The University of Connecticut has been awarded the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) prestigious Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award for its commitment to addressing unmet community needs through education, practice and research.
“In times such as the current pandemic, the impact of excellence in all dimensions becomes even more obvious and needed. AACP’s award recipients exemplify excellence in teaching, research and service with far reaching impact here and around the world,” said AACP CEO and Executive Vice President Lucinda L. Maine, Ph.D., R.Ph. The recipients of AACP’s awards are at the forefront of healthcare professions education and through their work are advancing pharmacy innovation, enhancing patient care and adding value to the healthcare system.
“This recognition rightfully places UConn School of Pharmacy among the most impactful schools of pharmacy in the nation. The faculty, staff, and students’ care for their communities is evident in the broad scope of their contributions across the state. I congratulate the School of Pharmacy on this well-deserved honor,” says Carl Lejuez, UConn Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“We have a long history of caring in the School of Pharmacy but the breadth and intensity of our faculty and student community engagement interactions have only increased over time,” says C. Michael White, Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “Working closely with dedicated state agencies and community partners, we have positively impacted the general public through the media and provided valuable services to those who need additional support to overcome health disparities such as the homeless, refugees, migrant farmworkers and residents in our inner cities. We are blessed to be part of a university that takes its responsibility to improve the health and wellbeing of our fellow citizens so seriously.”
“We are honored and humbled to be recognized by the academy [AACP] in this way. The Lawrence C. Weaver Community Engaged Service Award award represents the dedication and commitment of our faculty, staff, and students who devote time and professional passion in area of community engagement,” says Philip Hritcko, Dean. “I am appreciative of the effort so many made to help our School present our initiatives to the AACP team reviewing the candidates. Students, community members, faculty, and government representatives came together on our behalf to present our transformative community partnerships and state agency partnerships.” They include:
Carl W. Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs · Jeffrey Shoulson, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs · Tysen Kendig, Vice President for Communications · C. Michael White, Head, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor
Devra K. Dang, Associate Clinical Professor · Bennett Doughty, UConn Alum ’16, Clinical Assistant Professor, Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences · Nicholas DeFilippo – Urban Health Scholar, Urban Service Track, Pharm.D. candidate Class of 2021 · Charles Barrett, Resident Service Coordinator Team Leader, Juniper Hill Village
Jill M. Fitzgerald, Director of Experiential Learning and Continuing Professional Development, Associate Clinical Professor · Erin Emons, UConn Alum ‘18, Pharmacist, VA Boston · Matt Merola, UConn Alum ‘17, Pharmacist, Yale New Haven Health System · Samantha Troy, Pharm.D. candidate Class of 2021
Marie A. Smith, Assistant Dean for Practice and Public Policy Partnerships · Vicki Veltri, Executive Director, Connecticut Office of Health Strategy
Thomas E. Buckley, Research Professor · Theanvy Kuoch, Executive Director, Khmer Health Advocates · Mary Scully, Program Director, Khmer Health Advocates · Connor Walker, UConn Alum ’18, PGY-1 resident, Waterbury Hospital
Nathaniel M. Rickles, Associate Dean and Associate Professor · Stephanie Moran, Primary Prevention Services Coordinator, CT Department of Mental Health & Addition Services & Health Promotion Division · Chelsea Vozzolo, CT Early Detection & Prevention Program (CEDPP), CT WISEWOMAN Program Manager, Connecticut Department of Public Health · Chioma (Oma) Ogazi, Supervisor and Nurse Consultant, Comprehensive Cancer Program, Connecticut Department of Public Health, CT Early Detection & Prevention Program · Rodrick (Rod) Marriott, Director, Department of Consumer Protection, CT Drug Control · Matt Jenings, UConn Alum ’11, Site Manager, Genoa Healthcare · Bryan Hubel, Pharmacist, Genoa Healthcare Students · Maria Latta, Class of 2022, P3 Student · Mi Phan, Class of 2023, P2 Student
Fei Wang, Associate Clinical Professor · Christina Polomoff, Assistant Clinical Professor ·Marissa Salvo, · Stephanie Gernant, Assistant Professor · Sean Jeffery, Clinical Professor
Kim Hopkins, Department of Pharmacy Practice · Meg Tartsinis, Dean’s Office · Karin Whiting Burgess, Communications
The School would like to also congratulate the other AACP award winners in the 2021 group of awardees:
Brian Erstad, Pharm.D., of the University of Arizona; William R. Doucette, Ph.D., of the University of Iowa; Carston “Rick” Wagner, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota; Victoria F. Roche, Ph.D., of Creighton University; the group, Jamie Kellar, Pharm.D., University of Toronto, Canada; Elis Paradis, Ph.D., University of Toronto, Canada; Cees P.M. van der Vleuten, Ph.D., Maastricht University, Netherlands; Mirjam G.A. oude Egbrink, Ph.D., Maastricht University, Netherlands; and Zubin Austin, Ph.D., MISc, University of Toronto, Canada.
All recipients will be honored at AACP’s annual meeting, Virtual Pharmacy Education 2021, July 19-22, 2021.
Founded in 1900, AACP is the national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education. AACP is comprised of 142 accredited schools with pharmacy degree programs, including more than 6,700 faculty, 61,000 students enrolled in professional programs and 6,000 individuals pursuing graduate study. To learn more about AACP, visit www.aacp.org.
