmD ’01) shared significant milestones in the development of ambulatory care pharmacy practice at the William S. Middleton Veteran’s Hospital in Madison as well as highlights from his career as director of pharmacy. Laura Jester (PharmD ’09) shared highlights of her career at Navitus Health Solutions and described how her knowledge and expertise, along with her team, are shaping the future of pharmacy benefit management. It is incredibly inspiring to me to learn about the innovative and impactful research and practice accomplishments of our School of Pharmacy faculty and alumni leaders. We have incredible leaders among our Pharmacy Badger network.

The Class of 1974 virtual reunion was very special. Steve Swanson, dean of the School of Pharmacy, and I joined graduates from the Class of 1974 on September 12 to reminisce about their time in Madison and to talk about their careers. Like many of us who attended UW–Madison for pharmacy school, their experiences spending time with classmates, interacting with faculty and staff, and engaging in challenging coursework were impactful, special, and very funny. Their careers varied across multiple settings including academia, hospital pharmacy, and the U.S. Public Health Service. I was inspired by their examples of leadership, service, dedication, accomplishment, pioneering spirits, mentorship, and dedication to pharmacy. Each one of them said how their time at UW shaped the way they thought and developed their problem-solving skills. I feel fortunate that I was able to take part in the reunion and celebrate their 50-year class reunion. I hope to see more members of the Class of 1974 at the Alumni Tailgate and Viewing Party at Union South on October 5. We plan to acknowledge and celebrate the Class of 1974 at the tailgate. I hope to see many of you at the event!

Pharmacy Forward scholarship campaign

The School’s Pharmacy Forward campaign to raise student scholarship funds is progressing very nicely. In the highly competitive marketplace for potential pharmacy students, scholarship dollars that can be used for admission scholarships are crucial. The funds help ensure that the very best and brightest students from Wisconsin and across the U.S. enroll at UW–Madison and have an opportunity to experience a pharmacy education at one of the best pharmacy schools in the nation. Julie Jensen, director of development for the School of Pharmacy, has worked with the School’s Board of Visitors (BOV) to create a significant pool of funds to for an incentive program to encourage gifts to the Pharmacy Forward campaign. Through the Double Your Impact incentive, alumni and friends have contributed over $3 million dollars this summer that will be earmarked for scholarships for our students. Our goal for the seven-year campaign is $7 million. Needless to say, the response from our alumni and friends has been fantastic!   

Again, thank you to our alumni and friends who give their time, talent, and treasure to the School of Pharmacy. The impact of giving, in all forms, by our alumni and friends, to fellow alumni and our students cannot be overstated.

Thank you, and On, Wisconsin!

Dave Mott (BS ‘88, MS ‘92, PhD ’95)
Associate Dean for Advancement