Alumni and Development News
Get in touch with your school! SOP.alumni@uchsc.edu
Greetings to our world-wide alumni wherever you are — in local community, retail chain and hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical and biotech industries and numerous other areas of service. Let us know where you are and what you are doing. We look forward to your continuing contact. When sending new addresses, also let us know if you'd like them published in the newsletter for your classmates' use.
In Memoriam
James H. Vincent, National Community Pharmacist Association (NCPA) Foundation trustee and former NCPA president, died April 11 in Sun City West, Arizona. He was 80. During his presidency in 1983-84, NCPA culminated a decade-long battle in Congress for recognition of the dangers pharmacies face from criminals seeking controlled drugs with enactment of legislation making such crimes a federal offense. In response to a resolution passed at last year's House of Delegates, NCPA has renewed its effort to protect members from pharmacy robberies and burglaries.
In 1951, he graduated from the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy. He developed Shop-All, Inc., a one-stop shop for all drug store, pharmaceutical, dry goods and food items. He later opened Vincent Drugs. Other entrepreneurial projects during his career demonstrated his wide range of interests, some of which included banking, a radio station, a long-term care facility, and a corn-to-ethanol conversion plant.
He was also active in the Colorado Pharmacal Association (now the Colorado Pharmacists Society), serving a term as president. He received many honors and recognitions for his service to the profession and his community. Among his awards are the National Association of Retail Druggists (now the NCPA), and the Commendation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award from the School of Pharmacy.
John and Barbara Shell transform lives with innovation and generosity
By Kenna Bruner
John and Barbara Shell (left) and Karen and former SOP Dean Lou Diamond visit in California.
Not only are John and Barbara Shell enthusiastic alumni of the School of Pharmacy, but they’re tireless advocates for the pharmacy profession.
As a senior scientist in several major pharmaceutical firms, an executive leader in the bio-pharmaceutical industry and an acclaimed researcher and developer of drug products and drug delivery devices, John, BS ’53, PhD ’54, through his scientific discoveries and their applications, has improved and extended the lives of countless patients.
Barbara, BS ’51, is active in organizations that promote educational opportunities for women.
The Shells established the Shell Prize for Excellence in Research and Graduate Education at the school. This prestigious prize is awarded annually to a faculty member.
They also spearheaded a successful endowment campaign for pharmaceutical research and graduate education named in honor of former School of Pharmacy Dean Harold Heim, who had encouraged and inspired John when he was in school. In 2003, John was awarded a University of Colorado Medal.
John is currently retired, again, but he doesn’t stay retired for long. He has worked for, and retired from, Johnson & Johnson, Alza Corp., and Depomed Inc., an oral drug delivery system company he founded in 1995.
It didn’t take long after retiring from Alza Corp., for him to get restless. When a friend offered him lab space where he could putter around with polymers, John jumped at the opportunity. He finally had the time and the space to work on using polymers as a way to protect the stomach lining from irritating drugs. The type of polymer he was experimenting with not only protected the stomach, but the substance also expanded when it came in contact with stomach acids. The result was timed-release medications that allow for extended, controlled release into the upper gastrointestinal tract.
“I just thought up the concept and when the patents were allowed I knew I should commercialize the new technology,” said John.
Suddenly out of retirement again, John founded Depomed Inc., to prove the safety and efficacy of the product. In 2000, he retired as chairman and chief executive officer of Depomed, but keeps a hand in the company’s activities.
“Academics and industry are two different worlds and they didn’t understand each other,” he said. “I saw the need to bridge that gap and create communication between the two worlds because only good things can occur when the two start cooperating.”
After she graduated from the School of Pharmacy, Barbara worked in hospital and retail pharmacies during a time when not many women were pharmacists.
“This is such a great profession and I’m happy to see more women going into pharmacy,” she said. “As a pharmacist, I enjoyed the contact with patients and felt like I was a part of the community. I enjoyed making tablets and capsules. That really dates me.”
She and John married while he was in graduate school. Barbara later stopped working to raise their two children.
Regarding their philanthropy, John and Barbara agree that they enjoy giving back to the school that gave them an outstanding pharmacy education.
“We both feel like we’ve gotten so much from the school,” said Barbara. “It’s about being grateful for our education and career opportunities.”
Alumni contact information
SOP.alumni@uchsc.edu
OR
Kenna Bruner
Director of Communications and Alumni Affairs
School of Pharmacy
University of Colorado Denver
P.O. Box 6511
Aurora, CO 80045
Phone: 303-724-1234
Fax: 303-724-2637
E-mail: kenna.bruner@uchsc.edu
Development News and Information
Students Realizing Their Dreams
Olivia Rapacchietta, a fourth year student at the School of Pharmacy, is pursuing her Pharm.D. degree.
"It took me 10 years to do my undergraduate work for pharmacy school because I have always supported myself . . . I am a first generation college student and will be the first in my family to graduate with a degree . . . This school has given me amazing opportunities that I could never believed imaginable . . . I am now President of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association . . . I am active because I want to give back to the school and community that has supported me so strongly . . . diversity is an important issue with me . . . I am so grateful to the school for everything that has been done for me and for the valuable tools they are arming me with for the future ahead of me . . . I know that so many of our students feel exactly the same way."
Opportunities for giving
Alumni and friends can make a difference through the annual giving and endowment campaigns and other special funds. Your contributions are critical to meet increasing demand for scholarships, student support services and cutting-edge health care research. Here are some ways you can help:
- $20,000 and up - have your company become a corporate sponsor
- $8,400 - sponsor a 1/2 tuition resident scholarship
- $1,500 - sponsor a seminar in the SOP distinguished seminar series or buy a computer for a needy student who cannot afford the computer requirement
- $1,500 - sponsor a student to attend a national meeting
- $500 - become a Career Day Sponsor to promote student job opportunities
- $75 - $200 - student registration costs for a national meeting
- $75 - $250 - purchase library materials for student use through the Office of Student Services.
In addition, there are others ways of giving to the school which may involve favorable tax benefits. These include:
- Remember the School of Pharmacy in your Will
- Make a gift that will pay lifetime income to you-or to a friend or loved one
- Designate the school as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy or retirement plan
- Contribute gifts of real property and appreciated assets
Sheldon Steinhauser, Development Officer
CU Foundation
School of Pharmacy
University of Colorado Denver
4200 East Ninth Avenue, C238
Denver, Colorado 80262
Phone: 303-315-0983
Fax: 303-315-6281
E-mail: Sheldon.Steinhauser@cufund.org
Last updated: 6/27/08