For Immediate Release

Contact: John M. Martino
Phone Number:  (215) 895-1186
Date: 05/15/01

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Presents Annual Alumni Awards

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia recently presented its Annual Alumni Awards to six deserving individuals.  The awards were presented at USP's Annual Alumni Reunion and Dinner Dance.  The award recipients are: Dr. William R. Fair (Annual Alumni Award), Elizabeth A. Fusco (Ivor Griffith Service Award), Victoria Rehill Elliott (Young Alumnus Award), Dr. Charles W. Gibley Jr. (Honorary Alumnus Award), John B. Rush (Athletic Hall of Fame) and Margaret M. McEvilly (Atletic Hall of Fame).

Annual Alumni Award

Dr. William R. Fair
B.S., Pharmacy, 1956

The Annual Alumni Award is bestowed on an alumnus who has been distinguished through contributions in outstanding fashion to a profession, science and/or mankind.

Dr. Fair is world renowned as a urologic oncologist and surgeon.  He recently retired after 16 years at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he held the Florence and Theodore Baumritter/Enid Ancell Chair of Urologic Oncology and directed the John and Robert Bendheim Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Center.  He formerly served as chief of urologic surgery.  Currently he is emeritus professor of urology at the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, member emeritus at Sloan-Kettering, and Chairman of the Board of Haelth, LLC, a New York-based complementary and medicine center.

He earned his B.S. in pharmacy at USP and MD from Jefferson Medical College, and served as intern and general surgery resident in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning.  He received his urology training at Stanford University Medical Center, where he served as associate professor of urology.  He subsequently was named chairman of the Division of Urology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO.  He was also recently appointed to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Ivor Griffith Service Award

Elizabeth A. Fusco
B.S., Pharmacy, 1963

The Ivor Griffith Service Award is bestowed annually upon an alumnus who is distinguished through voluntarily giving his/her time and service in outstanding fashion to the University either directly or through participation in the USP Alumni Association.

Fusco was employed at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals in Philadelphia from 1969-1999.  As manager of Formula Administration, Quality Assurance, Worldwide Supply Operations, she issued all documentation needed to produce products and chemicals at two facilities and maintained product histories, bulk labeling and computer inventory systems as well as serving as product complaint manager.

Since her graduation from USP, she has been an active member of the Alumni Association.  She served as president of the Association from 1995-1997, as secretary for many years, and as an active member of the Reunion, Nominating, Awards, Bylaws and Student/Alumni Activities Committees.  For the past four years she has served as an alumni representative on the University's Board of Trustees and is a member of the Advancement Committee.

Young Alumnus Award

Victoria Rehill Elliot
B.S., Pharmacy, 1987

The Young Alumnus Award is bestowed annually on an alumnus who has received a degree within the last 15 years and has been distinguished through contributions in outstanding fashion to his/her profession, science and/or mankind.

Elliott is the executive vice president of the Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists (PSHP) and the Center for Proper Medication Use, the PSHP's education and research foundation.  Previously, she was the professional practice associate on staff at PSHP, responsible for coordinating professional practice and legislative initiatives of the Society.  She is a registered pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where she practiced pediatric pharmacy for six years in the Jefferson Health System of Philadelphia before serving as assistant director of pharmacy at Hahnemann University Hospital.

Elliott also serves as placement coordinator for USP, responsible for the annual recruitment week, maintaining the job board and placement web page, and consulting students and alumni on job searches and career planning.  She also coordinates the Drexel-USP Pharmacy MBA Program at USP.

She received a B.S. in pharmacy at USP and an MBA in Health and Medical Services at Widener University.

Honorary Alumnus Award

Dr. Charles W. Gibley, Jr.

The Honorary Alumnus Award is bestowed annually upon a non-alumnus who has shown exemplary dedication and commitment to the mission of USP.

Dr. Gibley will retire on June 30 after 17 years as dean of USP's Misher College of Arts and Sciences.  He joined the University in August 1984 after serving as dean and chief academic officer of the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine for 16 years.  He received a B.S. from Villanova University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in embryology from Iowa State University.  Former USP President Allen Misher assigned Dr. Gibley the responsibility of building the University's Arts and Sciences Division.  Misher College now supports a core curriculum, major undergraduate degree programs in nine disciplines, and opportunities for students to minor in 17 specialized areas of study.  Along the way, Dr. Gibley provided leadership in the development of the Graduate School, the founding of the Teaching and Learning Center and the State Application for University Status.  

Dr. Gibley is a member of the American Conference of Academic Deans, the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences and the American Association of Higher Education.

Athletic Hall of Fame

John B. Bush
B.S., Pharmacy, 1981

Induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame is an honor bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated outstanding career accomplishments, leadership and commitment to his/her sport.  Rush is currently the president and CEO of Micro Therapeutics, Inc., a device company focused on minimally invasive treatment of hemorrhagic stroke (cerebral aneurysms and arterial venous malformations).

While at USP, he was a varsity letter winner in three sports. He played on the men's basketball team for four years, starting in all 96 games.  He was captain of the team in his senior year, scoring 1,319 total points in four years, one of the top-20 scorers in school history.  He was named to the All-NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) District-19 Team in both his junior and senior year. He was a member of the 1978 USP team that played in the Cinzano SCP International Tournament held in London, England.

Rush was also a starter for the men's baseball team for four years. Playing in a total of 72 games, he had a career batting average of .390 and won 45 games as a pitcher.  He was a team captain and was named to the All-NAIA District 19 Team in his senior year.  During his senior year, Rush was also a recipient of a varsity letter in golf.  He was a three‑time winner of the Annual Alumni Golf Tournament after graduation.

Athletic Hall of Fame

Margaret M. McEvilly
B.S., Pharmacy, 1987

Induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame is an honor bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated outstanding career accomplishments, leadership and commitment to his/her sport.  Dr. McEvilly is a clinical pharmacist in primary care at the Fayetteville Veterans Administration Medical Center in Fayetteville, N.C.

Dr. McEvilly was the impetus behind the formation of the varsity softball program at USP.  She sought out interested students who would be committed enough to play an intercollegiate softball schedule.  She started every game during the three years she played softball and was captain of the team in each of those three seasons.  She was a career .383 hitter.

A natural shortstop, Margaret made the unselfish move to the catcher's position to help the team.  She was the team leader and her contributions to the young squad served as a cornerstone for the future success of the softball program.

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