Legacy of Leadership

The Houston Program Launches Campaign to Create Pharmacy Leadership Institute in Honor of Roger W. Anderson

In recognition of his role of elevating the clinical pharmacist to an essential member of the health-system patient care team, The Houston Program in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration recently launched a campaign to establish The Roger W. Anderson Pharmacy Leadership Institute at UH College of Pharmacy.

With the 25th annniversary of his visionary American Society of Health-System Pharmacy's Harvey A.K. Whitney Award Lecture serving as the backdrop, family, friends, colleagues and mentees honored Anderson with a commemorative lecture May 19 presented by his longtime friend, colleague and fellow Whitney awardee Harold N. Godwin, B.S., M.S., FASHP, FAPhA, associate dean and professor emeritus of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. The lecture was followed by a reception celebrating Anderson and his tremendous impact on pharmacy and health care at the Third Coast Restaurant in the Texas Medical Center's John P. McGovern Commons.

The institute is designed to serve as an engine for the development and cultivation of leadership skills, professional development and career exploration among not only partcipants in The Houston Program, but of UHCOP students and practitioners outside of the college. The key groups and the primary goals to be supported through the institute are:

• Practitioners — Provide toolkits, continuing education and other programming design to help innovatively develop and communicate the value of pharmacy and developing resources necessary to navigate the leadership learning curve;
• Houston Program Participants — Support the residents/students through scholarships as well as programs ranging from workshops to symposia in close collaboration with Anderson; and
• Pharm.D. Students — Expose students to essential characteristics and career opportunities in pharmacy leadership and administration while allowing them to understand their potential.

Anderson and his wife, Betty, have made a foundational challenge match of up to $25,000 to set up the Roger W. Anderson Pharmacy Leadership Endowment, which – along with an operational fund – will be the two primary funding mechanism for the institute and its programs. Under the challenge match, the Andersons will match all personal gifts up to $25,000. 

Launched in 2009, The Houston Program in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration is a collaboration between UHCOP and seven Texas Medical Center institutions: CHI St. Luke's Health-Baylor/St. Luke's Medical Center, Harris Health System, Houston Methodist Hospital, Memorial Hermann Health System, Texas Children's Hospital, The Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Aimed at training the next generation of health-system pharmacy leaders, the program allows participants to concurrently earn an M.S. degree in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration and complete PGY1 and PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration residencies.

For more information about the Program, please contact Divya Varkey at davarkey@uh.edu or 832-842-8360; for more information about making a gift to the Program, please contact Dixie Mullins at dmmullins@uh.edu or 713-743-0284. To make a gift online, please visit https://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/give-to-uhcop/.