The Evolution of The Purdue Pharmacist
The Purdue Pharmacist was first published in February 1924. The publication at that time was student-run, and therefore reflected the students' interest in the profession of pharmacy. The Purdue Pharmacist had the distinction of being the first professional journal ever published by students of any school of pharmacy. By 1927, it was sent to every retail pharmacist in the state of Indiana.
By 1934, The Purdue Pharmacist not only provided a medium for scientific articles, but also non-scientific articles about campus activities, alumni news, and student organizations. Pharmacists around the state could keep up with the latest developments by reading the journal. Students also solicited advertisements from important manufacturers and retail pharmacies. R. E. Himelick (Pharmacy 1934) was editor of the March 13, 1934, issue of The Purdue Pharmacist. In this issue, it was announced that all eighteen of the 1934 graduates had received employment offers. Several abstracts from Articles of Interest in Current Periodicals were also printed. The subjects of these abstracts included new arthritis treatments, synthetic vitamin C, and toxicity of ethylene dichloride. Photography became more widely used the 1930s, and the October 1938 issue was the first to unveil a photograph on the cover.
In 1950, twenty-seven students published The Purdue Pharmacist every six weeks. The journal now reached thousands of readers internationally who wanted to keep up with the latest from Purdue Pharmacy. Dr. Egil Banstad became the new faculty advisory for the publication. By 1960, it had a circulation of 1,700 and was published quarterly. The staff members were elected to their positions after submitting petitions to the senior staff. The staff worked with three sponsors, and the students were recognized for their work at an annual awards banquet.
The 1970s brought about many changes for The Purdue Pharmacist. The journal increased to an 8 ½ x 11" bound magazine in 1976, but in 1983, it became a newsletter until returning to a magazine format in 1988. It was no longer a student-run publication by this time, as the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences now took charge. Since then, the magazine has continued to evolve. Advertisement space is no longer sold. The Spring 2004 issue was the first to have a color photograph appear on the color, and by 2006, full color was used throughout. The Spring 2002 issue is the only one to feature a caricature, that of Dean Emeritus Charles Rutledge upon his retirement. The magazine has been published three times per year since 2007, and the Summer 2009 issue will mark the beginning of a bi-annual publication with a new design.
The Purdue Pharmacist has touched many lives over the years. It has evolved alongside the School and recorded our history quite beautifully. A special thanks to everyone who has written an article, sold advertisement space, been an advisor, or edited the magazine.
Purdue Pharmacist Covers
Questions and answers about The Purdue Pharmacist
We sent out a questionnaire to people who have worked on The Purdue Pharmacist. Some of the responses are shown below.
To add your own Purdue Pharmacist story to this site, send your answers in an email to 125@pharmacy.purdue.edu.
Jane Kauffenberg Schuette
- How many years have you or did you work on the Purdue Pharmacist Magazine? What were the dates?
Two years - 1957 and 1958 - Describe your job with the Pharmacist.
Class News - What changes in the magazine took place during your tenure?
Pharmacist is so much more professional than when I attended Purdue! - Who printed the magazine?
I am not sure. - How many pages was the magazine?
Approximately 20 but in was only 5" X 7". - How often was it published?
Quarterly - Where did the concepts for the covers come from?
I don't know. - Where did the ideas for the articles come from?
Primarily from students with some faculty involvement - What was the most memorable article you worked on?
I can't remember - I don't think any were really memorable - It was a long time ago! - What was the biggest blooper you remember?
Nothing really stands out.
Linda Michael
- How many years have you or did you work on the Purdue Pharmacist Magazine? What were the dates?
I was editor of The Purdue Pharmacist for five years-from the Summer of 1997 issue (Vol. 74, No. 1) to the Winter 2002 issue (Vol. 78, No. 2). - Describe your job with the Pharmacist.
