In the history of faculty members at the UGA College of Pharmacy, a select few stand in the pantheon. One of those is Dr. Jim Stewart, who served on the faculty for 35 years before his death in 2013. In his honor and to preserve his memory, the College presents the Dr. James T. Stewart Endowment for Graduate Students to the senior recognized as the best all around, which was presented this year at the College of Pharmacy’s Research Day on April 18.

“Jim Stewart was a wonderful person who was always upbeat and encouraging,” recalled Michael Bartlett, Associate Dean for Science Education, Research, and Technology and University Professor. “As a department head, he was a leader who showed that he cared about all of us as professionals and as people. He made it a really good place to work.”

Bartlett and Stewart had lunch together in the faculty dining hall nearly every day, occasionally “dragging our graduate students with us” because Stewart wanted to build a sense of community among everyone in the department. And perhaps the greatest testament to Bartlett’s esteem for Stewart is that he asked Stewart to be his best man in his 2002 wedding.

“Jim served this College for more than three decades, and I don’t think you’ll find a person during that time who has anything negative to say about him,” Bartlett said. “That doesn’t happen often in academic life.”

Stewart earned his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Michigan and came to Athens in 1967. His career included academic positions at UGA and collaborative research projects with pharmaceutical industrial firms and government; service on the Food Chemicals Codex Revision Committee and the Federal Drug Administration Pharmaceutical Science Advisory Committee; and he served 25 years on the Board of Experts of the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

The 2025 recipient of the Stewart Endowment Award is Liz Hughes of Savannah. Liz came to UGA with a lifelong interest in research and the goal of earning a PhD. After earning her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she decided to take a few years off and work before beginning a doctoral program. When she got laid off from her job, that timeline was accelerated and with “a push” from a mentor, she enrolled in the PhD program in Medicinal Chemistry. “I am very grateful to have had that person in my life to encourage me when I needed it,” she said.

Her research interest is in the stages of transition in the development of new pharmaceuticals, particularly investigating why certain drugs struggle to make it to the market where they can benefit people. “I fell in love with cell transition,” she explained. “Drugs are tested at the cell level and then in animals before they make it into human trials. What are the pitfalls? Why does a drug that looks great in cells not perform in animals, or great in animals but not in humans?”

Her presentation was titled “Development of a Time-based Drug Screening Platform for Improved Clinical Transition.” Liz is interested in a career in precision oncology – using tumor samples to develop the best recommendations for treating specific cancers.

“Liz is the kind of scientist every lab hopes to work with—smart, driven, and always looking out for the people around her,” said Dr. Eugene Douglass, her doctoral thesis advisor. “The Stewart Award doesn’t just recognize what she’s done; it represents the kind of future we’re all working toward in science.”

Dr. Gurvinder Singh Rekhi, Director of the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences program, praised Liz for her skills in both the lab and the classroom.

“Elizabeth is an exceptionally hard-working and outstanding graduate student in Dr. Douglass’s laboratory,” he said. “Her dedication to her dissertation research and her excellence in teaching—recognized by the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (Fall 2024)—are the key reasons she was selected for this prestigious award.”

Liz is grateful for the support she has received from faculty and for the gifts that support the Stewart Award.

“I have had a lot of experience being mentored by people in the department,” she said. “They have shown me different teaching methods and helped me develop my teaching style. Getting to see my students grow and forming relationships with them is what makes me want to be a professor.”

“Graduate education is vital to our mission to transform pharmacy practice, drive scientific discovery, and improve health and well-being in Georgia and around the world,” said Dean Kelly Smith. “Recognizing outstanding graduate students like Liz Hughes reflects our commitment to cultivating the next generation of researchers and educators whose work will advance innovation in pharmacy education, translational science, and the broader biomedical and health sciences.” 

Dr. Chris McCurdy (PhD Medicinal Chemistry ’98) tells a story familiar to hundreds of College of Pharmacy students – a story of Dr. Stewart’s believing in him before he believed in himself and supporting his academic career at the University of Georgia. Dr. McCurdy is Professor and Frank A. Duckworth Eminent Scholar, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, and Director of the University of Florida Translational Drug Development Core. He participated in a summer research program at UGA, but when he graduated from the pharmacy school at Ohio Northern University in 1994, he planned a career as a community pharmacist.

Then his phone rang.

“Dr. Stewart called me to ask why my application was not submitted for the graduate program inBelief in Potential: The Enduring Gift of Dr. Jim StewartBelief in Potential: The Enduring Gift of Dr. Jim Stewart medicinal chemistry and he told me there was a spot for me at UGA,” he recalled. “Without any previous intention, suddenly I was going to graduate school!  Dr. Stewart became a mentor and spent extra time with me to learn about my work and how he could best serve in my success.

“If Dr. Stewart had not taken a chance, I would not be who I am today, where I am today, and capable of giving back to honor the legacy of a truly great scientist, educator, and human being.  The least I can do is provide support to this endowment so that others can be associated with his name and continue the legacy.”

Private gifts from alumni and friends of the College of Pharmacy honor Dr. Stewart’s legacy by supporting the next generation of outstanding pharmaceutical scientists. Graduate education fuels innovation, discovery, and the next generation of academic and industry leaders. Liz is able to pursue her dream of an academic career in pharmacy because of your generosity. To make a gift to the Stewart Fund and help carry Dr. Stewart’s legacy forward, visit or contact Kate O’Reilly, Sr. Director of Development for more information.