The Science of Giving Back: Pamela Simonton

In both her medical and law careers, alumna Pamela Simonton grew accustomed to being the only woman in the room.

Her time at Barry College gave Pamela the confidence to persevere. The rigorous curriculum, taught by nuns with Ph.D.s, and the all-female environment opened lots of doors for her. "I took away a very strong education, and a really strong sense of myself," she says.

It was something Pamela would rely on for decades as she continuously pressed against the glass ceiling. Her bachelor of science in chemistry launched her career as a ground-breaking practitioner of nuclear medicine. She was a fierce advocate for the technology, earning certifications and a master's degree, and training technicians and presenting to medical personnel and the public.

When Pamela was ready for a new challenge, she headed to law school and found her vocation at the intersection of health sciences and law. During her tenure at Bayer Pharmaceutical as head of the patent department, and later at Exelixis, she successfully secured several hundred patents. "We were working on cutting-edge therapies for hemophiliacs," she says. "It was an exciting time of helping people."

Pamela's passion for STEM fields and her deep admiration for two sisters—Sister Mary Arnold Benedetto, who worked in administration, and Sister Marie Joannes O'Donnell, a science professor—inspired Pamela to establish a scholarship at Barry University in their honor. "I was on the forefront of a lot of places because of the strong science background I received at Barry," she says.

Support Future Leaders

Like Pamela, your planned gift or scholarship can help change students' lives and inspire them to give back in many positive ways. To learn more, contact Smilka Melgoza at 305-981-8182 or smelgoza@barry.edu.