Ken Schafermeyer Receives Outstanding Educator Award
St. Louis College of Pharmacy
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May 10, 2012
Ken Schafermeyer Receives Outstanding Educator Award from the
St. Louis College of Pharmacy Alumni Association
ST. LOUIS – What keeps Dr. Ken Schafermeyer motivated is seeing students make new connections. "I like to see light bulbs going off [in the student’s head]," he says, "I see it more one on one, whether we're talking in my office or in the hall. I see them making a connection suddenly, and then become excited about something."
In recognition of his ability to connect with St. Louis College of Pharmacy students and his passion for teaching, Schafermeyer was bestowed the 2012 Joe E. Haberle Outstanding Educator Award from the College’s Alumni Association. Each year, the award is presented to a faculty member who is enthusiastic about his or her work, shows a positive attitude about student learning, and is innovative in teaching the practice of pharmacy.
Upon hearing he won the award, Schafermeyer, a health care economist and professor of pharmacy administration, says he was surprised. "I hope to think I did a good job and helped students. A lot of people deserve it," he says.
"I think for Dr. Schafermeyer, the award is recognition of his commitment to the College over a long period of time," says professor of pharmacy administration Peter Hurd, Ph.D., "and the fact he continually has tried to figure out what will work for the students and what's going to help the students develop into successful pharmacists."
Schafermeyer came back to St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2003 after a sabbatical at the Institute for the Advancement of Community Pharmacy. He adds, "I felt my mission was to help students understand the big picture, to see how systems work, to manage systems to get things done."
Schafermeyer's mission also regularly takes him overseas. He has taken part in or led 15 global village missions for Habitat for Humanity International. During Commencement Schafermeyer will be in Swaziland, working with St. Louis College of Pharmacy colleagues and students to improve drug delivery services for AIDS patients.
As for this year's graduating students, Schafermeyer says, "I hope they say I care. I hope they say I treat them like colleagues. That’s important. I know they’re students and they have a role to play, but they are members of the profession already."
About St. Louis College of Pharmacy: Founded in 1864, St. Louis College of Pharmacy is one of the oldest and largest colleges of pharmacy in America. The College admits students directly from high school and integrates the liberal arts and sciences with a six-year professional curriculum leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Approximately 1,250 students attend, and more than 72 percent of practicing pharmacists in the St. Louis metropolitan area are alumni.
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