Anonymous donation funds Ph.D. fellowship

An anonymous donation of $300,000 to the KU School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology was inspired by the donor’s niece and her experience as a Ph.D. student.

“I hope the gift will aid others who passionately devote their time and effort to vital scientific research,” the donor said. “Students often face financial hardship, which has been compounded by the challenges of the ongoing pandemic.”

Department Chair Nancy Muma said the money will be used to endow a Ph.D. fellowship and increase opportunities and access for future generations of research students.

“This generous donation will have a tremendous impact on our ability at KU to train pharmacologists to develop novel approaches to treat disease,” Muma said.

The donor’s niece studied under Professor Rick Dobrowsky. KU School of Pharmacy Dean Ronald Ragan said the donation is a direct result of the important research performed every day at the school and the lifelong relationships students build with their mentors.

“It’s not often enough that we get a chance to celebrate the dedication and hard work of our research faculty,” Ragan said. “This is a well-deserved honor for Rick and gives us a chance to talk about his dedication to science and to training the next generation of research scientists.”

Dobrowsky expressed his gratitude to the donor for the generous gift and for her continued support of education.

“She has a history of contributing to programs that increase opportunities in the arts, sciences and athletics that promote a holistic development of elementary students.” Dobrowsky said. “Her support for graduate education is an extension of her passion for increasing student success.”