Media Contact:
Patricia Arnold
(773) 995-2388
pl-arnold@csu.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

White Coat Ceremony Welcomes First Students into Illinois’ Newest Pharmacy School

CHICAGO -- Eighty-seven students have been welcomed into the inaugural class at the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy. The formal White Coat Ceremony, symbolizing the student pharmacists’ entry into the profession, is scheduled for Friday, September 5, 2008, at 2 o’clock p.m., in the University’s Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center.

The College, one of only four pharmacy schools located in the State of Illinois, has received Precandidate Accreditation status. This represents the first of three stages of accreditation granted by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

“The creation of the College of Pharmacy culminates a six year effort to address both the low numbers of students from underrepresented populations enrolled in Illinois’ three pharmacy schools and the shortage of pharmacists in the state”, according to Dr. David Slatkin, Dean of the College.

Historically, most African American pharmacy students from Illinois have attended school out of state, according to Dr. Michael Ellison, Assistant Dean. That hurts patient service in the state of Illinois, particularly if those graduates don’t return.

The College has recruited a group of outstanding faculty, staff and administrators to lead it through the successful achievement of its educational mission and full accreditation, according to Dr. Miriam Mobley Smith, Associate Dean.

For more information about the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy, contact (773) 821-2500 or pharmacy@csu.edu. On the web: www.csu.edu/collegeofpharmacy/.

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ABOUT CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Chicago State University was founded as a teacher training school in a leaky railroad freight car in Blue Island, Illinois on September 2, 1867. Today, the university is a fully accredited public, urban institution located on 161-picturesque acres in a residential community on Chicago’s Southside. CSU is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Governor of Illinois. The university’s five colleges—Health Sciences, Arts and Science, Business, Education, and Pharmacy—offer 36 undergraduate and 25 graduate degree-granting programs. In addition, CSU has a Division of Continuing Education and Non-Traditional Programs that reaches out to the community with extension courses, distance learning and not-for-credit programs.