The Calendar Turns

Finals have been completed and students are headed home for the holidays and the semester break. So far the weather has been relatively mild in Kingston and as a result our new building is progressing rapidly. Many of our Class of 2012 who will soon be leaving the comforts of college life are now thinking in earnest about placements in further post graduate training sites or the practice positions of their choice in community pharmacies, health systems, managed care organizations, public health, military, and other federal agencies. We have others headed to medical school, the pharmaceutical industry and academe from both our Doctor of Pharmacy and other pharmaceutical science graduate programs. In other words, the clock and calendar continue to turn at URI and the age old traditions of educating pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists continue without missing a beat.
Despite the challenges facing humankind around the world, people set goals for themselves, have dreams, seek better lives and do their best to care for others. Your college of pharmacy continues its long history of contributing to students efforts at this and your University steps up its efforts to excel in higher education. Our President and Provost set transformational goals for the University a few years back and we are moving toward achieving the global teaching, research, community outreach, and inclusive diversity milestones they set. This year more than ever, we have seen the spirit and passions of young people attempting to change the world for the better. At the URI College of Pharmacy we are working toward that same end and in health care. Our faculty and students are contributing to improvements in science and practice that will benefit people locally, nationally and even globally.

This spring and fall, we will begin to celebrate the new building platform that the voters of Rhode Island entrusted to our college. We have met their promises of increasing our class size and throughput of scientists and Doctors of Pharmacy. On May 4th, Rhode Island Independence Day, we will hold a grand opening celebration of our new facilities and capabilities. I hope you can attend! Also coming this fall, on September 14th, we will hold a one day Symposium “The Science of Medicines in the 21st Century: Meeting the Challenges of Promoting Human Wellness” which will explore the breath of science and practice issues our college of pharmacy seeks to address. Later in the month, we will hold a 3 day international conference in Kingston “Frontiers in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Global Perspectives (FPS-GP1)” with our collaborating scientists and guests from around the world. Both of these events, we hope to continue in years to come, will help set the true north of our 5 year strategic plan to advance and accelerate our work with the new tools and facilities we have been generously provided.
Our faculty, staff, alumni and friends all contributed to the new building fund and have made this all possible. We thank you for your support in the past and hope you might continue to consider the college in your charitable giving plans in the future. We want to help more students and continue to enhance our new facility with the fixtures and equipment that can continue our growth. Additionally, we are working to honor one key faculty member who gave more than 50 years to the betterment of the college and our students. We continue to raise funds to name our Student and Academic Affairs suite after Dr. Joan M. Lausier, a fitting tribute to one of the college’s best citizens.
I wish you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and a very prosperous New Year. See you in Kingston soon in your new College of Pharmacy.