With 100 years of nationally recognized academic and research excellence already to its credit, the UConn School of Pharmacy is entering its next century with a new name to better reflect the full scope of its comprehensive mission and impact in the field.<\/p>\n
The new name \u2013 the UConn School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences<\/a> \u2013 went into effect Wednesday with a vote from the Board of Trustees<\/a>, which joined the school\u2019s administration, faculty, alumni, and others in supporting the change.<\/p>\n The new name better reflects the school\u2019s comprehensive offerings in training future pharmacists and advancing pharmaceutical sciences through research, graduate education, and innovation that translates into advances in the field.<\/p>\n The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences houses robust programs in pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, outcomes research, regulatory science, and related disciplines, along with the professional Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.<\/p>\n \u201cThe new name more accurately reflects the school\u2019s academic breadth, research intensity, and societal impact while positioning it for continued growth, innovation, and national leadership,\u201d says Philip M. Hritcko, the school\u2019s dean and a clinical professor of pharmacy practice.<\/p>\n The new name also aligns with goals in the school\u2019s Strategic Plan<\/a>, along with those in the University\u2019s overarching Strategic Plan<\/a> to amplify UConn\u2019s work in innovation, economic development, public impact, and global engagement.<\/p>\n The school\u2019s faculty voted unanimously in September in support of the name change, which also garnered the enthusiastic support of the school\u2019s alumni board<\/a> and advisory board<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe concur that the name more accurately reflects the school\u2019s comprehensive academic mission and its significant contributions to the university\u2019s research and innovation portfolio,\u201d says Mary Inguanti, chair of the Dean\u2019s Advisory Board and president of the school\u2019s Alumni Board.<\/p>\n The change has no discernible fiscal impact, nor does it alter academic programs, students\u2019 degree paths, accreditation status, faculty and staff appointments, the school\u2019s organizational structure, or its relationships with external stakeholders such as industry partners and funding agencies.<\/p>\n However, it better captures the breadth of the school\u2019s academic and scientific enterprise, which in turn is expected to elevate its reputation among potential new students, philanthropic supporters, grant funding sources, and prospective faculty hires.<\/p>\n It will also strengthen engagement with the school\u2019s thousands of alumni: \u201c(It) provides clarity and distinction for more than a century of graduates whose careers span clinical practice, industry, academia, and government service,\u201d Inguanti says.<\/p>\n The school has a long and distinguished history<\/a> of education, research, and service dating back 100 years to its start as the Connecticut College of Pharmacy, which opened its doors in October 1925.<\/p>\n The school held its first Commencement in 1927, later changing its name and awarding its first master\u2019s degree in 1951. That was quickly followed by its first Ph.D. in 1953, and later, the school graduated its first Pharm.D. class in 2001.<\/p>\n It also enjoys strong affection and support from its alumni, faculty, and staff.<\/p>\n Last year, Dean Hritcko and his wife, Lorraine, pledged a $5 million planned gift<\/a>, one of the largest in the school\u2019s existence, to support scholarships and other programs. And earlier this month, pharmaceutical leader and philanthropist Jane Hirsh \u201965 (PHARM) made a $250,000 gift<\/a> to the school to seed non-animal research in drug discovery and development, including organ-on-a-chip innovations.<\/p>\n