David Foreman, a 1987 graduate of the College of Pharmacy, has built a successful career as The Herbal Pharmacist®, using a popular radio show and multimedia education to explain how anyone can blend natural remedies with traditional medicine. His passion for integrating the best of both worlds has made him a well-known and respected voice in the field of pharmacy.
Foreman’s deep connection to the College of Pharmacy shines in the many ways he gives back, whether through his named scholarship endowment, supporting the annual white coat ceremony or participating in Give4Garnet. His generosity proves the power of alumni giving and the difference it makes in the lives of students. As a member of the Carolina Guardian Society, Foreman’s commitment highlights how legacy gifts will shape the future.
“I try to support it any way I can,” Foreman says. “Everybody that's a graduate of the University of South Carolina is where they are today in large part because of those years spent at the university. You may not be doing what you studied, but it was a launch pad.”
Now, with a deep sense of gratitude for the education that shaped him, Foreman is
committed to giving back to the university that laid the foundation for his unique
approach to health care.
As a student, Foreman never expected his career to move beyond traditional pharmacy.
He had a clear vision to open his own store and the assistant dean at the time helped
him take upper-level business courses to make that vision a reality.
“They were very supportive of the path I wanted to go on and really gave us a broad vision of pharmacy,” Foreman says.
After a decade of running a thriving pharmacy, a visit with his health-conscious brother-in-law sparked a new direction. Inspired by the power of natural products, he revamped his inventory, making room for herbs and supplements. This reshaped his career path, leading him to become a multimedia educator in the world of natural medicine.
Healing Through Nature and Giving
“Pharmacists are the No. 1 point of contact,” Foreman says. “If somebody has a health issue, they go to their pharmacist before they go anywhere else. We're in health care because we know what that means, it means you care for people.”
Foreman founded The Herbal Pharmacist® to educate others on natural health, including hosting a Sirius/XM radio show. Recognizing the need for better nutritional products, he launched a company focused on educating product formulators about natural ingredients with proven clinical effectiveness.
“I want to leave this legacy where people will see why they should be open to this natural health thing,” Foreman says. “It does fit with hospital pharmacy and retail pharmacy. At the end of the day, we're trying to help people get back the health they lost or keep the health they have.”
Foreman says his pharmacy degree allows him to understand the pharmaceutical and natural side of treatment options. Although he traded his traditional pharmacy coat for the title of Herbal Pharmacist, his commitment to the College of Pharmacy white coat fund continues every year. He believes every donation is like writing a prescription for a future filled with opportunity and innovation for the next generation of pharmacists.
“It's always really good to go back and meet the students and let them know that there are alumni here to support them, that they're not in this thing alone, that we've been there, we've done that,” Foreman says. “We know the joy and the pain that goes along with it.”
Though Foreman retired his popular radio show, his voice is still heard nationwide through television and radio appearances, as well as his active blog and social media presence. As a sought-after speaker, he lectures around the globe at conferences or webinars and has written numerous books.
He credits his education at Carolina for enhancing his critical-thinking and communication skills—a foundation that helps him educate people about the best products for their well-being.
“I still use my pharmacy degree every day in what I do, and I think that is the biggest
blessing,” Foreman says.
Foreman hopes his support of the College of Pharmacy through his endowment and Guardian
Society planned giving will continue to plant seeds that grow new pathways for students
and shape a healthier future. “My goal was really to be able to have it pay for at
least one person's tuition for every year after I'm gone,” says Foreman.
As Foreman continues to educate the world on natural remedies, his heart remains firmly rooted in the place that started it all.
“I love to give to USC, but I don't like being public about it, but I know that it makes a big difference to other people to see other stories of why people give back. I hope there might be part of my story that resonates with somebody else and inspires them to give,” Foreman says.