First Pharmacy Alumni Chapter Scholarship awarded

Laura Schrock (third from left), with Marvin Wilson, Barbara Wells and PAC president James Pittman

aura Schrock of Durant, Miss., the inaugural recipient of the Pharmacy Alumni Chapter Scholarship, was introduced to members of the chapter's board of directors during their meeting on campus Sept. 23.

"I want to say thank you," Schrock told members of the board. "It is an honor to receive this scholarship, and it carries a responsibility along with it that I do not take lightly."

The chapter's board created the scholarship endowment a little over a year ago to help the School of Pharmacy recruit and retain qualified students. The endowment was funded mostly with proceeds from the chapter's past two pharmacy weekend golf tournaments and gifts from other individuals and organizations.

"We take great pride in the fact that our idea of funding a scholarship is now a reality," said chapter president James A. Pittman Jr. of Madison. "We also are pleased to see the scholarship awarded to a most deserving student. Our first recipient is an amazing representative of the type of student we are attracting to Ole Miss, and I am happy that our chapter and its board of directors had a hand in making her education possible."

Schrock, who completed her pre-pharmacy course work at Holmes Community College and Mississippi State University, is in the third year of the professional pharmacy program.

"Laura is an excellent citizen of the school," said Marvin Wilson, associate dean for student and academic affairs. "We are very proud of her, and we wish that we could assist all of our deserving students in this manner."

In addition to excelling academically, Wilson said, Schrock plays the piano, once played fast-pitch softball and participates in lots of extracurricular activities, including several student pharmacy organizations.

"We are thrilled that our scholarship is helping such a wonderful student," Pittman said. "Our pharmacy degrees have had a profound impact on our lives, and we want a new generation to share that experience."

The Pharmacy Alumni Chapter Scholarship was created as part of the pharmacy school's "Promises to Keep" campaign, which raised funds for merit and need-based scholarships and fellowships, faculty support and the new pharmacy building at the UM Medical Center in Jackson.