“Rather than starting another bursary, we decided to start a scholarship and so we sent an appeal letter,” says Sobolewski. “In less than a year, we had the required amount.” Shockey notes the generosity of these donors. “Both of these awards are endowed so the funds generated enough to provide yearly support.” The $1,000 Class of 1955 scholarship is awarded to a student “with superior academic achievement who has completed a minimum of one year of a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Selection is based on academic standing and demonstrated dedication to the pharmacy profession through community service.” For students facing the pressures of a competitive program and ever-increasing financial burdens, this type of financial support are most welcome. Scott Wakeham, a fourth-year pharmacy student and winner of the most recent Class of 1955 Scholarship, is grateful for the assistance. “Having financial help during these stressful years as a student is something that I am immensely grateful for,” says Wakeham. “It has allowed me to spend free time giving back to the university community.” He shares his thoughts on what winning the scholarship means to him in more detail on the next page. Clearly, the philanthropic spirit of this class is “very special”, remarks Shockey. “They saw the need of our students and collectively decided to make a difference in their lives; both those who need financial support through the bursary and those who excel academically,” says Shockey. “This type of giving demonstrates to our students that our alumni truly do care about them and also shows how close a class can be even 60 years after graduation.” The impact of the Class of 1955 is sure to be felt for many, many years to come. For Holroyd, “it is gratifying to be in our retirement years and reflect on the successes in the past and to know our legacy will go on forever to help future pharmacy students in financial need and reward those with outstanding achievements.”
Interested in learning more about class giving? Contact Lori Shockey at 780-492-8084 or email lori.shockey@ualberta.ca
For fourth-year pharmacy student Scott Wakeham, balancing studies, extracurricular activities and working part-time can be a challenge. Wakeham is a passionate mentalhealth advocate, who worked with fellow pharmacy students to create a YouTube video on mental wellness last spring that has since been viewed more than 10,000 times. He’s also developed mental health resources for his fellow students that have been included in faculty materials and posted on the faculty website. He is the 2015 recipient of the Class of 1955 Scholarship and is sharing, in his own words, what this award meant to him.
What did winning the Class of 1955 Scholarship mean to you? The Class of 1955 Scholarship is an incredible scholarship to win as it truly shows the legacy that pharmacists can leave within the profession. I am honored to have been chosen as the recipient by the very pharmacists who have helped to pioneer and grow our profession to what it has become today. It was a terrific experience, being able to meet some of the members of the class of 1955 at the awards dinner and to hear the stories of their time in school, their professional trajectories and their advice and knowledge that they have accrued over their time in pharmacy. It is inspiring to
see a class of pharmacists that continue to make an impact and leave a legacy more than 60 years since graduation.
How important is it to have this type of financial help available? Having financial help during these stressful years as a student is something that I am immensely grateful for. With this support, I have been able to maintain my studies, and have one less stressor in my life. Financial stress can be detrimental to a student’s mental and overall health, and as pharmacists (or pharmaciststo-be), I think we can all appreciate the importance of primary prevention. Having this type of help has allowed me to spend free time giving back to the university community and promoting wellness, as well as the role of the pharmacist, in the Edmonton region. Although I have worked as a pharmacy student during my degree, I was able to concentrate on learning and developing professional skills instead of the number of hours I was working, or how I would afford to pay for rent or tuition for the following semester.
What would you say to the donors of the scholarship? I would say that the Class of 1955 has left an incredible legacy, and that I am honored to be one of the recipients of their annual scholarship for pharmacy students. Thank you for your contributions to this award to support pharmacy students in our education, and for helping to ensure that my university experience was positive and well rounded. UAlberta Pharmacy: Spring 2016
25