As dean of the college, I am extremely proud of our rich history of educating the next generation of pharmacists, conducting ground-breaking research to advance drug discovery, and creating solutions to improve access to better patient care since 1947!  In the last 75 years, the College has grown from a small group of students with a pioneering vision to one of the premier pharmacy programs in the nation. We have solidified our place as a leader in pharmaceutical education, research and innovation. The R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy is ranked 5th by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Our research results in the development of new therapies and standards of care, and areas of excellence include drug discovery, aging, neurodegeneration therapeutics, health and pharmaceutical outcomes, pharmacology, toxicology, and environmental health.

As I reflect back on the past five years, I have often been asked why I came to the University of Arizona and the Coit College of Pharmacy. My response is that I came BACK to the University of Arizona, having earned my doctorate in Pharmacology and Toxicology in 1984. When I was offered the dean’s position, there was no hesitation on my part. As a doctoral student here in the 1980s, I worked very hard, I had some amazing experiences, and learned from extraordinary mentors and enjoying true camaraderie with fellow students. My years here were the foundation of my professional success and I’m happy to come full circle as dean of the college. I want to help make the learning experiences here just as wonderful for all our current students as they were for me.

Our college has much to offer, from a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences to a PharmD degree, and as well as master’s and PhD degrees. Students here have access to exceptional pharmacy leaders, scientists, innovators, and experts. The college has 70 faculty members, including eight endowed chairs and four professorships, and growing. Additionally, over 1,200 preceptors provide experiential training to PharmD students at 350 clinical sites throughout Arizona.

The work being done at our college to train the next generation of medication experts and drug developers has the potential to change the world for us all! Wander through our website and learn more about what we have to offer. And if you have any questions at all or want to visit and tour our college, feel free to reach out to me, or any of our faculty and staff; we would be happy to share what we love about our college, answer your questions or show you around in person!