Dean's Corner

"Summertime — and the livin' is easy"

That's a line from a familiar melody that comes into my mind as I sit down to chat with you for a moment and welcome you to this 2014 summer edition of our pharmacy newsletter.

While the livin' is definitely NOT easy around the Union University School of Pharmacy world, it is definitely a change of pace from the hectic, yet wildly exciting, hustle and bustle involved in winding up the spring semester!

We have now graduated our third class of bright and shining stars, who have been launched into the world of patient care and professional pharmacy advocacy. How proud and hopeful we are for these fine and gifted individuals who have joined the ranks of our profession! We are also completing the first year of our post-graduate training programs this summer, yielding two residency-trained pharmacists and three pharmaceutical sciences fellows. Needless to say, many activities and much excitement and fanfare surround these important milestones. Highlights of some of these activities are included in the pages of this newsletter.

In the midst of the semester, we were privileged to host an ACPE accreditation site team visit and received strong affirmation for our program and glowing comments about our outstanding faculty, preceptors, and students. It is incredibly rewarding and gratifying to have important guests such as these, visit us and validate our work.

Of great significance, a very important and historic transition of leadership also took place at Union University at the end of this semester. The Office of President of this great university transitioned from Dr. David S. Dockery, who has held this important post of leadership for the past 18 years, to Dr. Samuel "Dub" W. Oliver, 16th President of Union University, who formerly held a Vice President position at Baylor University and most recently was President of East Texas Baptist University. Learn more about Dr. Dub Oliver.

The faculty and staff of the School of Pharmacy are indebted to Dr. Dockery for his vision and support in the establishment and implementation of this exceptional pharmacy program at Union University. We look forward with great anticipation to a progressive future working alongside Dr. Oliver as we advance toward the 200th birthday in 2023 of this beloved and esteemed university. Although this date is still a few years away, time passes very quickly. It will be here before we know it!

As I mentioned at the beginning of my remarks, life has been rather eventful in our corner of the world during the past few months. We now look forward to a few weeks of a different kind of rhythm, as we gear up for the fall semester and the advent of a new class of eager hopeful pharmacists-to-be.

I wish for you, my friends, a wonderful summer, also. I hope you have time for that family vacation or an afternoon by the pool. Thanks for taking a few moments to visit with us and hear what we are up to. Take care!

Blessings
Sheila Mitchell