The Grand Legacy: Honoring Zada Cooper Through Scholarship, Service, and Leadership

This year marked a new era for the University of Iowa (UI) College of Pharmacy in honoring pioneer Zada Mary Cooper, alumna and former faculty member. For the past 10 years, the college has hosted an annual symposium bearing Cooper’s name, featuring national speakers and breakout sessions focused on leadership and well-being topics.

In March, Zada Cooper was elevated to the national stage at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) annual meeting through a partnership between APhA, the APhA Foundation, and the UI College of Pharmacy. Metta Lou Henderson was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Zada Cooper Leadership Award and delivered the Domer Distinguished Lecture. The event was hosted by the APhA Foundation during the Women in Pharmacy Leadership Development Forum session.

Locally, programming continued — but in a new way. Zada LEADS (Leadership, Education, Advocacy, Distinction, and Service), held on May 2, included an open house service-learning fair, hosted by SafeNetRx. Founded in 2001, the nonprofit’s mission is to rescue unused and unexpired medications and redirect them to patients who cannot afford them. Since its founding, 268 health care facilities across the United States have donated medicine and medical supplies, helping provide free medication to more than 172,000 underserved patients. The purpose of the service-learning fair was to increase awareness of the organization’s services and highlight opportunities for community engagement and support. The event also connected attendees with meaningful opportunities to serve vulnerable patient populations.

“It is an absolute honor for SafeNetRx to be part of Zada Cooper LEADS. Seeing the clinical excellence and leadership in attendance underscores why our partnership with the University of Iowa is so critical. SafeNetRx operates on the premise that medicine belongs with patients, not in landfills. By engaging with these high-achieving students and faculty, we are fostering the next generation of advocates who will push the boundaries of pharmacy leadership to ensure no patient goes without the care and medicine they deserve,” said Jon Rosmann, CEO of SafeNetRx.

The Zada LEADS event also featured a meaningful leadership component, recognizing two exceptional student leaders who embody the values and spirit of Zada Cooper. The Zada Cooper Leadership Award was created to honor one Doctor of Pharmacy student and one graduate student who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their commitment to service and their ability to inspire and motivate others—both within their peer groups and broader community—reflecting the principles that define the Zada Cooper legacy.

Siddhanth Hejmady, is a fourth-year graduate student in pharmaceutics with a Bachelor of Pharmacy and master’s in pharmacy from his home country of India. He was nominated by Associate Professor Reza Nejadnik. “From the earliest days of his PhD, Siddhanth demonstrated natural leadership. Serving as lab management lead, he excels in identifying needs, guiding decisions, and helping establish efficient systems that continue to benefit the entire group.
His leadership was not tied to title or position; rather, he demonstrated that leadership comes from the level of responsibility one chooses to take on, regardless of formal role. His leadership, within the lab, the college, the profession, and the broader student community, reflects exceptional maturity, initiative, and impact,” wrote Nejadnik.

Josephine (Josie) Vonderhaar is a UI Doctor of Pharmacy student who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdepartmental Studies (Health Science Track) in 2024. Vonderhaar was nominated by Clinical Professor Michael Ernst. “Josie exemplifies the highest leadership qualities throughout all of the different facets of her academic, work, and professional life, consistent with the legacy of Zada Cooper. I can confidently state without any doubt that Josie is probably the most well-rounded student I have been fortunate to mentor and work closely with. And perhaps what is most impressive about all of Josie’s leadership involvement, is that it has not come at the expense of her maintaining high academic standards for herself.”

Reinforcing the day’s themes, alumna and invited speaker Susan Winckler, ’92 BSPh, JD, CEO of the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA, spoke passionately about advocacy and the power of community service. Through the metaphor of rowing, she illustrated how leadership depends on working in sync — and reminded attendees of the profound distinction that comes from dedicating oneself to helping others.

Finally, Zada LEADS recognized scholarship donors and honored student scholarship recipients. Donors and students were invited to a luncheon where they had an opportunity to connect.