Purdue alumna answers Oprah's challenge with support for multicultural program

Nikki Price (front right), Jackie Jimerson (back right), Ernest Hacka, Rachel Davie
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During Winfrey's Oct. 30 television show, she gave audience members — including Purdue alumna Nikki Price of Chicago — a $1,000 bankcard with the challenge to give it away within 10 days. Price, who graduated from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1993, matched the gift with her own funds and obtained a $500 match from her employer, SUPERVALU, to create scholarships for students within Purdue's multicultural programs.

"It is important to have all cultures represented in the pharmacy profession to better reflect the diversity of our society," Price said. "The multicultural programs at Purdue do not always receive the recognition they deserve. The programs have a graduation rate of about 95 percent, which shows how effective the programs are and how they touches students' lives."

The number of under-represented minority students enrolled in the professional program of study has more than doubled since the multicultural programs began, said Jackie Jimerson, director of multicultural programs for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

"Although she was not a participant, Nikki has always been a strong supporter of the multicultural programs," Jimerson said. "We are overjoyed that she would think of us for this opportunity. Every penny helps when you are a PharmD student faced with paying for six years of education."

The first two recipients of the yet-to-be-named $500 scholarships are Rachel Davie of Indianapolis, a third-year PharmD student, and Ernest Hacka of Brownsmills, N.J., a second-year PharmD student. The third recipient has not been announced.

"This scholarship will help me pay tuition," Hacka said. "When I graduate, I plan to give back to my community as well by holding educational sessions for minorities about the benefits of going to college."

Davie said being a part of the multicultural programs has helped her mature as a student.

"Ms. Jimerson expects excellence from the students in the program and that expectation drives us to work hard and do our best," Davie said. "She goes above and beyond in her support of each student."

Winfrey's audience members were loaned a DVD recorder to capture the gift-giving moment to send back to the show. Highlights of selected tapes will air on a future program.

Price plans to continue the annual scholarships. Student recipients must be part of the multicultural programs and demonstrate financial need. For information about the scholarships, contact Jimerson at (765) 494-1364, jjimerso@purdue.edu.

Writer: Elizabeth Gardner, (765) 494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu

Sources: Nikki Price, Nikki.Price@Albertsons.com

Jackie Jimerson, (765) 494-1364, jjimerso@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Related Web site:
The Oprah Winfrey Show "Oprah's Favorite Giveaway Ever!" web site

PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue alumna Nikki Price (front right) and director of multicultural programs for the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Jackie Jimerson (back right) tell students Ernest Hacka (front left) and Rachel Davie they have won scholarships. The idea for the scholarships began when Price received $1,000 as an audience member of the Oprah Winfrey Show and was challenged to give it away within 10 days. (Purdue News Service photo/ David Umberger)

A publication-quality photo is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2005/pharmacy-oprahscholarship.jpg