UIW Receives Leadership Gift for Feik School of Pharmacy

Gift from Stonegate Pharmacy Brings Critical Upgrades to Learning Laboratory

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce it has received a leadership gift that has been used to bring critical upgrades to a learning laboratory at the UIW Feik School of Pharmacy. The donation from the leaders of Stonegate Pharmacy is a major investment in the future pharmacists who matriculate at UIW and who will go on to serve our community.

Specifically, the gift was used to modernize the sterile compounding lab. The lab is used to simulate the sterile conditions needed for pharmacy students to receive their 20 hours of training as mandated by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to practice sterile compounding, like making IV bags in their future practice. The current lab was remodeled to include five state-of-the-art laminar flow hoods similar to those currently being used at hospital pharmacies. A new video recording system in each hood will capture the techniques of the students and allow the students and instructors to review their process for feedback. And the donation also allowed for the addition of a touchless sink, soap dispenser and paper towel dispenser station to teach students proper hand-washing techniques before entering a sterile space.

In appreciation of their generous support, the lab will now be known as the Stonegate Pharmacy Sterile Compounding Laboratory.

As stated by Dr. David Maize, dean of the UIW Feik School of Pharmacy, “When I became Dean, it was my goal to renovate this aging laboratory to a state-of-the-art facility to better prepare our students to practice in a real-world setting. With the generosity of Drs. Andy Ruiz and Rene Garza, partners of Stonegate Pharmacy, students are now able to do this.”

According to Dr. Rene Garza, CEO/Founder of Stonegate Pharmacy, and Dr. Andy Ruiz, president of Stonegate Pharmacy, this gift is an investment in patient care that will pay off for the community for years to come. “At Stonegate Pharmacy, we believe that the future of pharmacy depends on empowering the next generation of pharmacists with the tools, training and technology they need to succeed,” says Garza. “Donating a sterile compounding lab to the Feik School of Pharmacy at the University of the Incarnate Word is our way of giving back to the profession that has given so much to us. It’s an investment in excellence, innovation and the continued advancement of patient care.”

With locations in San Antonio and Austin, Stonegate Pharmacy has been creating personalized medications and serving their communities since 2007. Stonegate specializes in both sterile and non-sterile compounding whether that be sterile injections, custom creams or capsules.

The UIW Feik School of Pharmacy offers a supportive environment for its four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree and the certificate program for pharmacy technicians. It is the only faith-based pharmacy school in Texas and focuses on the underserved community. The Feik School of Pharmacy consistently ranks among the top three programs in the nation to graduate Hispanic pharmacists.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Valdes, Media and Public Relations Manager, Office of Communications & Brand Marketing, (210) 829-6001, (210) 422-4052 or michael.valdes@uiwtx.edu