School of Pharmacy Alumni Awards

The School of Pharmacy is proud to list its distinguished faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. This list is comprised of individuals contributing essentially lifelong support in many forms to the School of Pharmacy and the University of Kansas. Each individual has been publicly recognized by the School for their dedication to our mission. A plaque memorializing their recognition will be on display in the Dean's Office of the School of Pharmacy.

2005: KU Vice Chancellor Emeritus and School of Pharmacy Dean Emeritus Howard Mossberg. In the period of 1966 to 1991, Howard Mossberg was Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas. From 1991 to 1994 he served as Vice Chancellor for Research, Graduate Studies, and Public Service at KU and was reappointed to that position in 1996-1997. He served as Director of Technology Transfer and Special Counselor to the Chancellor from 1994-1996 and in fact held appointment as Special Counselor to the Chancellor over a number of years. He also was the Director and Managing Trustee for the Self Graduate Fellowship program at KU from 1993 to 2003 when he retired. In the intervening years, Howard retired from his academic roles in 1997 becoming Dean and Professor Emeritus in the School of Pharmacy and his administrative role to Vice Chancellor Emeritus for Research and Public Service at KU. As Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Howard provided vision and leadership and presided over the substantialgrowth in the School’s professional program and the graduate programs. Consequently, our School became one of the premier research-intensive Schools of Pharmacy and remains so today largely on the basis of key hires and development of the School during Howard’s 25 years. The legacy of his leadership is a School that today has a solid standing in the top five research programs in the country. Howard is also widely recognized as a leader in the development and promotion of technology transfer between academia and private industry. He served as director and executive officer for two technology transfer corporations, INTERx Research Corporation (1972-1981) and Oread Laboratories, Inc. (1984-1995). Howard’s involvement in pharmacy practice in Kansas includes creating an alumni-practioner advisory council for the School and facilitating a close relationship with the alumni and the practioner community.

1998: Marily Harper Rhudy. Marily Harper Rhudy, a 1972 graduate of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas and a native of Hill City, Kansas. Ms. Rhudy joined Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals, a division of American Home Products, in 1993 as Assistant Vice President of Professional Relations. She was named Vice President of Public Affairs for the company in 1994. In 1997, Ms. Rhudy was promoted to the position of Vice President of Global Public Affairs for the parent company, American Home Products. In April 1993, Ms. Rhudy was appointed by President Clinton to the White House Task Force on Health Care Reform as a member of a Health Professionals Review Group. Ms. Rhudy served on the Board of Trustees of the American Pharmaceutical Association for ten years, and was elected President and Chair of the Board of APhA in 1990. Ms. Rhudy was the first woman pharmacist elected to the position of President at APhA. Ms. Rhudy was a practicing community pharmacist for 18 years following her graduation from the School of Pharmacy at KU during which time she owned three clinical pharmacy operations in Topeka, Kansas. She has served in many appointed and elected positions in her profession and community and she was elected President and Chair of the Board of the Kansas Pharmacists Association in 1978. In 1989, the Topeka Capital-Journal recognized Marily Rhudy as a "Kansan of Distinction".