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Pharmacy Forward Enters Public Phase of Campaign to Benefit Facilities, Scholarships, Enrichment

Ferris State UniversityVIDEO: See and hear what alumnus Jeff Rowe has to say about Pharmacy Forward.

The first significant campaign to secure funding for Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy entered its public phase on Thursday, Sept. 10.

A Pharmacy Forward update was offered during a celebratory dinner event in the University Center on Ferris’ Big Rapids campus. Steering Committee Chair Jeff Rowe said he is pleased that more than $8 million in donations toward the campaign’s $9.4 million goal has been achieved through leadership gifts from individuals and foundations.

“I want to thank the Pharmacy Forward steering committee for its dedication to the project, and for getting the campaign to this next phase,” Rowe said. “I am asking all past and future Ferris College of Pharmacy alumni to consider giving back to Ferris to help us meet or exceed our goal, so we can secure the future of the program.”

The Pharmacy Forward initiative began in 2012, with Ferris’ Alumni Advisory Board and University Advancement and Marketing division collaborating to gain alumni support in all aspects of the College of Pharmacy’s operations.

Earlier this year, Phil and Jocelyn Hagerman and the Hagerman Foundation made the largest outright gift in the university’s history with a $5 million donation to Pharmacy Forward. Jeff and Annette Rowe have also donated $1.5 million to Pharmacy Forward.

The Pharmacy Forward initiative includes goals of $4.9 million to upgrade the Hagerman Pharmacy Building, $2.5 million to support scholarships for pharmacy education and $2 million for various enrichment initiatives to enhance student experience both inside and outside the classroom.

As the public phase begins, College of Pharmacy Dean Stephen Durst said alumni and supporters of the university are invited to further their involvement with “a legendary program with nearly 6,000 graduates and a 122-year history.” Durst added that “the alumni’s engagement, their investment, has never been more important to ensure that the tradition established with thousands of graduates is sustained for the future.”

“To this point, I have been impressed with the engagement of the college’s alumni – their participation in an increasing number of events, their support of our students and their commitment to the program,” Durst said. “Pharmacy Forward and its success to this point is an outward demonstration of the commitment of the college’s alumni to the program.”

Ferris President David Eisler said the campaign allows the College of Pharmacy to continue its pursuit of excellence, one of the university’s core values as the program approaches an important milestone in its 125th anniversary.

“Pharmacy has been a part of the Ferris mission since 1894,” Eisler said. “It is wonderful to see the strong show of support for our students, faculty and our nationally recognized program in this important healthcare practice.”

The Ferris Foundation

 
PHOTO CAPTION: (from left) Ferris State University President David Eisler, Pharmacy Forward Steering Committee Chair Jeff Rowe and College of Pharmacy Dean Stephen Durst gathered at Ferris’ University Center Thursday, Sept. 10 to announce the public phase of the Pharmacy Forward campaign.