Pharmacy School Gifted $5 Million

Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy announced it would receive a $5 million gift—the largest outright donation to the school in its history—from Phil and Jocelyn Hagerman and the Hagerman Foundation on February 23, 2015.

Phil, a Ferris alumni, said he was pleased that their gift would go toward supporting youth, and especially the pharmacy school students, since the college had had an indelible effect on his life.

“We want to make sure that the pharmacy industry recognizes what an important part Ferris has been in my personal success, my family’s success, and in the growth of our company, Diplomat,” Phil said in a Ferris statement. “…We believe in the pharmacy profession, and we believe in students.”

Diplomat offers personalized medication therapies to patients with specialized needs such as cancer, hepatitis, or multiple sclerosis. Its headquarters are located in Flint, Michigan.

Phil’s father had attended Ferris’s College of Pharmacy, so Phil had heard “exciting and positive” stories about his time there and the launch of his pharmacy career, which encouraged Phil to follow in his father’s footsteps.

The $5 million will go toward the Hagerman Family Endowed Scholarship in Pharmacy, the Hagerman Family Pharmacy Scholarship Fund, and the Hagerman Endowed Chair for Medical Informatics, according to the school. Some of the money will also fund improvements to Ferris classrooms.

The university’s pharmacy school, which is located in Michigan, will also be renamed in honor of the Hagermans.

According to MLive.com, 25 to 30 students will be chosen based on academic achievements to receive an annual scholarship of $5000 to $10,000 each year for 4 years.

Currently, there are 500 students attending the pharmacy school.