A $50 scholarship enabled Pauline Tabachnick to Continue her Education, So She Paid it Forward

Any young woman coming to America from Ukraine at the beginning of the 20th century faced more than her fair share of trials. Pauline Tabachnick’s persistence and determination allowed her to graduate high school in a completely new country, and then attend Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, all only a few years after arriving at 15 years old.

Tabachnick was able to afford her first year of study, but nearly had to leave the school before she could complete her degree. A meeting with PCP’s Dean, Charles Lawall, came at a pivotal time. A $50 scholarship allowed her to finish her degree—awarded, according to Lawall, “on character.”

Like many of USciences’ graduates today, Tabachnick went on to become a community pharmacist. She operated her practice in Brooklyn for many years, and kept her pharmacist’s license up to date until her death. Her time at PCP, and the school’s belief in her, allowed her to carry on in her years in the profession. “When she would question her skills and abilities, she always looked back on the impact Dean Lawall’s scholarship made on her life to move forward,” said Doris Wheeler, Tabachnick’s daughter.

That legacy continues; today the Pauline Tabachnick Rothman Scholarship still provides for women in their final year at PCP who demonstrate exceptional character. “I was inspired by Pauline Tabachnick's story about her unrelenting journey to become a pharmacist. This scholarship allows me the funds to cover educational finances as I start my pharmacy career,” said Bianca Nguyen, PharmD ’20, one of the scholarship’s most recent recipients.

Categories: Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Alumni, Proven Everywhere, History, Bicentennial