EDUCATING LEADERS IN PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES SINCE 1886
Alumni Awards
We proudly recognize our alumni for their outstanding accomplishments and the distinction they bring to our school.
SPPS Alumni Awards
We proudly recognize outstanding alumni every fall at our annual reunion, commending those who over the past year have contributed significantly to our school's mission, the profession of pharmacy and scholarly achievements.
2024 Recipients
Willis G. Gregory Memorial Award
Karl Fiebelkorn, BS '78, MBA ’88
Karl Fiebelkorn began his career as a staff pharmacist and then was recruited to the UB SPPS faculty as a clinical instructor in 1991, advancing to the rank of clinical associate professor until his retirement in 2023. Fiebelkorn was an active administrator serving as Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Professional Relations from 1999-2014 and Senior Associate Dean for Student, Professional and Community Affairs from 2014-2023. Fiebelkorn was the school’s authority on pharmacy law for over 25 years, helping thousands of students pass the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) and served as the school’s business management faculty member, advising 81 PharmD/MBA dual degree students and mentoring student teams for the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Student Business Plan competition.
The Willis G. Gregory Memorial Award is given annually to an outstanding alumni pharmacist who personifies the ideals of service, integrity, and who, in the eyes of his or her associates, personifies the profession of pharmacy. This is the Alumni Association's most prestigious award.
Read more about Fiebelkorn's outstanding professional accomplishments, here.
Orville C. Baxter Memorial Professional Practice Award
Kayla Andrews, PharmD ’14, MS ’15, PhD ’18
Scientific Program Leader in Translational Discovery at the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (MRI), Andrews works on a monoclonal antibody program for the prevention of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. She recently returned from the 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference in Rwanda. There she presented her work on the clinical development of monoclonal antibodies aimed at preventing P. falciparum malaria.
The Orville C. Baxter Memorial Professional Practice Award recognizes an outstanding practicing alumni pharmacist who demonstrates high ideals of professionalism and whose practice demonstrates genuine concern for patients.
Learn more about Andrews' outstanding contributions to global health initiatives here.
An annual campus-wide tradition, this award program is presented by the University at Buffalo Alumni Association to recognize outstanding alumni and other university partners who demonstrate success in their careers, support the university and give back to their communities.
2024 UB Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
George Lasezkay, BS ’74, PharmD ’78
George Lasezkay is the president and chief executive officer of Clearside Biomedical Inc., a company focused on treating retinal disorders using suprachoroidal drug delivery. In 2021, his company received a groundbreaking FDA approval for the first and only ophthalmic drug product to be approved for suprachoroidal administration.
Discover more about why Lasezkay is a UB Distinguished Alumnus, here.
SUNY Alumni Awards and Recognitions
The honorary doctorate degree is the highest form of recognition offered by the State University of New York (SUNY). Honorary degrees are awarded to alumni of exceptional distinction who are highly regarded for their significant achievements in their fields.