Drake University’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (CPHS) is pleased to announce the creation of the Bill Burke Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship. Established in 2022 by Main at Locust Pharmacy, the Bill Burke Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship benefits third- or fourth-year Drake student pharmacists with financial need.
Third-year student pharmacist Abigail Stumpner is the inaugural Burke Scholar and will receive the scholarship during the 2023-24 academic year. Originally from North St. Paul, Minnesota, Stumpner has exerted herself as an involved student leader in the PharmD program. She currently serves as a Student Governance Association Representative for the P3 class. Stumper is also an active member of the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Iowa Pharmacy Association.
“Receiving this scholarship means a lot to me as it will help me to continue pursuing my passion for health care and medications,” said Stumpner. “This scholarship has helped lower the cost burden of my degree which I am incredibly grateful for since I am solely responsible for the cost of my education. I hope that this scholarship will continue to help other students as it has for me. I chose to pursue pharmacy because my mother was diagnosed with a heart condition and because of that I have seen firsthand the difference that medications can make on a person’s quality of life.”
The Bill Burke Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship is named for Drake pharmacy alum William A. Burke, PH’51, and is funded with a generous gift from Main at Locust Pharmacy Clinic and Medical Supplies, which he started, located in Davenport, Iowa. Main at Locust is co-owned by Lisa Ploehn and Ann Burke, the daughters of alum William A. Burke.
“The Bill Burke Endowed Pharmacy Scholarship is meant to alleviate the financial burdens faced by deserving student pharmacists at Drake and ensure they receive the education to pursue their goals,” said CPHS dean and professor Renae Chesnut. “This generous gift from Main at Locust Pharmacy not only honors the legacy of William A. Burke, but also supports and empowers future leaders in the pharmacy profession.”
In addition to the scholarship, Ploehn and Burke of Main at Locust also fund the Bill Burke Student Travel Award offered by the College and the Bill Burke Student Leadership Conference offered through the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA). The Bill Burke Student Travel Award began as an endowment in 2011 and benefits students who complete the CPHS Student Leadership Development Series. The IPA Bill Burke Student Leadership Conference is an annual program involving 30 Drake and the University of Iowa student pharmacists selected through an application process. The participants learn about leadership, teamwork, and issues affecting the pharmacy profession.