TALLAHASSEE, FL— Marking 75 years of academic excellence, the Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Institute of Public Health has evolved from humble beginnings into a multi-generational powerhouse.
“11 students, 2 faculty, and look at what we have today. I hope that they will be inspired by the sacrifice and the hard work that you did for us,” said Vanessa Sheppard, Dean of CoPPs. “They did not have as many resources as you have. I hope that they will appreciate the alumni who cared enough to come back. I hope that they will be inspired by what they can do in this community.”
During the anniversary, the attendance of alumni signified the importance of mentorship. Connecting students in pharmacy, public health, and business with a worldwide network of successful professionals is key to their success.
“It’s very important that our alumni, that our faculty are here to see… today’s planet, how they are available across the country,” said Dean Sheppard. “It’s important for our current alumni to see what’s possible.”
The alumni who returned for the anniversary events noted that graduates of the university still have a close relationship with the school and the value of sharing their experiences with students.
“It does nothing for me to gain the things that I’ve been able to do and not give back to those that are coming behind us, right,” said FAMU alum Dr. Alsean Bryant. “We as pharmacists are in a very unique position from a healthcare professional standpoint, and for me to not be able to share the experience that I have with those who are coming up would be a huge disservice.”
Students who attended the jubilee said that hearing about the successes of their predecessors opened their eyes to the possibilities in their careers and stressed the importance of paying it forward.
“I would say for us, it’s about giving back into the community, to get resources that they did not have,” said Camile Book, a sophomore at FAMU CoPPs. “And that’s how we grow, and that’s how we innovate, and that’s how we learn more.”
Leadership says the celebration helps them reset by remembering their mandate of improving health equity and community health.
“So, as a college, we exist for our learners,” said Dean Sheppard. “We exist for our families, because we want our families to be healthy and live longer…at the end of the day, we’re here because we want to change the community positively.”
As the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Institute of Public Health looks toward its next 75 years, this milestone celebration proves that its legacy is carried forward by every generation committed to community health.
To learn more about the college’s programs, milestones, and upcoming events, visit pharmacy.famu.edu.
