A 'Monument to Philanthropy'
Together with family and friends, R. Ken Coit celebrated the grand opening of the Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with the special unveiling of a bronze statue in his likeness designed to inspire others to give back.
“What this statue means to me. It’s dedicated to philanthropy. It’s a monument to philanthropy. And I hope it inspires others to give back," Coit said.
More than 150 faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college attended the event to help commemorate the museum grand opening and the 75th anniversary of the Coit College of Pharmacy. It was also the one-year anniversary of Coit and his wife Donna announcing their $50 million gift to the College, which helped fund the creation of new faculty endowed chairs in longevity and neurodegenerative diseases, student scholarships, and dedicated museum space for thousands of pharmaceutical artifacts.
"I can't think of any Wildcat who lives the University of Arizona's values every day more than Ken Coit. Starting with integrity and ending with the Bear Down determination and spirit. That's how he works every day of his life," said University of Arizona President Robert Robbins.
The Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Sciences is a nostalgic look at pharmacy's history and a peak at the future of pharmacy within the health sciences.
Museum guests can experience:
- A recreation of an old-time drug store with period appropriate displays and pharmaceutical artifacts
- Pharmacy's history told through the Great Moments in Pharmacy exhibit, a 2021 Telly Awards Silver Winner production featuring 40 digitized and animated paintings
- A new exhibit for the UpJohn Pharmacy Collection from Disneyland
- A hands-on opportunity to create their own "snake oil" labels for medicine bottles they can display at home.
Established in 1966, the museum is one of the largest collections of its kind in the country. It outgrew its space over the years and much of it was spread throughout the College of Pharmacy.
The bronze statue of the Coit was created by prominent sculptor Bruce Wolfe. The statue stands atop a 6-foot marble pedestal. The statue itself is 9-foot tall and weighs 800 pounds. The making of the bronze statue has been documented by award-winning film maker Doug Reid. Reid has worked with Coit for many years and played a major role in the design and creation of the new museum space.
"Ken's generosity ripples throughout the college and the grand opening of the Coit Museum of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is just one example of his legacy and impact," said Dean Rick Schnellmann, PhD.