Source: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
On April 10, the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy hosted a special dinner to celebrate the members of the David Stewart Associates (DSA). Established in the 1980s, the DSA is named for David Steward, America's first professor of pharmacy and a founder of the Maryland School of Pharmacy. Members of this prestigious group recognize the importance of sustained, leadership giving to provide a solid base of private support and to ensure the School's continued prominence in the pharmacy profession. These individuals make an annual gift of $1,000 or more.
Before the evening concluded, Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP, dean and professor of the School of Pharmacy, presented the Key to Pharmacy Hall, which is awarded annually to an individual who has significantly impacted the School through his or her advocacy efforts and who has demonstrated commitment to assisting the School of Pharmacy with advancing its mission to lead pharmacy education, scientific discovery, patient care, and community engagement in the state of Maryland and beyond.
This year’s recipient was our dearest, Ramona McCarthy Hawkins, BSPharm, RPh, former review chemist for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"As a female and an African-American, Mrs. Hawkins was faced with the realities of sexism and racism in the federal workforce. She took a lead role in the fight against inequality in the workplace, supporting professional women like herself, through advocacy and mentoring, to advance them to upper level policy and decision-making positions in government. We owe her a debt of gratitude, as the fruits of her leadership, advocacy, and mentorship are enjoyed by women and minorities to this day,” said Dean Eddington.
After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree and completing a two-year fellowship in biochemistry at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Hawkins moved to Baltimore in the mid-1950s to work for the National Institutes of Health as a research chemist. In the mid-1960s, she was recruited by the FDA. She held various board positions and memberships in national pharmacy organizations, including Federally Employed Women and Blacks in Government (BIG), where she mentored and promoted excellence in the profession of pharmacy.
Following her retirement in 1996, Hawkins was appointed as a commissioner on the Maryland Board of Pharmacy by former governor Parris Glendening, where she helped to set standards and policies in the practice of pharmacy. She is highly regarded by her peers as a pioneer in her field, and is a current DSA member, establishing a scholarship in the name of the Maryland Pharmaceutical Society along with four other members of this organization.
Congratulations, and thank you for all that you do, Mrs. Hawkins!
