I have always appreciated how the high-quality education I received at Madison enabled me to have a successful life in the corporate world |  | David Sanders (’52 BS Pharmacy, ’56 MBA Bus) is a patriot who loves America. For this reason, he and his wife, Miriam, have established the David and Miriam Sanders Military Service Scholarship Fund for PharmD students at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. Because of their military service, David believes they “deserve help for going the extra mile.”
Because of his own military experience, Dave understands what it means to serve one’s country and then return home and resume a college education. After serving in the Army in Korea in the 45th infantry division, Dave returned to UW-Madison and was one of the first two students to receive graduate degrees under Professor William S. Apple, a national figure in pharmacy administration. By creating this scholarship, he has combined the two important events in his life that have made him who he is today.
There currently are two recipients of the David and Miriam Sanders Military Service Scholarship, Thomas (Tom) Olson and Charles (Charlie) Heike.
“I am delighted that Tom and Charlie can take advantage of this opportunity to continue their education," said Dave, who’s president and chairman of Medimark in Waukegan, Illinois. |
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| Tom is honored to receive this scholarship. “The David and Miriam Sanders Scholarship has been a great financial boost in a year when I needed it most,” he said. “I’m a fourth-year pharmacy student currently doing my clinical rotations. Due to my hours, I’m unable to work as I have over the previous semesters and additional funds are appreciated. Being a single parent, making ends meet without a part-time job is extremely difficult.
“The scholarship is important to me because it is a recognition of my service in the Marine Corps. I think that public service of any kind is an important part of the civic duty of young adults.
“Although I am deeply grateful for the financial contribution, the Sanders’ scholarship itself is more important to me than the monetary value,” Tom said. “It exemplifies their appreciation for my service to our country. My service in the Marine Corps was one of the most positive experiences that I’ve had. I learned many valuable life lessons that have served me well as a civilian,” he said. “The Marines helped me learn that there are things worth striving for beyond my personal desires and engendered personal character building. I was able to develop personality traits that benefit me in all aspects of my personal and professional life.” |
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 | | Thomas (Tom) Olson and Charles (Charlie) Heike are the current recipients of the David and Miriam Sanders Military Service Scholarship. |
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| The second recipient, Charlie Heike, grew up in Durand, Wisconsin, a small rural community near Eau Claire. After completing high school he went on to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, but after a year he realized that college wasn't the place for him so he joined the U.S. Navy.
Charlie spent three years stationed in Japan, loading bombs on airplanes. Upon completion of his enlistment he returned to school at the University of Minnesota - Duluth for three years. Then, he was accepted into pharmacy school at UW-Madison and currently is in his first year of the PharmD program.
“My parents own a pharmacy in my hometown and ‘wanting to be just like Dad’ I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a pharmacist. Upon completion of pharmacy school, I would like to return to small-town, rural pharmacy,” Charlie said. |
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| “Receiving this scholarship has been very beneficial. In pharmacy school, tuition doubles, making hard times even harder. As a poor college student strapped for funds, the scholarship really relieves a lot of financial stress. Pharmacy has a very demanding and fast-paced curriculum and this scholarship allows me to focus on my studies instead of worrying about working to stay afloat financially. It also means that I don't have to take out any loans this year. The scholarship allows me to focus on what is important—my studies and not the next meal.“
“Every day men and women in uniform place themselves in harm's way in locations like Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting our enemies and protecting our nation," Dave said. "Miriam and I are proud of our soldiers and grateful for their service and sacrifice, and this scholarship is one expression of our thanks.” |
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