Walgreens company gives $50,000 to ISU College of Pharmacy

Boise – The Idaho State University College of Pharmacy has received a $50,000 gift from the Walgreens Company for use at the university’s new health-professions building in Meridian.

The building – undergoing renovation and scheduled to open in 2009 – will be the new home of ISU’s Treasure Valley-based programs in the health professions, including the university’s nationally acclaimed pharmacy program.

Joseph F. Steiner, College of Pharmacy dean and professor, said the gift from Walgreens shows a consistent effort by the company to support pharmacy education.

“Walgreens has had a long history in supporting excellence in pharmacy education and we are very grateful for their support in our efforts to increase the accessibility to an affordable pharmacy education in Idaho,” Steiner said.

Scott Fleming, district pharmacy supervisor for Walgreens, who was instrumental in securing the gift, said he looks forward to additional students at the Meridian campus and sees the funds as an investment for the national retail pharmacy chain.

Earlier this year, the College of Pharmacy received a $5.25 million gift from The ALSAM Foundation; a charitable organization based in Salt Lake City named in honor of L.S. “Sam” Skaggs and his wife, Aline. ISU has applied $5 million of the gift toward the purchase and renovation of the Meridian building.