Butler Day of Giving 2026

Butler University’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences will soon be renamed the College of Health Professions, effective June 1, 2026. In line with Boldly Butler, the University’s strategic vision and fundraising campaign, this change reflects our proven track record of innovation and producing first-choice graduates from our cornerstone Pharmacy, Physician Assistant (PA), and Health Sciences programs. This change also paves the way for new academic programs and experiential learning opportunities, strengthens partnerships in healthcare, and fosters more intentional community impact.

In fall 2025, we launched a new BS in Nursing with 48 students and a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences with 12 students. We are launching a BS in Respiratory Therapy in Fall 2026, an MS in Nursing in Fall 2027, with additional programs in the health professions expected soon after. In seven years, the College of Health Professions will have added 10 new programs, doubled enrollment to over 2,000 students, and doubled our faculty and staff to more than 180. Outside the classroom, and thanks to generous donor funding, we are piloting a Pharmacy Trek to Boston in March 2026, which will take 16 students on site visits to leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies. We are prepared to claim our title as the leading educator of practice-ready health professionals across our state, region, and beyond!

Many of the new programs we are exploring will focus on up-skilling and advancing careers with a wider scope of healthcare partners. With an emphasis on intergenerational and inter-professional experiences, embracing new learning technologies in virtual and augmented realities, high-fidelity simulations, and artificial intelligence, we will build a community of next-generation leaders in healthcare. 

We aim to deepen engagement with local communities, preparing students to address both patient care and social drivers of health, enabling them to provide better care and enrich the communities they serve. Faculty, staff, career mentors, community partners, and you, as donors, provide the critical and holistic support our students need to thrive in the classroom and in the community, and to create a positive impact beyond.

On this Day of Giving 2026, we invite you to join us as we write our boldest chapter yet!

COPHS Featured Initiatives

COPHS Community Outreach Pharmacy – Did you know that Butler Pharmacy students, in partnership with Indiana University, run a free, volunteer-led healthcare clinic on the east side of Indianapolis? Your support of this fund provides life-saving medications and essential medical supplies for our Indianapolis neighbors. This year, gifts made to BUCOP will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $2,500 by Dean’s Advisory Council member Dr. Kimberly Sterling!

COPHS Annual Scholarships – The cost to educate a practice-ready healthcare professional can be a challenge for many students and their families. This fund provides critical and immediately spendable scholarships, reducing the financial burden and giving students who might otherwise not have access to a Butler education an opportunity for a rewarding career in healthcare.

COPHS Experiential Learning – Our students graduate practice-ready. We achieve this by providing quality clinical and specialty rotations, supporting their attendance at professional conferences, interacting with leaders in healthcare, participating in career exploration trips, and much, much more. This year, 10 or more gifts made in support of Experiential Learning will unlock $5,000 from Thomas & Christina Grusecki!

COPHS Dean’s Priority Needs Fund – This fund gives Dean Robert Soltis the flexibility to readily adapt and respond to emerging needs of the College. This year, gifts made to any College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences fund will be matched by Dean Soltis dollar-for-dollar up to $2,500 to the Dean's Priority Needs Fund!