ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Sept. 6, 2007) - The NCPA Foundation today announced the recipients of 28 pharmacy student scholarships to be awarded for the 2007-2008 academic year. The scholarships, totaling $57,000, will be awarded during the National Community Pharmacist Association's 109th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition held October 13-17 in Anaheim, California. In addition to the scholarship amount, students will also be given funding to help defray the cost of their expenses to attend the convention and the NCPA Foundation Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 14, where they will be recognized for their achievement. "We are proud to recognize and support this year's student achievers. These future pharmacists are exemplary leaders among their peers and pharmacists. We are pleased to add them to our honor roll of scholarship alumni," said Charles West, PD, NCPA Foundation President. Benjamin Smith, from South University, was named the 2007 recipient of the Willard B. Simmons Sr. Memorial Scholarship and will receive $2,500. Simmons was executive secretary of the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD), now NCPA, from 1961 to 1976. The Simmons Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated exemplary interest in pharmacy management. Megan Milne, from the University of Utah was named the 2007 recipient of the J.C. and Rheba Cobb Memorial Scholarship and also will receive $2,500. This award is presented for exemplary interest in civic and government affairs, in honor of former NARD president and long-time NCPA Foundation board member J.C. Cobb and his wife, Rheba, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The NCPA Foundation also awarded its 2007 Presidential Scholarships to 15 outstanding pharmacy students. Each recipient will receive $2,000. The scholarship winners are selected on the basis of academic achievement, leadership qualities, interest in independent community pharmacy, and extracurricular accomplishments. This year's Presidential Scholarship recipients are:
In addition, the NCPA Foundation awarded its 2007 Partners in Pharmacy Scholarships to 11 pharmacy students based on their leadership qualities, academic achievement and interest in the pharmaceutical profession. Each winner receives $2,000 scholarships and funds to help offset the travel expenses to convention.
### The NCPA Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1953 to honor former NARD Executive Secretary John W. Dargavel. Contributions to the NCPA Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted under federal tax law. The Foundation supports the growth and advancement of independent community pharmacy through low-interest educational loans and scholarships to pharmacy students in need, critical research and programs to improve the success of independent pharmacy, and financial assistance to community pharmacy owners for their recovery in the event of disaster, accidents, illness, or adverse circumstances. The National Community Pharmacists Association, founded in 1898 as the National Association of Retail Druggists, represents the nation's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 24,000 pharmacies. The nation's independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation's retail prescription medicines. ### Valerie Briggs
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