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Dale Bumpers AHEC Leadership Award

Dr. Stephanie Gardner joined the UAMS College of Pharmacy faculty in 1991, and was named Dean in 2004. During her tenure with the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Gardner has been a consistent supporter of the AHEC Program in its effort to provide onsite pharmacists at each AHEC.

Dean Gardner was instrumental in establishing and supporting a Primary Care Pharmacy Practice residency within the AHEC centers. She is dedicated to the quality of the educational experience of the students.  She has shown flexibility and understanding where the AHEC's are concerned, and not only understands, but appreciates how unique each setting is.  Dean Gardner has been a strong believer in meeting the needs of pharmacists in the AHEC regions, especially in the area of continuing pharmacy education offerings. She has also strongly supported recruitment of students for the College of Pharmacy from the AHEC regions, encouraging the attendance of the College's recruiters at local recruitment functions.

Dean Gardner was also instrumental in establishing the Gerald J. Glass Continuing Education Endowment Fund at the Delta AHEC in Helena-West Helena. As a result of Dean Gardner's efforts, the Delta AHEC will have a yearly pharmacy continuing education program for Delta pharmacists, enabling their education without travel to Little Rock.


Dr. Gardner received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Following graduation, she completed a Research Fellowship in cardiovascular pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Gardner joined the UAMS faculty in 1991. Five years later she was appointed Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice.
Over the past five years, Dr. Gardner has served UAMS through her leadership as Chair of the Committee on Clinical Research and as Chair of the UAMS Council of Deans. Dr. Gardner is a member of the UAMS Bioventures Advisory Board, the Arkansas Center for Healthcare Improvement Advisory Board, the Arkansas Pharmacists Association Board, and the Arkansas Association of Health-Systems Pharmacists Board. She also serves as Director of the Evidence Based Prescription Drug Program. She is married to Alan Gardner and they have two children.

Origin of the Award

The Dale Bumpers AHEC Leadership Award was created to recognize exemplary leadership that results in achievement of AHEC Program goals, specifically, leadership sustained over considerable time and having significant impact on the statewide program.

Dale Bumpers was Governor of Arkansas, 1970-74, and U.S. Senator from Arkansas, 1974-98. Upon election as Governor, he took several steps to remedy the state's health care problems, one of which was establishing the AHEC Program in 1973. As U.S. Senator, he supported federal AHEC Program efforts and helped secure federal funding that allowed expansion of the Arkansas program.

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