Well, I guess the descriptive term people would most easily understand is "contributing editor." The truth is that I wrote about 90% of the articles during my tenure, and I loved doing it. This assignment (as editor) was my "niche job," that eased me into retirement after thirty years of various on-campus positions. It was a quarter-time appointment, and I did most of the work from home - except, of course, for the dozens of interviews for article content. My boss was the Director of Development for the School of Pharmacy - first Bruce Hufford and later Chris Smith. Both of them were wonderful to work with, although they naturally had different styles. We worked closely with the deans and department heads, drawing from them their priorities for timely features in each issue. - What changes in the magazine took place during your tenure?
I think the defining difference about The Purdue Pharmacist in my era was the "Class Notes" section. It existed before me, but it definitely expanded during my tenure. I absolutely adored responding to the information that was sent to us by alumni about their lives post-Purdue. It was like having a big fireside chat with a roomful of very special friends, and I "burned" lots of pages doing it - none of which I regret. Other changes were mainly cosmetic. - Who printed the magazine?
We shopped around. Much of the time layout was done on-campus - in Civil Engineering, interestingly enough. Later, we used a great young woman who lived out in the boonies near my house, so that was convenient. The actual printing was done sometimes by Lafayette Printing, sometimes on campus, and sometimes it was sent out of town. We were all about getting the best quality for the best price. - How many pages was the magazine?
I know a trick question when I see it! This was always an issue (no particular pun intended). We were constantly trying to slim down the Pharmacist (not to mention the editor!). The goal was to bring the magazine in under twenty pages - make it a one-sitting read for our constituents. Reality was that we struggled to keep it under thirty-five pages. - How often was it published?
Here's another issue. Our intention was to publish three Pharmacists and one Annual Report each year. Actual practice saw thirteen issues of The Purdue Pharmacist and five Annual Reports (in eight volumes) during my five year hitch. - Where did the concepts for the covers come from?
Cover concepts are like mushrooms - they're where you find them. There was always a concept when we started an issue. Sometimes that concept included a cover idea, and sometimes that cover idea held all the way to publication. Sometimes not. Prime example of changes would be the death of a faculty member. Then the lead story and the cover would highlight that person's life and contributions to the profession. My all-time favorite cover was the caricature of Chip Rutledge (Spring 2002) captioned "Rutledge Moves On." It was so cool of him to let me use it! - Where did the ideas for the articles come from?
The main focus of articles was to tell alumni about the latest happenings at their alma mater. "Keep the kids informed." That was my (unofficial) motto, and there was never any dearth of material in that regard. - What was the most memorable article you worked on?
Two stand out. Both were written about Dr. Varro E. Tyler, professor/dean/provost who I served as personal assistant for fifteen years before he retired and I took the position as editor. The first was written on the occasion of Dr. Tyler's retirement from Purdue. It was also the first article I "contributed" to The Purdue Pharmacist, and it led to my being asked to write another, then another, and another, etc. Before you knew it, we had an issue (Summer 1997), and I was designated editor.
The second was the story I had earnestly hoped I would never have to write. August 22, 2001, was the day Dr. Tyler died. Obviously, I agonized over that assignment. But the article appeared - in the Fall 2001 issue. - What was the biggest blooper you remember?
(Our biggest blooper had to do with an Annual Report. You don't even want to know those painful details.) As far as The Purdue Pharmacist is concerned, we usually had a thing or two for our "Beg Your Pardon! Spot on the back cover (right by the address label where the alum couldn't miss it). But the blooper that still galls me was in an article I wrote about Judi Yost (my friend, the head secretary for IPPH, and the mother of two Purdue pharmacy grads) on the occasion of her own Purdue graduation. There was a weird typo (I guess that's what it was) that survived all our reads and rereads. I still want to go back and fix that one! The very nicest thing to happen in my career as editor was the very last thing. An alumnus made a contribution to the School in my honor on the occasion of my retirement. What a lovely exclamation point that was!
Amy Chandler
- How many years have you or did you work on the Purdue Pharmacist Magazine? What were the dates?
During the last couple of years that I served as Manager of Development Operations for the School, I began editing the publications. At the time, Linda Michael was still the writer, so I had the good fortune of working with her, and then we had a few free-lance writers who helped out after Linda retired. In 2003, my family moved to Pennsylvania, and I was given the wonderful opportunity to retain my employment with the School as editor of the alumni publications. For the first year, I continued to manage the free-lance writers, but when they were no longer able to provide their services, I took on the role of both writer and editor. I thoroughly enjoy my telecommuting position, as it has allowed me to remain connected with the School and its wonderful faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as provided me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom to my daughter. I have the best of both worlds, and I am so grateful! - Describe your job with the Pharmacist.
