University of Mississippi Pharmacy School Honors Distinguished, Early Career Alumni

Marion, Valentine, and Vest recognized at annual banquet

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy celebrated three of its alumni during the school’s recent Alumni Weekend awards banquet.

Those recognized were Robert Marion and Jimmie Valentine, both receiving the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award, and Mary-Haston Vest, who received the 2023 Early Career Alumni Award.

Marion earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Ole Miss in 1976. He credits retired pharmacy professor Marvin Wilson for mentorship and guidance that helped influence the direction of his future career.

“Ole Miss pharmacy provided a comprehensive and rigorous academic environment to teach the subjects we must know to be pharmacists,” he said. “More importantly, the professors provided time, mentorship and guidance to help me consider questions and topics I learned of during our studies and wanted to explore more fully.”

Marion went on to earn his doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences from Mercer University. Upon completion of his education, he worked for several years as a pharmacist before transitioning to the industry side of the profession.

His career encompassed analytical expertise, quality control, drug substance, and drug product development, and drug product project management, leading to global product approvals. He brought more than 20 products to market before his retirement from Novartis in 2012.

Following retirement, Marion returned to Mississippi and began lecturing as an adjunct associate professor in pharmaceutics and drug delivery for the UM School of Pharmacy.

“Receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Pharmacy is quite an honor and I deeply appreciate it,” he said. “It has prompted me to think about how, following graduation, I was able to serve patients on the front lines as a pharmacist and, later, in the pharmaceutical industry serving patients across the globe, and now teaching students using the experiences and observations I’ve had.”

Valentine, the school’s second 2023 Distinguished Alumni honoree, earned his master’s degree in medicinal chemistry from the university in 1964 and his doctorate in 1968.

“I got a wonderful education with a very good foundation in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry and other areas because of the rigorous curriculum,” he said.

“I had wonderful professors who prepared me to think independently and assess any kind of scientific endeavor I was going to be involved in. I got a well-rounded education from professors who inspired me to continue to learn.”

Valentine retired in 2008 from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine after 19 years as professor of pediatrics, pharmacology, and myeloma research. In his last five years before retirement, Valentine served as chair of the Institutional Review Board at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which oversees all the human research in the various colleges and veterans’ hospitals.

Earlier in his career, he was a member of the faculty at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine and Oral Roberts University School of Medicine. As a faculty member at each institution, he also directed toxicology labs and conducted active research programs.

Valentine is considered a pioneer in utilizing gas and liquid chromatography for analysis of human physiological fluids and tissues. He has published 61 articles in peer-reviewed scientific and medical literature, 12 monographs in forensic newsletters and 16 chapters in various books, and is co-author of three books.

In 2017, the pharmacy school honored Valentine with the Joseph Sam Distinguished Alumnus Award.

“Receiving the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award now from the School of Pharmacy means a little bit of everything,” Valentine said. “I hold the time I was at Ole Miss in such high esteem. Everything I’ve accomplished academically or professionally since then is owed to the educational background afforded me at Ole Miss.”

The last award given at this year’s banquet was the Early Career Alumni Award, presented to Vest, a system director of pharmacy with University of North Carolina Health and an associate professor of clinical education at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

As director, Vest leads the Medication Management and Optimization, Pharmacy Analytics and Outcomes, and Strategic Sourcing and Drug Shortages teams, which provide support across the 17-hospital health system.

“I have immense gratitude to the school, faculty and staff for recognizing me with this honor,” Vest said. “I attribute where I am today to the educational foundation I received at the School of Pharmacy, and I am so thankful for all that was invested in me as a student.”

She earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences from the university in 2013 and her doctoral degree in 2016. Her professional interests include improving patient care through research to demonstrate the value of pharmacy services while furthering innovation within the profession.

From her time as a student until now, Vest has earned a host of awards and recognitions, most recently earning the ASHP Leadership Award and being part of the teams recognized with two ASHP Best Practices awards.

“These alumni are remarkable people who have been successful in their careers and continued to give back to the School of Pharmacy,” said Donna Strum, UM pharmacy dean. “I am so proud to count them among our alumni.”