The Greatest Gift

Gary and Sharon Van Riper believe an education is the best thing anyone can give.

The couple created an endowed professorship in pharmacy practice, honoring Gary’s decades-long teaching career at SDSU. They hope it helps increase access to high-quality education and addresses workforce needs that Gary encountered during his time in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Van Ripers come from families where education and learning were valued. Gary’s father had an eighth-grade education; his mother graduated from high school. Sharon’s parents were avid Jackrabbits, both attending what was then known as the Aggie School.

The Van Ripers come from families where education and learning were valued. Gary’s father had an eighth-grade education; his mother graduated from high school. Sharon’s parents were avid Jackrabbits, both attending what was then known as the Aggie School.

“Back then, it was not a question of whether I was going to college, but where I was going to go to college,” Gary said. Sharon’s family left no doubt: she’d follow their path and attend SDSU.

Gary was an only child, and his parents expected him to return to their family farm near Aberdeen after college, but trips to a local pharmacy ignited a curiosity he couldn’t shake.

The Van Ripers not only credit SDSU for preparing them for their careers, but for bringing them together. Their paths first crossed working in food service in Grove Commons. “We wouldn’t be the family that we are without this place,” Gary reflected. “We never would have met without SDSU.”

After a few years working in a pharmacy, Gary took the advice of a favorite professor and returned to SDSU to earn his master’s. Dean Ray Hoponen offered Gary four years of work teaching. It evolved into 34 years of service to his alma mater.

Sharon taught home economics at Colman High School. “I loved that what I taught is used every day, whether in formal or informal settings. Everything from money management to cooking… you just don’t realize what kids might take away from your lessons,” Sharon said. “Life is full of teachable moments.”

At SDSU, Gary watched an underdog of a program produce top-tier graduates, regularly ranking among the nation’s best for passing the licensure exam. “Coming from a small, basically rural university with a very under-populated state, we didn’t necessarily have the budget or money (of) other institutions,” Gary said. “In spite of that…we instilled that excellence in our graduates.”

Even with those successes, a gap in service remained. South Dakota had “pharmacy deserts” – areas where access to a pharmacy, and health care in general, was lacking. That was a motivator to create the Gary and Sharon Van Riper Endowed Professorship in Pharmacy Practice.

“Financially, we are in a place where we can attract people that can make a difference in this state once they get here,” Gary said. “They’ll realize the nature of these pharmacy deserts, and the endowment will supply them with the resources and means to fill that gap. My hope is that the person that’s hired for the position, along with the endowment, will help fuel research on how to provide services for those pharmacy deserts.”

Gary and Sharon take pride in teaching and supporting the next generation. “Education is the best gift you can give your children, or anyone’s children for that matter,” Gary said. “Without education, we have no future.”