Dr. William Gentry, left, dean of the South College School of Pharmacy, accepts an $8,000 Walgreens Diversity Scholarship donation from Walgreens’ Scott Leslie, middle, district manager, and Keith Ford, an area healthcare supervisor.

South College received an $8,000 donation Feb. 5 from Walgreens to fund a new diversity and inclusion student scholarship and promote programs to attract diversity to the School of Pharmacy.

The purpose of the Walgreens Diversity Scholarship is to recognize student pharmacists who represent a diverse group or underrepresented minority and have an interest in community pharmacy.

“We are grateful to Walgreens for its support of diversity in pharmacy education and honored to be chosen as a recipient of these funds,” said Dr. William Gentry, dean of the South College School of Pharmacy. “Having a diverse and inclusive student population is vital to positive outcomes for all of our students both while they are at South College and when they enter the professional ranks as pharmacists.”

South College School of Pharmacy students in their second year are eligible for a $2,000 scholarship, funded by the Walgreens donation. The remaining funds will be used to expand and promote outreach programs to attract diverse students to the school. Minorities currently represent 32 percent of the South College School of Pharmacy student population, and 19 percent were born outside the United States with 21 countries represented.

The donation comes as a result of achievements that the School of Pharmacy has accomplished in striving to serve a diverse population, including its programs.

Walgreens’ Scott Leslie, a district manager, and Keith Ford, an area healthcare supervisor, presented the check to the South College School of Pharmacy.

“Walgreens supports diversity in pharmacy education by promoting diversity within all schools and colleges of pharmacy,” Ford said. “We want high-quality pharmacy education to be available to everyone who wants to pursue a career in this field, including those in underrepresented communities. On behalf of Walgreens, I congratulate the South College School of Pharmacy for being a champion for diversity in this community.”

Each year since 2008, Walgreens has donated more than $1 million in support of diversity in pharmacy education, with approximately half going to students in the form of scholarships and the remainder being provided to accredited pharmacy schools in the United States and Puerto Rico. The funds have increased the enrollment of and provided educational assistance to students in underrepresented communities.

For more information about South College, visit south.edu.