Giving back means something different to every donor. For members of the Leadership Circle, it's a shared commitment to supporting students, advancing research and strengthening the future of Texas Pharmacy.
The Leadership Circle recognizes annual donors who contribute $2,000 or more during the college's fiscal year (September-August). Gifts may be directed to any College of Pharmacy fund and include invitations to special college events, updates from the dean and opportunities to see the impact of their generosity.
We asked a few Leadership Circle members what inspires their commitment to Texas Pharmacy. Here's what they had to say.
Kishor Wasan (B.S. '85, Ph.D. UT MD Anderson Cancer Center '93) and Dr. Ellen Wasan
"As a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy program, and in celebration of the 40th anniversary of my graduation in 1985, my wife, Dr. Ellen Wasan, and I are honored to give back to the UT Pharmaceutics graduate program. Educating students and training the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists is a shared passion of ours, and it means a great deal to us both—as professors and pharmaceutical scientists."
Stephanie Olsak Sayers (B.S. '75) and Chip Sayers
"2025 marks 50 years since the Class of '75 graduated from the UT Austin College of Pharmacy. As I reflect on the education and opportunities the college provided, both of which laid the foundation for a successful lifelong career, I'm also grateful for the continued support they offer to alumni. A donation to the college felt like a meaningful way to give back for the investment they made in me and to help ensure their tradition of excellence moving forward."
Rob (Pharm.D. '96, Ph.D. '01) and Ronna Hauser (Pharm.D. '02)
"Ronna and I are often asked, 'Why do you support the UT College of Pharmacy?' Our answer is always, 'Why wouldn't we?' We are blessed and honored with an amazing family and careers that are a direct result of our time and experiences at Texas Pharmacy. The leadership, faculty, staff, curriculum, extracurricular programs and—most importantly—the students are all second to none. We choose to support the college because we know that investing our time and resources will lead to outcomes that far exceed our commitments for our students, profession and patients. We look forward to hearing your answer to the question: 'Why do you support the UT College of Pharmacy?'"
Leadership Circle members play a vital role in supporting the students, faculty, research and programs that define Texas Pharmacy. Through their annual generosity, they help ensure the college continues to educate future pharmacy leaders and advance discoveries that improve lives.
Interested in becoming a Leadership Circle member? Learn more about annual giving and the impact your support can make: https://pharmacy.utexas.edu/alumni/giving/annual
This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 edition of Focus, the magazine of the The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy.