b'James L. HodgesWhen James L. Hodges graduated from the MedicalToday,hespeakstoyoungpeople,oftencollege UniversityofSouthCarolinaCollegeofPharmacystudentsabouttheimportanceofchoosinghealth fiftyyearsagoin1971,sciencecareers.So hemadehistoryasthemanyAfricanAmerican firstAfricanAmericantocommunitieslackhealth earnadegreeinpharmacycareprofessionalsnurses, fromMUSC.InMayofdoctors,dentistsandyes, thisyear,theCollegeofpharmacists.Tothatend, PharmacyhonoredHodgesMUSC,announcedatthe with its 2021 DistinguishedDistinguishedAlumnus Alumnus Award, the highestprogramhonoringHodges alumnirecognition.Thethecreationofanendowed Awardpaystributetothescholarship,TheJamesL. recipientsprofessionalHodges Alumni Association impactandintheirimpactScholarship,toassistwith inthecommunity.Hodgesneed-basedscholarshipsto gavethekeynoteaddressatunderrepresentedminority theawardprogramheldatstudentsatMUSCCollege theGaillardAuditoriuminof Pharmacy.Charleston. HodgesinterestinAlong-timememberof pharmacydatesbacktoOmegaPsiPhiFraternity, hisundergraduatedaysasInc.,SCPharmacy astudentatthenClaflinAssociation,Springtown College in Orangeburg.HeUnitedMethodistChurch worked at several drug storesAfter graduating from MUSC, James HodgesandDorchesterCounty asastudentwhichsparkedworked as a pharmacist for a variety of drugSchoolDistrictFourBoard, hisinterestinpharmacy.stores, before opening his own pharmacy. Hodgescontinuestogive Aftergraduatingin1967backtohiscommunity from Claflin with a Bachelorinmanyways.His of Science Degree in Biology, he knew pharmacy wasaccomplishmentshaveservedasmotivationtothe theprofessionhewantedtopursueandenrolledatyoungandold.Hodgesandhiswifeof51years, the MUSC College of Pharmacy.JanieM.Hodges,have5adultchildrenand11 grandchildren. The couple resides in St. George. After graduating from MUSC, Hodges worked as a pharmacist for a variety of drug stores, before openingIMARA Woman salutes Dr. Lester Agyei McCorn, hisownpharmacy,CashDiscountDrugStore,Inc.Colonel Christopher Williamson and James Hodges for inSt.George,SC.Hodgesownedandoperatedtheir phenomenal leadership and their unselfish dedication hispharmacyfor30yearsbeforeretiringin2014.to our community. Save The Dates - FREE Event!Saturday, Sept. 11 -Eastover, SCSaturday, Oct. 2 - Pinewood, SCSaturday, Oct. 23 - Laurens, SCRegister at imarawoman.com14IMARA'