Throughout two days at Grandparents University, Badger alumni and grandchildren discover the science and impact of pharmacy
By Logan Underwood
Compounded gummies, dissolving capsules, and patient consultations — Rennebohm Hall buzzed with activity during this year’s Grandparents University event, organized by the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.
Each year in July, Grandparents University offers kids aged 7 to 14 the opportunity to swarm the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, accompanied by an alum grandparent or other relative, to dive into an area of interest. Attendees can choose from 22 majors across campus, from entomology to broadcast journalism to pharmacy.
“With Grandparents University, we really want to show our grandkids and grandparents what it’s like to be a pharmacy student and practicing pharmacist,” says Associate Professor Ed Portillo (PharmD ’14), associate dean for advancement at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy, who helped organize the pharmacy major.
“This shared experience, centered around pharmacy, is a great opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to connect and learn together.”
–Ed Portillo
This summer, participants in the pharmacy major got hands-on experience with the foundations of pharmacy, guided by School of Pharmacy professors and students, including formulating drug compounds, drug discovery, medication safety, and patient care. At the end of the two-day pharmacy major, the kids in the major received a diploma and their very own white coat.
“This program is all about exposing the next generation of young people to the exciting opportunities available in the profession of pharmacy,” says Portillo. “The relationship between a grandparent and grandchild is so important. This shared experience, centered around pharmacy, is a great opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to connect and learn together.”
A shared experience
On day one, participants dove into the fundamentals of the pharmacy profession, learning about drug formulation, compounding, and dissolution, led by Zeeh Pharmaceutical Experiment Station Emeritus Research Services Director Ed Elder, teaching faculty Leslie Dickmann, and faculty associate Beth Rosen.
With decades of pharmacy experience under his belt, School of Pharmacy alum Gary Schroeder (BS ‘78) was excited to share his knowledge and passion for the profession with his 12-year-old grandson, Sam.
For their first activity, kids were able to formulate — and eat — their own W-shaped Wisconsin gummies. When grinding up medication to put into the gummies, Schroeder was glad he could offer his own expertise to help Sam, encouraging him to grind the medication finer to create a better gummy.
“I was, from my experience, able to show him how to do that and get a better product in the end,” says Schroeder. “It was just fun to be able to reach in there and say, ‘Sam, look, here’s how you do this.’”
From there, the pairs of kids and grandparents got to learn about drug discovery, with the kids developing their own drugs, complete with drug names and side effects. During the second day — led by Assistant Teaching Professor Jess Bergsbaken, pediatric clinical pharmacist, and teaching faculty Emma Hickmann (PharmD ’22), ambulatory care pharmacist — participants used these fundamentals and applied their knowledge to real patient scenarios.
After learning about three different medications, the students were tasked with choosing the best option for a sample patient. Then, counseling their own grandparents, they explained the dosage, timing, and side effects of medications they prescribed.
“The approaches we’re teaching the grandkids are very similar to the structure in which we’re teaching real pharmacy students,” says Portillo.
Collaborations, new and old
In 2025, the Grandparents University pharmacy major got a new feature: the dissolution station, demonstrating to kids and grandparents how tablets and capsules dissolve at different rates in the human body. With help from a visually captivating demonstration, developed in partnership with the School’s Division of Pharmacy Professional Development (DPPD), the kids could better understand how dissolution rates can affect the manufacture and administration of medication.
“The grandkids guessed at the beginning which capsule would dissolve the fastest, and then they put these capsules in. As they dissolved, different colors were being emitted from the capsules,” says Portillo. “We could not have done it without Beth, Leslie, and the partnership with DPPD.”
It was Hickmann’s first year joining the Grandparents University team, helping to organize one of the program’s patient care stations. Through a new partnership with UW Health and the William S. Middleton Veterans Memorial Hospital, PharmD students performing rotations in these locations were encouraged to participate in Grandparents University.
In 2025, almost a dozen pharmacy students from the two locations came to Grandparents University to organize the stations, lead lessons, and chat with kids and grandparents, giving kids in the program the chance to learn what it’s like to be in the School’s PharmD program.
For Hickmann, the student volunteers were a key part of the event’s success.
“One of the biggest strengths of our major in Grandparents University is the amount of students we bring to help out,” says Hickmann. “All of the grandparents and kiddos just love interacting with them.”
Connection across generations
For grandparents like Schroeder, Grandparents University is a way to connect across generations in a setting that encourages collaboration and discussion. Not only was he able to spend time with his grandson, but Schroeder also had the opportunity to share a passion and profession close to his own heart.
“The goal of it was to really mimic what it’s like to be a student helping patients,” says Hickmann. “And at the end of the day, it’s just a great experience for the kids to connect with their grandparents.”
Portillo is already planning ways to continue incorporating student volunteers and new hands-on activities for participants for the next Grandparents University session. Also, he’s hoping to see even more School of Pharmacy alumni in 2026.
“We would love for our alumni to bring future Badger pharmacists to the School to learn about the profession.”
–Ed Portillo
“We would love for our alumni to bring future Badger pharmacists to the School to learn about the profession,” says Portillo. “That would be wonderful.”
At the end of the two-day event, Schroder watched his grandson complete his Grandparents University graduation, earning his very own white coat. For Schroeder, it was immediately clear he would be one of the alumni returning to attend Grandparents University next summer.
“It was just fun for us to be on campus and spend some more time here,” says Schroeder. “While we were waiting for the graduation ceremony, he was already talking about coming back next year.”
