Dean (‘93 BS Pharm) and Krista (‘95 BS Pharm) Stone made their first gifts to the College of Pharmacy when they graduated–and before they were married. The couple’s commitment to supporting their alma mater is rooted in their experience as students and the foundation for a successful career as independent pharmacists that was laid at the College.

They haven’t stopped giving since, making an annual donation since graduating. In 2003, the Stones created an endowed scholarship in their name, which focuses on leadership training and experience. They continue to support their scholarship through an annual Presidents Club Gift. They have included the Dean and Krista Stone Emerging Pharmacy Leader Scholarship Fund in their estate plans. In short, the Stones are model donors, working with the College’s development team to align their passions with the needs of the College.

“Dean and Krista’s commitment to the College of Pharmacy is remarkable, not just for its longevity, but for the way it is rooted in their personal values,” said Dean Kelly Smith. “They have lived what it means to be leaders and servant-hearted pharmacists, and their generosity ensures that future generations will benefit from the same life-changing experiences they had here.”

They met as students in the College of Pharmacy, with Dean two years ahead of Krista. Both of them remember their days in the Wilson Building fondly.

“Some of our best friends, people we will always cherish, are the people we met in Pharmacy school,” Krista said. “Pharmacy at Georgia was like a family,” Dean added. “That was home for us while we were there.”

Pharmacy school also was an opportunity for Dean to take on leadership roles and participate in leadership training. He wanted to attend a student leadership conference in Seattle, but couldn’t afford the plane ticket until a friend lent him the money. Those experiences have carried over into their professional lives–Dean serves on the Georgia Board of Pharmacy, and Krista is a former member of the board of the UGA Alumni Association.

“I learned a lot in those leadership programs,” he said, “and I was helped along the way by friends and alumni who supported me and the scholarship programs. Our gifts are structured around support for leadership training and opportunities for Pharmacy students today. We want the College of Pharmacy to be strong and to have the kind of impact on today’s students that it had on us and our lives. Our priority in giving is to share the legacy of leadership preparation that we enjoyed as students and continue to enjoy as professionals.”

The Stone Scholarship is a merit-based award that recognizes students who display one or more of these qualities: Leadership, strong community focus, civic leadership at the state or federal level groups in pharmacy, and patient wellness/compounding prowess.

Serving on the UGA Alumni Association board gave Krista the opportunity to see how private giving raises the quality of the UGA experience for students. “I have met some remarkable young people who are at UGA because of private gifts supporting scholarships. Those scholarships give them the opportunity to be at UGA and have the kinds of experiences that have shaped our lives and careers.”

They both recall fondly growing up in small south Georgia towns where independent pharmacists were admired and respected for serving as healthcare professionals and leaders in their communities–committed, caring, respected men and women with a passion for the health and well-being of their patients and their communities. That inspired their educational, career, and philanthropic pathways.

“I worked as a pharmacy technician during high school for Judy Craig, and she encouraged me to go on to pharmacy school at UGA,” Dean recalled. “I was afraid I couldn’t get in, but I always knew I wanted to be an independent pharmacist, serving people in a community where we knew each other.” Krista shares a similar story.

“When I was in high school, I knew that health care was my interest,” she said. “A good friend of mine had decided to go to pharmacy school, so I decided to give that a try. And UGA was what I wanted.”

Dean and Krista Stone are quick to credit their education for giving them the tools they needed to become successful independent pharmacists, and their gifts are benefitting the College of Pharmacy and its students for decades to come. In fact, their son, Harrison, is a current second year student in the PharmD program.

To learn more about how you can support students at the UGA College of Pharmacy and leave a legacy of support, contact Gordon Thomas, Major Gifts Officer.

In Summary…Why the Stones Give
“Our gifts are structured around support for leadership training and opportunities for Pharmacy students today. We want the College of Pharmacy to be strong and to have the kind of impact on today’s students that it had on us and our lives. Our priority in giving is to share the legacy of leadership preparation that we enjoyed as students and continue to enjoy as professionals.”