Why is it important/what motivates you to give back to the College of Pharmacy?
Once admitted to the School of Pharmacy, and even during my pre-pharmacy year, I was surrounded by a tremendous number of encouraging people from the Faculty and Staff. It's only fitting that I return some support back to the program. Without the help of the faculty and staff, particularly John Bothel and Dean Spratto, I would have been lost! I was a regular visitor to the Office of Student Services and always received the help I needed. (Sometimes it was swift kick in the pants, as it were!)
You have made a planned gift. Why did you decide to use this specific vehicle (will, annuity, CRT, etc.) to make a gift?
This is easy. It was simply a matter of timing and finances. I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with the members of Purdue's President's Council while a student and I wanted to return the favor to future students. In those first years following graduation I was not able to afford the annual financial commitment. With the advice of Gordon Chavers and development staff, I took advantage of the planned giving tool in order to join President's Council right away rather than wait (plus I knew that if I wanted any more of those good football seats, I had to pony up!).
What was your experience at Purdue as a student? Any particularly fond/humorous memories of your days at Purdue?
My experience at Purdue? Have you got several pages to spare? Besides pharmacy activities, I was a member of the Glee Club. With time out for the occasional class and test we traveled extensively throughout the state and country with Purdue delegations, as well as having countless shows there on campus. Breaking Dr. Knevel's 3-wood at the Rotary Golf Outing has to rank up there as one of the funnier times! Stories from the job I had as chauffer for President's Council would take a volume all its own! (I mean, don't all students make White Castle runs for alumni and take them on tours of construction sites?) Between Pharmacy, the Glee Club, and my job with President's Council, I'm not sure any student could have had a better experience at Purdue!
How has your pharmacy education shaped your life/career?
You can be required to memorize the Krebs Cycle and creatinine clearance formulas just about anywhere. From start to finish there I was encouraged not just to get my degree, but to embrace all that Purdue had to offer. That rounded experience helped me grow as a person and student at the same time. Without a doubt the full range of people and activities at Purdue provided me with the background to foster success in the wide variety of areas I have practiced.
How do you hope your planned gift will impact the College of Pharmacy and its students in the future?
Currently our gifts are listed as undesignated. I simply would like the College to put the funds to good use for students like me in the future.