The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced $175,000 in scholarships and grants through the 29th Annual NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program as part of an ongoing commitment to advancing patient care through pharmacy education.

The NACDS Foundation recognized six schools and colleges of pharmacy for their innovative and diverse educational programs, which aim to advance patient care and public health. The recipients were presented with their awards last night at an NACDS Foundation event during the 2024 NACDS Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, FL.

The NACDS Foundation distributed three innovation-focused awards in the amount of $20,000 each in order to fund patient-centered, community-based coursework or other curriculum innovations that advance pharmacy education, in addition to the health of communities.

Three diversity scholarship winners were also selected to each receive $15,000 grants. These scholarships encourage and support educational diversity by awarding institutions based on their current or proposed diversity programs to advance access to and awareness of opportunities in pharmacy education for under-represented populations.

The NACDS Foundation also awarded $70,000 scholarships to more than 25 participating schools for their commitment to pharmacy education.

Awardees were selected from a competitive pool of applications submitted from accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy across the country.

The awardees of the 2024 NACDS Foundation innovation track scholarships include the following initiatives:

• University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy will support improving and providing overall care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• University of Texas at Tyler Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy will provide mental health screenings for men through trained pharmacy interns to reduce disparities in mental health outcomes.
• Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy will support a new, free, student-run clinic established to address a community need for access to after-hours care.

The awardees of the 2024 NACDS Foundation diversity track scholarships include the following initiatives:

• University of Houston College of Pharmacy will engage high school and undergraduate Hispanic students in pharmacy education opportunities through learning camps and mentorship. In addition, the project will host a community engagement experience for participants to educate the local community on health and wellness through an engagement event.
• Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy aims to increase healthcare readiness, medical literacy, and community access to care for underserved families through a pharmacy work-based learning program for high school students.
• University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy will increase awareness of pharmacy education opportunities for underrepresented minority students through mentorship, establish a Spanish track in the pharmacy curriculum to empower bilingual students, and expand rotation experiences in efforts to graduate more culturally diverse and competent pharmacists.

NACDS Foundation President Sara Roszak said: “Congratulations to the 2024 NACDS Foundation Scholarship awardees. We are proud to recognize these six schools and colleges of pharmacy for their impressive project proposals, which aim to advance student learning and educational experiences and to promote better care for patients and communities.

“The NACDS Foundation’s tangible impact becomes more visible each year. We are so appreciative of our generous benefactors’ support of the Scholarship Program, and for their outstanding commitment to the future of pharmacy care and health and wellness.”

Since the inception of the NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program, nearly $5 million in scholarships have been provided for pharmacy education thanks to the program’s generous supporters.

The NACDS Foundation looks forward to returning to the NACDS Total Store Expo in Boston, MA, for the 26th NACDS Foundation Dinner, taking place Saturday, August 17, at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. Follow the latest news from the NACDS Foundation on LinkedIn, X and Instagram (@nacdsfoundation).

Editor’s Note: Photos will be available via Flickr.