Sheldon “Shelly” E. Steinhauser knows the value of pharmacy – it was instilled in him during his childhood. His father, an immigrant, was a Navy doctor and, later, a neighborhood physician who worked closely with a trusted community pharmacist.
“My father wouldn’t make a key decision about prescribing drugs for his patients without consulting the pharmacist,” said Shelly. “Today, people are just as likely to turn to pharmacists whenever they have questions about prescription drugs and other health aids. They’re critical to our health care system.”
Shelly was the featured guest speaker at the inaugural scholarship luncheon at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The event, held in December, brought together benefactors, pharmacy students, faculty and staff to celebrate the significant impact of scholarships and to honor benefactors, like Shelly, who generously contribute to pharmacy scholarships.
Shelly was a former executive director of development at the Skaggs School and remains a longtime supporter of pharmacy scholarships. With a proud legacy of fostering diversity and fighting for causes to help others, Shelly has dedicated his career to helping underrepresented populations and advocating for human rights. In his honor, the Skaggs School created the Sheldon Steinhauser Diversity Scholarship, to make higher education accessible to countless future leaders with diverse backgrounds. More than 60 benefactors support the fund.
“We want to help pharmacy students attain the confidence to set forth as professionals ready to contribute to health care for all people,” said Shelly.
“Words cannot express how much your generous support means to us. Scholarships do more than provide financial relief – they inspire us to do good, and carry forward the legacy behind their names.”
Wendy Serrano, a fourth-year pharmacy student and scholarship recipient, spoke about the impact of philanthropy on her education. Wendy received the Teresa McMahan-Shulkin Memorial Scholarship, which was created by Gene McMahan in honor of his late daughter, Teresa, a 1976 graduate of the Skaggs School. Wendy received the 25th full-year scholarship that McMahan has generously made possible.
Speaking on behalf of all pharmacy scholarship recipients, Wendy said “Words cannot express how much your generous support means to us. Scholarships do more than provide financial relief – they inspire us to do good, and carry forward the legacy behind their names.”
Private support from benefactors like Shelly Steinhauser and Gene McMahan is essential to student success at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Scholarships help the school compete for the best and brightest, and they attract a talented student body that reflects the communities that graduates will go on to serve.
