Dean Hall's address at the Grand Opening Celebration

Welcome and thank you for coming to celebrate this momentous occasion, the grand opening of this magnificent new pharmacy facility! All along, we’ve encouraged you, the MUSC Pharmacy family, to “Be Part of the Moment”!

We’ve had so many memorable moments: the first announcement, key gifts along the way, the groundbreaking, the topping off ceremony, moving day, and finally… today! We are so humbled and grateful you all are here at the culminating moment. Today is THE MOMENT we’ve all been working towards & dreaming of.

Look around you. You, our pharmacy family, in these chairs, on this auspicious day, represent the generosity, the self-sacrifice, the industriousness – all instrumental in making this dream a reality. Let us recognize you all & this momentous collective achievement.

DEANS EMERITUS, PRESENT
Thank you. To have the honor of serving as dean at this historic moment is most humbling. I am truly standing on the shoulders of giants & represent all the previous deans on this journey!

I’d like us to recognize two of those giants here with us today: Deans Emeriti Dr. Bill Golod and Dr. Arnold Karig.

The history of this building – its first moment – was when Dr. Golod decided we needed a new building. He began the journey, Drs. Early, Cormier, and DiPiro continued it, and Dr. Karig saw to it that the “Building the Future of Pharmacy” campaign got off the ground.

Thank you, gentlemen, for your passion and advocacy for so many years. Congratulations, your moment finally came!

FOUNDATIONAL GIFTS
This morning is our opportunity to thank you, our donors, for making this building possible. Each of you has been vital. We wouldn’t be here without every single one you.

And for our foundational donors, whom you will see listed in the program… each of you represents a moment when the campaign took a giant leap forward.

[Michael P. Araneo and Alycia Craft]
In reality, our first transformational gift began many years before this campaign. Right here in the lobby today you will see evidence of our first legacy donor, Mr. Michael P. Araneo. In his honor, we are blessed to have Alycia Araneo Craft along with 20 members of her family in the audience.

Mr. Araneo an innovative pharmacist and accomplished entrepreneur made Charleston his home after stopping here on a vacation from New Jersey. His decision to support the College of Pharmacy with a naming gift in 1999 created a pathway to the legacy that his daughter Alycia Arraneo Craft has continued today.
Twenty years after his naming gift, she made a generous legacy gift that is the largest in the college’s history. We’re so pleased to honor Mr. Araneo and welcome back Alycia Arraneo Craft and her family!

[Pharmacy Network Foundation]
We never would have taken the first step without the leadership of the Pharmacy Network Foundation. Jimmy Jackson, Gray Stewart, and Andrew Barrett are here today, representing the foundation and honoring their friend Peter Edwards, Class of 1968. Peter is here with us in spirit and we’re glad Laurie and other members of the Edwards family are here to celebrate.

[Cooper family]
We have members of another key MUSC pharmacy family here today – the Coopers. Charles F. Cooper ’65 was a mainstay of the college for many years. Early in the public campaign, his daughter Christy Cooper Whitlock and husband David joined with her siblings Gary and Gina to create the Charles F. Cooper Challenge.

[Heather Sharpe]
We can also thank Charles for inspiring the pharmacy career of Heather Sharpe, Class of 2000. Her major gift helped us claim the challenge. On the first floor, the Sharpe wing is to the left and the Cooper wing is to the right. So they still share a connection. Thank you for being here.

[Mrs. Barbara Rippy]
Our students have already learned to love the name of Mrs. Barbara Rippy, whose gift funded the beautiful Bobby Gene ’63 and Barbara Harter Rippy Lecture Hall on the second floor. Mrs. Rippy’s engaging & energetic personality comes to life in the bright, refreshing, state-of-the-art classroom! Thank you, Mrs. Rippy.

[Jan Childress McCrary]
I’d also like to recognize Jan Childress McCrary, who honored her late husband Ed Childress ’68 and has three named spaces, each of which is named after a grandchild. We’re glad to welcome Jan and Bill here today with Jan’s daughter Brandy and her family.

[Leo Brueggman]
Even though he couldn’t be with us today, I also want to recognize Dr. Leo Brueggman. Dr. Brueggman served as a faculty member at MUSC for many years and you’ll find a second-floor conference room named in his honor.

[All major donors]
I would like for us to recognize all our major donors. If you have a named gift in the new facility, please rise. You will find all the named spaces listed in the self-guided tour and I hope you can visit and honor these spaces. Let’s recognize those who made them possible!

This building, this moment, represents a vital step forward for MUSC & for the MUSC College of Pharmacy. We have an outstanding program with talented, dedicated, and accomplished faculty and staff… and now, through your generosity & advocacy, a top-notch facility to match.

Finally & most importantly, please always remember – whenever & wherever you have hallowed the halls of the MUSC College of Pharmacy – it is not a building – it is your home! We are & always will be, family. So, to everyone, our MUSC pharmacy family, we bid you a most heartfelt, welcome home!!!