$200,000 Gift to Support School of Pharmacy

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy has received a $200,000 bequest from the late William M. Palmer, Jr., a 1959 graduate of the school who entered the pharmacy program as a nontraditional student at age 37.

The gift, designated for current unrestricted use by the school, "reflects an increasing trend among a number of alumni" who recognize the importance of supporting the school, said Wayne Anderson, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Pharmacy.

"As the state funding level decreases for the school and the university, we are increasingly turning to alumni and friends for private support," he said. "Mr. Palmer's gift allows the pharmacy school to create and maintain quality programs for students and to run programs that might otherwise have been discontinued."

Jean Bartow, Palmer's sister, commended her brother for helping the pharmacy school. "I couldn't be more proud of him," she said.

Palmer, who died in 1995, appreciated the education he received at the school, Bartow added, and making the bequest was his way of thanking UB for his exceptional education and assisting him in realizing his professional goals.

Palmer's other surviving sister, Billie Rene Page, also applauded Palmer for making such a generous gift. "I'm glad he is helping the school," said Page. "It is an unselfish gesture to assist others, especially those in higher education."

Before attending UB, Palmer, a native of Buffalo, served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and the Korean War. When he returned to Buffalo, Palmer's keen interest in science and medicine prompted him to enter the UB pharmacy school. As a student, he received the 1956 Rodger J. Cologgi Memorial Award and the 1957 Rho Chi Award.

"When he decided to take something on, like serving in the Air Force, William always did his best to achieve his goals," said Page. "He applied this same ambition throughout his life. He decided to attend UB, not only because it was a local university, but because it offered at that time, and still does today, one of the best pharmacy programs in the country."

After completing the challenging four-year pharmacy program, Palmer practiced pharmacy in Warsaw, N.Y., and later in Olean, where he lived through most of his retirement.

Bartow said her brother was extremely committed to his work. "William really enjoyed his work as a pharmacist," she said. "He found the profession very challenging, but also realized the importance of the field."

UB has been a part of the Palmer family for many years and is often referred to as the "family school," said Bartow, whose husband and two daughters also are UB alums. The Palmers' mother, Irene, who died in 1988, served as manager of the UB Faculty Club until she retired at age 79. She later was honored for her years of dedication to UB with the naming of the Palmer Room in the faculty club previously located in Harriman Hall on the UB South (Main Street) Campus.