I write and edit both The Purdue Pharmacist and the Pharmacy Annual Report. I am responsible for managing all aspects of the publications-from organizing the content for each issue, to writing and editing the text, choosing the photos, scheduling the deadlines, and working directly with our fabulous graphic designer, Dawn Minns. Her work truly brings life to the publications. I am in constant correspondence with our faculty and staff, gathering information and witnessing their expertise for articles. Contacting alumni all over the country and listening to their stories is always enjoyable. - What changes in the magazine took place during your tenure?
As I mentioned above, the biggest changes have been the length and frequency of the publications. I also have made an effort to push the design concept forward, tinkering with the appearance from year to year, and striving to choose quality photos to help tell the stories. Change is good, but I think it's also important to have a publication that our readers recognize and relate to, without the risk of it becoming lackluster. - Who printed the magazine?
We have used different printing companies over the years and continue to request bids each time. Our most recent issue was printed by Metropolitan Printing in Bloomington, Indiana. - How many pages was the magazine?
Since I became involved with the publications, the average length has been 32 pages, but I'm not sure what the magazine was like when it first originated. The length will increase a bit with the new design concept beginning this summer. - How often was it published?
When I first began working on the publications, The Purdue Pharmacist was printed quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer). In 2007, we combined the Fall and Winter issue into one (Fall/Winter), thus producing three issue per year. To commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the School, we will introduce a new design concept for the publication with the Summer 2009 issue. After that, the publication will be produced twice a year (Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer). Although the frequency of distribution has decreased, the quality and quantity of the content of the publication has not. The School will continue to provide our readers with the same information it always has, but in a new format which aims to be even better than before. - Where did the concepts for the covers come from?
Sometimes the choice is an obvious one, like when we need to introduce a new dean of the School or share news about a newly funded program or research opportunity. Other times, it might come down to the simple fact that we have an incredible photo that we'd like to showcase, even if the article itself is not necessarily the most cover-worthy. The Dean or Chris Smith will always let me know if there is a particular story that should appear on the cover, and if there isn't a clear choice, the three of us will review the list of articles for a particular issue and make a decision. It really varies from issue to issue, but the process is always exciting to see the cover finally materialize. - Where did the ideas for the articles come from?
Throughout the year, I receive phone calls and emails from faculty and staff suggesting article topics, so I keep a running list of these. Dean Svensson and Chris Smith, Director of Advancement, also keep a list of ideas. Prior to each issue, we review the lists to determine what will be included in the current publication. I have multiple spreadsheets where I have organized articles for each publication-oftentimes up to two years in advance. Topics range from research, stewardship, alumni activities, and student involvement… the list is varied and we try to find a balance for each issue. There is never a shortage of ideas! - What was the most memorable article you worked on?
The articles that emotionally touch me are always most memorable. Our School does an amazing job at reaching out to third world countries, and I enjoy learning about the places our faculty and students travel to and the work they are doing to help those peoples, such as in Kenya and most recently Tanzania. I always enjoy writing about the differences in these places, and I never cease to be amazed by the fascinating research our faculty does to help improve the quality of life for people here in the U.S. and all over the world. - What was the biggest blooper you remember?
I'm happy to report that none too embarrassing stand out in my memory. There is the occasional photo misidentification, or perhaps someone was inadvertently omitted from a recognition list, but we always run a correction when it's brought to our attention. I hope I haven't made a huge blooper and have yet to realize it! Can I please go on the record of saying that I apologize in advance for anything I might flub in the future? - What's the one article you always wanted to do but never got to do?
I actually haven't given this much thought before now. I'm sure at some point I will have a eureka moment and can present my idea to the Dean and Chris. Hopefully I will have this job for many more years and will be able to say at the end of my tenure that I never missed out on an opportunity.