The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced more than $245,000 in scholarships and grants through the annual NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program as part of an ongoing commitment to pharmacy education and recognition of the role of education in supporting community healthcare. Since 1995, the NACDS Foundation has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships.

The NACDS Foundation recognized 10 schools and colleges of pharmacy for their innovative and inspiring educational programs. The recipients were presented with their awards at a special ceremony marking 30 years of NACDS Foundation scholarships, held during the 2025 NACDS Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, FL.

In addition to Apotex, Endowed Benefactor of the program, the following companies provided particularly significant support:

• Walgreen Co. Inaugural Scholarship Program Benefactor – a new support level
• Costco Wholesale “Inspiring Interest and Opportunities” Named Scholarships
• H-E-B “Inspiring Interest and Opportunities” Named Scholarship
• McKesson Corporation “Inspiring Interest and Opportunities” Named Scholarship.

The NACDS Foundation distributed five awards in the amount of $20,000 each to fund care and community-centered coursework or program innovations that advance pharmacy education. Five additional institutions were awarded $20,000 grants based on their programs that encourage interest, awareness, and access to opportunities in pharmacy education. The Foundation also awarded more than $45,000 in scholarships to participating schools.

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

“On this 30^th anniversary of the NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program, I am proud to recognize the 2025 awardees for their winning proposals that will have a tangible impact on pharmacy education,” said NACDS Foundation President Sara E. Roszak, DrPH, MPH. “With the generosity of our benefactors, we are able to provide ongoing support of the Scholarship program and help foster the next generation of future leaders and care providers.”

Recipients of the 2025 NACDS Foundation’s “Innovating Patient Care and Pharmacy Practice” scholarships:

• Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy focuses on closing Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) care gaps related to preventive screenings, immunizations, and medication management through pharmacy-led interventions.
• Purdue University College of Pharmacy – Center for Health Excellence, Quality, and Innovation (CHEQI) integrates prediabetes screening, education, and continuous glucose monitoring into a charitable pharmacy co-located within a free clinic and food bank to prevent disease progression in underserved patients.
• South University School of Pharmacy will expand the capacity of an existing community health screening and medication therapy management program for populations with urgent health challenges.
• Temple University School of Pharmacy will expand harm reduction strategies to help mitigate opioid overdoses by creating a rigorous community-focused Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) curriculum for pharmacy students to provide care and educational activities.
• University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy plans to optimize the integration and utilization of artificial intelligence and digital health in learning, research and care in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.

Recipients of the 2025 NACDS Foundation’s “Inspiring Interest and Opportunities in Pharmacy Education” scholarships:

• Harding University College of Pharmacy is offering hands-on experience to undergraduate students in a variety of pharmacy settings, including participating in a longitudinal project to serve individuals with newly diagnosed heart failure.
• St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Pharmacy is hosting a multi-day Pharmacy Summer Camp for 6th-12th grade students of the Seneca Nation of Indians to learn about the pharmacy profession and pharmacy education programs.
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center will expand their “Pioneer” pathway to expand access to pharmacy education with the goal of training future pharmacists on care services in rural and other areas of the community.
• Union University College of Pharmacy will be launching a new program to attract and retain pharmacy students in rural West Tennessee by providing meal cards and clothing access to help engage them in academic and professional activities.
• University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will educate and inspire high school students about the pharmacy profession, pharmacy education programs, and pharmacy care within the community and the healthcare system.

The NACDS Foundation looks forward to returning to the NACDS Total Store Expo in San Diego, CA, for the 27th NACDS Foundation Dinner, taking place Saturday, August 23, at the Marriott Marquis Marina. Follow the latest news from the NACDS Foundation on LinkedIn, X and Instagram (@nacdsfoundation).

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