Grand Opening of the Harrison School of Pharmacy Mobile Campus
VIEW SLIDE SHOW
VIEW SCRAPBOOK --
Media Coverage of Grand Opening, etc.
s Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Harrison School of Pharmacy Dean Lee Evans must have been thinking along those same lines, some years ago, as he pondered the national shortage of pharmacists. What path should HSOP follow to address this deficit?
Where the Path Led
One part of Evans' Emersonian path led to expansion of the facilities at HSOP. That was accomplished with the completion of the Education and Clinic Wing in 2006. Setting up a satellite school of pharmacy in Mobile eventually became a natural extension of that original path. After nearly two years of discussions between Auburn University, HSOP and the University of South Alabama, an agreement was reached. From that point, it was all systems go. In an unprecedented time frame of nine months, the planning, construction and renovations were completed on the Mobile campus just in time for classes.
The Grand Opening
On September 14, the Grand Opening ceremony for HSOP's Mobile campus symbolized the end of what had now become a well-trodden path. (See slideshow and media scrapbook.) Though other challenges and goals may present themselves, we can agree that HSOP, in true Emerson style, is now leaving a trail for others to follow, especially in Alabama. Currently, Alabama has one of the highest demands for pharmaceutical workers in the country. At the time of the Grand Opening, Evans said approximately 32 positions were available in the Mobile area alone. Fall semester on the Mobile campus saw the admission of the first class of 24 student pharmacists.
The Ceremony
As several media representatives hugged the wall at the back of the room with their TV cameras, over one hundred invited guests settled into their seats among faculty, staff and student pharmacists. Speakers for the occasion, in addition to Dean Evans, were Dr. John Heilman, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Auburn University; Dr. Gordon Moulton, President, USA; Dr. Pat Covey, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, USA; and Matt Jenkins, President of HSOP Student Council. Each conveyed a similar up-beat message: The ultimate outcome of this collaboration between Auburn and USA will be improved health care for the people of the state and region -- a win-win situation.
The ceremony itself was unusual in that about half of the audience, those on the Auburn campus, watched by live teleconferenced video transmission. The guests attending in Mobile could see the Auburn audience on a large screen and vice versa. It is this cutting edge technology that was a major component in making the concept of a satellite school possible. Both HSOP and USA's IT groups, in collaboration with Wire One Communications, designed and implemented the systems that allow for the seamless two-way delivery of instruction between the two schools.
Ribbon CuttingFollowing the ceremony, there was the traditional ribbon cutting accomplished by Dean Evans, Dr. Karen Marlowe, Assistant Dean for the Mobile program, Dr. Heilman, Dr. Moulton, Dr. Covey and Mr. Jenkins. A reception was held in the skills lab accompanied by a brief demonstration of the technology used to deliver educational content between Auburn and Mobile. Everyone was invited to tour the facilities on their own.
How Do Teleconferencing Classes Work?
Student pharmacists in Mobile will become part of the Auburn classroom via videoconferencing. This technology will allow them to interact with their counterparts at Auburn by seeing and hearing everything that goes on in the classroom, including slide shows on two large screens. This synchronous interaction can be accomplished from both Auburn and Mobile, regardless of the origin.
Virtual Mirror Images
Interior facilities are virtually identical to those at AU in terms of team rooms, furnishings, lecture halls, and technology. The curriculum received by student pharmacists on both campuses will be identical. Students will be Auburn University students. They will compete for admission with all other applicants, participate in the same student organizations, be eligible for the same scholarships, grants and loans, and will pay Auburn tuition. Mobile graduates will receive a diploma from Auburn which will denote that their work was completed on the Mobile campus.
Other Facts about the Mobile Campus
The Mobile campus offices and classrooms are located in the Health Services Building located on the USA campus. The Mobile satellite will allow HSOP to admit an additional 24 students per year. New enrollees will be served by five new full-time faculty members located in Mobile, including Doctors of Pharmacy Brock Woodis, ’05, Rakhi Karwa, Ray Lorenz, and Angela Vinti. Dr. Alison Chung, who has been HSOP off-site faculty in Mobile since 2002, will also serve as faculty. Dr. Karen Marlowe is the Assistant Dean and Associate Department Head. Rounding out this group of pioneers is Marian Williams, Student Services Coordinator, Melissa Coumanis, Coordinator of Experiential Learning, and Chuck Bolivar who is in charge of IT for Mobile.
Acknowledging the Trail & Throwing Out Bread Crumbs
Perhaps one of the most satisfied people at the end of this day was Dean Lee Evans. Experiencing the reality of where his path has led HSOP on this historic day, he was inspired, positive and looking forward. He said, “We are going to move quickly to help reduce the shortage of well-trained pharmacists, not just in the Mobile area, but all along the Gulf Coast, from the Florida Panhandle to the Biloxi area and beyond.” Spoken like a true trailblazer!
NBC 15 News - length 17sec
FOX 10 News - length 33sec
