For P2 Jill Foster and P3 Megan Hooper, their scholarships from the Doris Pease Endowment Fund at the College of Pharmacy have defined not only their academic success but their future endeavors as well.
“The support of the Doris C. Pease Endowment Fund provides my family and me with peace of mind when it comes to paying for pharmacy school,” said Foster, who is from Tarpon Springs, Fla. and is president-elect of the UGA student chapter of the Georgia Society of Health System-Pharmacists and a member of the student chapter of the American Society of Health System-Pharmacists. “This generosity allows me to focus on the education I am receiving, the classes I am taking, and becoming a great pharmacist.”
Echoed Hooper, who is from Harrison, Ak. and is the vice president of the student chapter of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, the vice president of finance for the student chapter of the American Pharmacy Association, philanthropy chair of the student chapter of Lambda Kappa Sigma, and a member of the student chapter of the Georgia Society of Health System-Pharmacists, “I have been lucky to be a recipient of this scholarship, not only for this year, but for last year as well. The extra financial support has been a blessing, as I am solely responsible for all costs associated with pharmacy school.”
The first female graduate of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Virginia (now a part of Virginia Commonwealth University), Doris C. Pease was a long-time community pharmacist in Hartwell, Ga. Despite her Virginia roots and education, she had a passion for the Bulldog Nation. She passed away in 2015. Her son, Bob Pease and his wife, Lynn, shared Doris’s affinity for UGA. When it came time to honor her legacy, the couple opted for students at the College of Pharmacy to be the beneficiaries of their generosity.
According to Lynn, Bob was as passionate about education as he was the Bulldogs. It will forever be a mystery as to how many individuals he supported financially and encouraged vehemently to further their education. “It was extremely important to Bob that financial constraints never be the reason why a young person couldn’t pursue a college degree,” she said. In 2017, Bob and Lynn worked with the College of Pharmacy Development and Alumni Relations Office to establish the Doris Pease Endowment Fund for students in need to support tuition costs, travel to professional meetings, and any other expenses incurred during their studies.
Sadly, and unexpectantly, Bob passed away May 30, 2021. Lynn, who is committed to perpetuating Doris’s and now Bob’s legacy, added, “Bob’s charitable acts were boundless, and I am honored that I can continue to support future pharmacists through this endowment.”
Hooper, who plans to complete a PGY1 and PGY2 residency in psychiatric or geriatric pharmacy when she graduates, commented, “I was so touched to read the story about how this scholarship came to fruition. The generosity from everyone involved is appreciated more than I can say. I only hope that one day I can pay this gift forward.”
Added fellow student Foster, who plans to specialize in pharmacy emergency medicine, “I am thankful for this gift, which will assure my future endeavors.”
UGA’s College of Pharmacy offers diverse scholarships to students (including merit-based, need-based, and career-focused) annually to enrolled students who meet or exceed eligibility criteria.
To learn how to invest in the future of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences by creating an endowed scholarship, contact Kate O’Reilly, Senior Director of Development, at 706-380-8930 or krl@uga.edu.
A more detailed story about the Pease family gift was published in the fall 2022 issue of UGA Script. Read the story here: https://script.rx.uga.edu/article/bob-pease/.
