Advancing Pharmacy
Advocacy and Leadership
“I realized if it is right for the patient, it is right for our profession,” says Hannet Tibagwa Ambord (MS ’00). As the director of pharmacy at a rural medical center and president of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Ambord’s passion for the profession leads her to advocate for regulation changes and programs to better serve patients. Learn what she has already achieved to improve care.
EHR Pharmacists
Alum Jim Russell (BS '91) was one of the first pharmacists hired at Epic Systems. Learn how the EHR field boomed soon after he joined and how pharmacists today — like Epic's Nikki Carrico (PharmD '08) and Joel Jones (PharmD '07) — are impacting patients.
"Pharmily" Tree
Jim (BS '83) and Cindy (BS '84) Steffen, along with their two children, Brad Steffen (BS ’12) and Dana Steffen Ramms (BS ’15), have each branched out after pharmacy school to find their niche, from informatics to internal medicine.
OTM Leaders
Some of the first graduates of the School's Operations and Technology Management PharmD option are continuing to blaze trails in pharmacy. See where these alums are today and how they're using their specialized training.
Congrats, Grads!
Congratulations to our newest cohort of UW–Madison School of Pharmacy alumni! See the ceremonies commemorating our PharmD, Health System Pharmacy Administration, Health Services Research in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and PharmTox graduates.
Rennebohm Revamp
Donor-Funded Dose of Modern Comforts
“I couldn’t be more pleased to see the fund used to provide space and amenities for students,” says Thora Vervoren (BS ‘53), a donor to the Building Fund, which not only created Rennebohm Hall, but also supported this year’s remodel of the Fredrick B. Powers Commons. Learn the history of the fund and see the new space, optimized for flexible student learning.
Photo Galleries
Madison Reception
Madison-area Pharmacy Badgers gathered together to hear from alumni and faculty innovators in their fields, including Laura Jester (PharmD ’09), Assistant Professor Cody Wenthur, and and Andrew Wilcox (PharmD ’01).
Alumni at APhA
Badger pharmacists from around the nation gathered together for a reception during the 2024 American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition.
Milwaukee Reception
Alumni and friends in the Milwaukee area came together to hear from local pharmacy innovators Angela De Ianni (BS ’98), Brooke Foster (PharmD ’16), and Marisa Goninen (PharmD ’16).
From the Dean
Dean’s Corner
The School of Pharmacy’s graduates have the fifth-highest first-time pass rate in the nation, and the sixth-best ASHP residency match rate. With these crucial metrics of success in mind, Dean Steve Swanson shares good news about an influx of pharmacy school applicants and how the School offers them an outstanding education.
Read his message
Student Spotlight
Pills and Paws
PharmD student volunteers get hands-on with hounds and more at a veterinary clinic serving low-income Madisonians and their pets.
PharmTox Honorees
Six PharmTox students receive prestigious campus fellowships to pursue innovative original research that touches on topics ranging from cows to cancer.
#2 Nationwide
For the second year in a row, the School's student APhA chapter receives a top national honor for their community outreach and professional development events.
Pharmacy Creatives
Movement as Medicine
Through an Afrobeat dance program, Associate Professor Olufunmilola Abraham (MS ’11, PhD ‘13) aims to improve physical fitness, mood, social connection, and more among Black and immigrant families.
PharmD Filmmaker
“We want patients and pharmacists to feel empowered," says Anaïs Webster Mennuti (PharmD ’16). In addition to pharmacy, Webster Mennuti is also a writer and documentary filmmaker, aiming to illuminate pharmacists' challenges.
Award-Winners
Wiederholt Record
Professor Emeritus Bonnie Svarstad is the Tiger Woods of the Wiederholt Prize: Her 2024 award is her record-setting third. Learn about her winning research to help Black patients with hypertension.
Top UW Honors
Professor Michelle Chui and Professor Glen Kwon receive some of UW–Madison's highest faculty honors: Vilas Distinguished Professorships. See why they're being honored.
PharmTox Alum of the Year
John Davis (BS '90), whose work advances drugs for rare conditions, is named the 2024 PharmTox Alum of the Year. Learn about his contributions against a devastating genetic disease.
Emerging Scholar
Associate Professor Amanda Margolis is honored by AACP for her outstanding contributions to pharmacy education. Here's how she's advancing pharmacist training at the School and nationwide.
Innovative Connections
Managed Care Mentors
“Once I experienced managed care pharmacy on a clinical rotation in pharmacy school, it was a paradigm shift for me," says Jay Eickman (PharmD '16). That's why he helped create a program connecting PharmD students with alumni mentors to fuel their careers.
In the SHARx Tank
PharmD student entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of School of Pharmacy alumni judges with extensive industry experience. See the students' pioneering products and where they're headed next.
Leading Research
Nanomaterial Fights Neurodegeneration
A new nanomaterial, developed by Professor Jeff Johnson and collaborators, mimics the behavior of proteins and could be an effective tool against Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Allies to End Teen Vaping
Working with pharmacists, parents, and teens across Wisconsin, Jenny Li (PhD '24) and Associate Professor Olufunmilola Abraham develop a tool to help pharmacists address teen vaping.
Bacteria Wearing Nanodrugs
Infiltrating pancreatic tumors, surrounded by dense collagen and other tissue, is difficult. Assistant Professor Quanyin Hu is using bacteria to carry nanodrugs across this barrier.
Making Headlines
Class Notes
Summer 2024 Class Notes
Your Pharmacy peers are movers and shakers — getting married, landing new jobs, earning national recognition, and more. Keep in touch with your School of Pharmacy alumni peers, and see where our Class of 2024 is headed next, through class notes.
Read what’s new >
Submit your class note >
Upcoming Events
Mallards Outing for Pharmacy Alumni & Friends
Gather your family and fellow Pharmacy Badgers for an outing in the Duck Blind for the Madison Mallards vs. Minnesota Mud Puppies game.
July 13, 6:05 pm
25th Annual PAA/WSPS Golf Outing
Alumni, faculty, and current students unite for a day of golf and catching up with good friends and colleagues. Proceeds from this event benefit student scholarships.
July 28, 9 am-4:30 pm
PAA Luncheon at PSW Annual Meeting
Join the Pharmacy Alumni Association to hear updates on alumni activities and celebrate the Alumni of the Year, who will be announced at the luncheon.
August 24, 12 pm
Professional Development
Pharmaceutical Science Opportunities
CMC Project Team Leadership: The Science, Principles, and Practices for Successful Technical Teams | Madison, WI | October 14-17, 2024
CMC Project Team Management for Large Molecules | Madison, WI | October 14-17, 2024
Pharmacy Invitational Conference on Antithrombotic Therapy | Virtual | November 1, 2024
Save the Date
4th Annual UW–Madison Psychedelic Symposium will be held November 7-8, 2024 at the BioPharmaceutical Technology Institute on the Promega Campus in Madison, Wis. More information and registration coming soon.
Stay Connected
DISCOVERX Staff
Editor-in-Chief | Katie Gerhards
Photographer | Sally Griffith-Oh
Contributing Photographers | Todd Brown, Andy Manis, Sharon Vanorny, Paulius Musteikis, Don Rask, Shimizu Photography, Lloyd Wilkinson
Contributing Writers | Katie Ginder-Vogel, Nicole Etter, Jessica Steinhoff, Susan Smith, Paige Haehlke, Archer Parquette
Editorial Interns | Logan Underwood
Editorial Advisors | Alyson Kim, David Mott
DiscoveRx magazine is a quarterly digital publication by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy.
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