13 UAMS Programs Receive Chancellor’s Circle Grants

By Yavonda Chase

Rahn said the 13 grants, ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 for a grand total of $305,000, were the most ever distributed by the Chancellor’s Circle.

Members of the Chancellor’s Circle provide roughly $350,000 a year in discretionary funds, which are then distributed to various programs to provide additional support in UAMS’ key mission areas of health care education, medical research and patient care. Since its creation in 1984, the Chancellor’s Circle has raised more than $7.8 million to support UAMS’ mission.

“We use these funds in a very specific, dedicated way to advance our work,” said Rahn. “And we use them for programs in which a certain amount of money can make a difference.”

The following 13 programs were chosen to receive grants:

  • College of Pharmacy for an evidence-based evaluation of secondary antineoplastic drug exposure to clinical staff and patients ($10,000); Howard Hendrickson, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Pharmacy, and Keith Olsen, Pharm. D., dean of the College of Pharmacy accepted the award, which was presented by Don Munro, member of the Chancellor’s Circle and the Foundation Fund Board.
  • Pre-Matriculation Program for disadvantaged first-year College of Medicine students ($20,000); Billy Thomas, M.D., vice chancellor for diversity affairs, and medical student Harrison Lowder accepted the award.
  • Molecular Research, Mechanisms of Microtubule-targeting cancer drugs ($25,000); Timothy Chambers, Ph.D., a professor and vice chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the College of Medicine; Pope Moseley, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine; and Larry Cornett, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research, accepted the award, which was presented by Stuart Cobb, a member of both the Foundation Fund Board and Chancellor’s Circle.
  • Minority Faculty Development Caucus ($25,000); Provost Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., accepted the award from Patti Bailey, chair of the Foundation Fund Board and a Chancellor’s Circle member.
  • UAMS Arts Council for its Healing Arts Acquisition Project ($25,000); Julie Moretz, associate vice chancellor for Patient- and Family-Centered Care was presented the award by Walter Nunnelly, who is a member of both the Chancellor’s Circle and the Foundation Fund Board.
  • UAMS East for the creation of a walk-in clinic, which will serve as a foundation for a planned Family Medicine Residency Training Track ($25,000); Becky Hall, Ed.D., director of UAMS East, and Tim Hill, vice chancellor for regional programs, accepted the award from Kevin Crass, a member of both the Foundation Fund Board and the Chancellor’s Circle.
  • UAMS Child Development Center as it works to create a child care facility for children of UAMS faculty and staff ($25,000); Provost Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., accepted the award, which was presented by Charlene Reed, a member of the Foundation Fund Board and the Chancellor’s Circle.
  • College of Nursing for the Nicholas P. Lang, M.D., and Helen F. Lang, R.N., Professorship for Research in Tobacco Control ($25,000); Patricia Cowan, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the UAMS College of Nursing, and Nicholas and Helen Lang accepted the award from Sandra Connor, chair of the Foundation Fund Board’s Philanthropy Committee and a Chancellor’s Circle member.
  • UAMS’ Northwest Arkansas Campus to create multilingual “Patient Navigation Videos” that target the region’s Hispanic and Marshallese populations ($25,000); Peter Kohler, M.D., vice chancellor for UAMS’ Northwest Arkansas Campus, accepted the award from Chancellor’s Circle and Foundation Fund Board member Dick Trammel.
  • UAMS College of Health Professions for a partnership with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, to launch a doctorate program in occupational therapy ($25,000); Douglas Murphy, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions; Susan Long, Ed.D., associate dean for academic affairs in the College; and Peter Kohler, M.D., vice chancellor for UAMS’ Northwest Arkansas Campus accepted the award from Lee Ronnel, a member of the Chancellor’s Circle and the Foundation Fund Board.
  • College of Public Health for the M. Joycelyn Elders, M.D., Chair in Health Promotion & Disease Prevention ($25,000); Jim Raczynski, Ph.D., dean of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health joined former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, M.D., onstage to accept the award.
  • Fund to Cure Stroke to support diverse stroke-related research at UAMS ($25,000); researcher Bob Skinner, Ph.D.; physician-scientist Bill Culp, M.D.; and Pope Moseley, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, were presented the award by Chancellor’s Circle member and Foundation Fund Board vice chair, Jim Darr.
  • Perinatal “Baby Friendly Hospital” program to promote and support breastfeeding ($25,000); Mary Helen Forrest, M.N.Sc., R.N., UAMS chief nursing officer, and Misty Virmani, M.D. accepted the award.

The Chancellor’s Circle, which was established by the UAMS Foundation Fund Board, recognizes those donors who support programs at UAMS through annual unrestricted contributions. Currently, 340 household and corporate members make up the Chancellor’s Circle. To learn more about the Chancellor’s Circle, visit giving.uams.edu/chancellorscircle.