Scholarships enabled West Virginia University School of Pharmacy alumna Patricia A. Rohman to earn her degree and pursue a fulfilling career in the pharmaceutical industry. Now, she is empowering the next generation to succeed with an endowed scholarship to benefit future students.
Rohman, of Arnold, Maryland, graduated from WVU with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in 1990. Today, she leads the managed markets liaison team for Otsuka Pharmaceutical within the U.S.
Rohman provided a personal gift of $25,000 to establish the Patricia A. Rohman Pharmacy Scholarship, which will be awarded to PharmD students in good academic standing with demonstrated financial need. A match from her employer will provide additional funds to enhance the endowment.
“Dr. Rohman’s generous contribution of an endowed scholarship reflects her professional success, which inspires our students,” William Petros, dean of the WVU School of Pharmacy, said. “At the same time, her story is a powerful reminder that scholarships do more than provide financial support — they can change lives. Dr. Rohman’s journey shows us all the lasting impact of opportunity and perseverance.”
Rohman grew up in Fort Ashby, a small town in Mineral County. She first became interested in pharmacy in middle school, when she did a science project comparing aspirin and Tylenol.
After graduating from high school, she initially planned to attend community college for financial reasons — until she received a scholarship to Potomac State College. She later transferred to WVU’s main campus in Morgantown.
“I had multiple scholarships when I was at West Virginia University,” Rohman said. “That provided me the opportunity to be able to pursue pharmacy. When I was in pharmacy school, my mom passed away. If I had not had those scholarships, I would not have been able to finish. That’s my inspiration.”
While she was a quiet student, Rohman appreciated the small group environment within the WVU School of Pharmacy as well as the opportunities for interprofessional education.
She started working for Peoples Drug, a boutique community pharmacy chain, as a student intern and planned to enter its management development program until the company was sold to CVS in 1990. She then worked for Kmart, where she began partnering with industry to sponsor portions of a biannual meeting she organized for company pharmacists.
From there, Rohman shifted to industry roles, working as a pharmaceutical and institutional sales representative for Bayer, an immunology clinical specialist for Centocor, and a senior executive academic specialist for Johnson & Johnson before joining Otsuka as a managed markets liaison.
Along the way, Rohman has expanded her education by earning her doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and a master’s degree in business administration from Johns Hopkins University. Yet, she remains dedicated to WVU.
“I’ve received other degrees from other schools, but my heart belongs to West Virginia,” Rohman said.
Rohman met her husband, Gary S. Hambrecht, at a WVU alumni event. She also remains engaged with the School of Pharmacy and recently met with students on the Morgantown campus.
Although most of them discussed working in retail, Rohman is eager to highlight the diverse job options within the field of pharmacy.
“I think there’s a great opportunity to show there are career paths outside the traditional,” she said.
Rohman’s gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University, in conjunction with WVU Day of Giving. This year’s event, held March 26, raised a record $46.2 million from more than 10,300 gifts.