Walgreens $8,000 diversity donation aids MU Pharmacy Program
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Walgreens has given $8,000 to the Manchester University Pharmacy Program to support diversity initiatives and scholarships.
Walgreens representative Randy Jennings presented the diversity donation to W. Thomas Smith, dean of Pharmacy Programs, at the Fort Wayne campus.
Manchester will use the money to provide scholarships and further develop and enhance outreach programs and campus activities to ensure diversity and inclusion within the Pharmacy Program. The donation funds financial aid each year to MU winners of the Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship and the Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award.
Manchester University welcomes diversity in its various forms and definitions. Its Values Statement lists diversity as a core value "... because understanding differences develops respect for ethnic, cultural, and religious pluralism; an international consciousness; and an appreciation for the infinite worth of every person."
Manchester has one of the most diverse pharmacy programs in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, and its students do both training and service among underserved populations – including the homeless, those with limited English skills and diverse cultural backgrounds. In the 2016-2017 school year alone, MU pharmacy students, faculty and staff completed more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service in northern Indiana.
Jennings, a district health care supervisor with Walgreens, presented the check that is a testament to the company’s strong commitment to supporting programs and initiatives that foster diversity and inclusion within the pharmacy profession and the communities it serves.
Past MU recipients of financial aid made possible by Walgreens say it has made a difference in their pursuit of a doctoral degree in pharmacy.
“I would like to thank Walgreens for their generosity in awarding me the diversity scholarship,” said Charee Bennett, a second-year pharmacy student from Fort Wayne who received the 2016-2017 Walgreens Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award.
“Being a recipient of this scholarship is an honor and is key in helping me obtain my Pharm D. degree at Manchester University.”
“Thanks to Walgreens, I was able to utilize the scholarship I received to further my education in the field of pharmacy,” said Hussein Bazzi, a fourth-year pharmacy student from Dearborn, Mich., who won the 2016-2017 Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship. He is fluent in Arabic and English.
“I am really grateful for this award and the opportunity to become a licensed pharmacist,” he said.
The company has donated more than $1 million each year since 2008 to accredited pharmacy schools across the nation.
About Manchester University
Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 60 areas of academic study to nearly 1,600 students in undergraduate programs, a Master of Athletic Training, a Master of Pharmacogenomics and a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy. Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.
January 2018