SIUE SOP Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lakesha Butler, PharmD.
“Industry partnerships and support contribute significantly to enriching student life at SIUE.”
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (PRWEB)
December 11, 2020
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) has received an $8,000 Walgreens Diversity Donation to expand its pipeline development programs and aid in its efforts to increase diversity among student pharmacists.
The funding will support a Walgreens Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award, and a Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship, as well as the enhancement of pipeline programs targeted at increasing enrollment of diverse groups.
“Industry partnerships and support contribute significantly to enriching student life at SIUE,” said SOP Dean Mark Luer, PharmD. “This wonderful financial commitment by Walgreens provides additional scholarship support for students to more fully engage in the professional program by lessening the economic burden they have undertaken to pursue their studies. This in turn allows the students to focus on their academic success.”
Walgreens has been a steady supporter of the SOP’s scholarship program since its inception. This additional funding will enhance the School’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion by contributing to increased student support, educational programming, curriculum development and community outreach.
“We thank Walgreens for their continued support, especially in the area of diversity and inclusion,” said SOP Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lakesha Butler, PharmD, clinical professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “Financial support from Walgreens has previously supported our annual Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp by eliminating the financial barrier for our participants.”
“Continuing to diversify our student body is of importance and is a key goal of our current SOP Diversity and Inclusion strategic plan,” she added. “However, diversity is just one piece of the puzzle. We have to pursue equity for our students by addressing barriers such as socioeconomic limitations that may hinder their path towards becoming a pharmacist.”
Scholarship awards developed through the Walgreens Diversity Donation program will be accessible to students via the University’s Academic Works system. Applications will be evaluated by the School of Pharmacy Scholarship and Awards Committee based on criteria established by the scholarship donor.
Today’s pharmacists improve patients’ lives through the medication and education they provide. Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum is a model that offers students a unique combination of classroom education, research, community service and patient care. The School of Pharmacy’s areas of excellence include a drug design and discovery core; pediatric practice; chronic pain research and practice; and diabetes research and practice. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is providing highly trained pharmacists prepared for the rapidly changing healthcare environment.
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