Robert Osterhaus, BSPh ’52, will be one of three recipients of honorary doctorates from the University of Iowa for their distinguished contributions to public service during the University’s commencement ceremonies in May 2012.

Osterhaus will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree. An independent community pharmacy owner since 1965, he is a strong advocate for patient-focused pharmaceutical care, pharmacy education, and the pharmacy profession.

Osterhaus has mentored countless students and professionals. His business, Osterhaus-Snyder Pharmacy in Maquoketa, Iowa, is a leading community clerkship site for the UI College of Pharmacy, and has earned national recognition for its patient-centered approach and emphasis on the pharmacist's role in health care.

Osterhaus has served as board president for the Iowa Pharmacists Association; chair of the state Board of Pharmacy Examiners; president of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the American Pharmacists Association; and a member of the executive committee for the International Pharmaceutical Federation Community Pharmacy Section and the Governor's Medical Home Advisory Council for the Iowa Department of Public Health. He's received dozens of state, national, and international awards.

He also served four terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003, contributing his perspective as a health care professional and shaping legislative initiatives like the HAWK-I insurance plan for children from low-income families.
Former Iowa governor Robert Ray and former Iowa Board of Regents president Stanley Redeker will also receive honorary degrees.

A committee of UI faculty receives nominations for honorary degrees and forwards recommendations to the university's provost and president. The Iowa Board of Regents reviews and approves honorary degree requests.