Holmes receives Honorary Life Award

     Dr. Thomas J. Holmes Jr., associate dean for Academic Affairs and professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Campbell University School of Pharmacy, received an Honorary Life Award from the Pharmacy Alumni Association in appreciation of his commitment to the School of Pharmacy. The award was presented during the annual alumni reunion weekend held in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
     “We wanted to honor Dr. Holmes because he has such a special role at the School of Pharmacy,” remarked Julianna Parish, president of the Pharmacy Alumni Association. “Every student will agree that Holmes goes the extra mile to get to know each student on a personal level.”
     Whether teaching a class, serving as the associate dean, or working with one of the student organizations on campus, Holmes has always been known to go behind the scenes to get things done without expecting anything in return. He is committed to reinforcing what the School of Pharmacy stands for by not only teaching the technical skills of pharmacy but interacting with students as well, getting to know each student individually and having their best interest at heart.
     “The most satisfying part of my job is seeing the students develop from the time they enter into the School of Pharmacy to their graduation, “explained Holmes. “When I see their class pictures, I see the individual instead of the whole group because I have the chance to personally interact with each student and watch them grow.”
     Another way in which Holmes gets to know students at the School of Pharmacy is through his wife Alyce Holmes, manager of Pharmacy Services at Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital and a preceptor for Campbell University. In this position, she works with the students building an additional relationship with them.
     A candidate is nominated for the Honorary Life Award by a pharmacy alumni association member and presented to the board of directors for an official vote. To be nominated for this award the individual must have shown his or her personal dedication to the students and alumni of the School of Pharmacy. The recipient receives a plaque, membership lapel pin and a lifetime membership to the association.
     A native of Pittsburg, Pa., Holmes completed his B.S. degree in pharmacy at Duquesne University in 1971 and became licensed to practice pharmacy at that time. He completed his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Michigan in 1975. Holmes spent three years as a postdoctoral research associate in the Chemistry Department at the University of Chicago (1975-78) before joining the research staff at Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp. (Raritan, N.J.) as a senior research scientist in the departments of Chemistry and Immunosciences. After two years in industry, he accepted a position as assistant professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. In 1987 he moved to the new School of Pharmacy at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C.

Photo Copy: Dr. Thomas Holmes, associate dean for Academic Affairs at Campbell University’s School of Pharmacy.