Alumni News Spring 2015

A L B A N Y C O L L E G E O F P H A R M A C Y A N D H E A LT H S C I E N C E S M A G A Z I N E

Alumni News

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MEET PRESIDENT DEWEY

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Since becoming president of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in July, I have had the great pleasure of meeting with a number of the College’s alumni in the Capital Region and across the country.

Whether it’s a small gathering in Rhode Island or a larger group at the ASHP mid-year meeting in California, I am often asked about my initial impressions of the College. From a perspective of more than 30 years in higher education, I say that ACPHS has a lot going for it – an enviable tradition, talented students and faculty, accomplished alumni, and solid financials.

There will also be particular emphasis on making the pharmacy program the best, most distinctive program it can be – something we’re calling “PharmD+.” We are currently exploring curricular, pedagogical, and programmatic approaches to enhance the competitiveness of our pharmacy students and to make the program stand out among an increasingly crowded field of competitors (for more, please see the “Beyond Practice Ready” article on page 16).

A crucial feature of the strategic agenda is that it must be an integrative effort where one initiative and program supports another.

I believe that to be at the leading edge in the

WE MUST BE SURE THAT ACPHS GRADUATES ARE NOT ONLY PREPARED TO OPERATE WITHIN THE PROFESSION OF TODAY, BUT ARE ALSO FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO OPERATE IN THE PROFESSION OF TOMORROW. THE STRATEGIC AGENDA WILL REFINE THE COLLEGE’S WIDE-RANGING STRATEGIC PL AN TO FOCUS ON A SERIES OF SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT WILL MOVE THE COLLEGE FORWARD IN A WELL DEFINED AND SUSTAINABLE MANNER.

This foundation will anchor the College during the transformations now occurring in pharmacy, the life sciences, the health sciences, and across the health care system. These changes are impacting everything from the drug discovery and development process to the roles and responsibilities of point-of-care providers.

It is natural to ask (and many have) what the College is doing to ensure our students have the education and skills needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving environment. The answer lies with the development and execution of a Strategic Agenda for the College.

The Strategic Agenda will refine the College’s wide-ranging Strategic Plan to focus on a series of specific initiatives that will move the College forward in a well defined and sustainable manner.

Strategic Agenda initiatives include developing new academic programs and/or enhancing existing ones; establishing centers of excellence focused on areas of academic strength; and building stronger ties with the corporate community.

health sciences, we need to be at the leading edge of pharmacy. This attitude reflects the centrality of pharmacy. Our health science programs will only realize their potential if the pharmacy program remains strong which means our commitment to pharmacy will continue to be a top priority.

As alumni, we invite you to play a role in the development and refinement of the strategic agenda. You possess a wealth of knowledge stemming from your experiences as students and working professionals, and we will be tapping your expertise to help guide our thinking.

By working together, we can chart a future for ACPHS that will prepare our students for long-term success while ensuring a financially sustainable future for the College.

Greg Dewey, PhD

SEND STORY IDEAS, COMMENTS, LETTERS, AND SUGGESTIONS TO :

Alumni News ACPHS 106 New Scotland Ave Albany, NY 12208 888.203.8010 alumni@acphs.edu www.acphs.edu

Alumni News ALBANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

SPRING 2015

EDITOR

Megan Davis WRITERS

Megan Davis Gil Chorbajian Bob Schalit PHOTOGRAPHERS

Scott Barrow Mark McCarty Kris Qua

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DESIGN

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06

FE ATURE S

06 Q&A with President Greg Dewey

18 The ABCs of ADCs

Get to know the new President

The next wave in cancer treatment

10 Rx Drug Addiction

20 Master Class Elyse Wheeler and the CLS Program

A Rising Epidemic

16 Beyond Practice Ready What it means and how we do it

22

PLUS

02 Campus News The latest happenings at ACPHS

22 Reunion Photos from the 2014 event

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Class Notes

Get updates on fellow alumni

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C AMPUS NE W S

Freshmen Forecast Incoming freshmen and their parents received a warm ACPHS welcome and a helping hand as they navigated through their first move-in day.

The 2014–15 Class at a Glance

209 D O C TO R O F PH A RM A CY P RO G R A M

46 B A CHELO R O F S CIEN CE P RO G R A MS

255 ST UD EN T S

3.5 AV ER AGE G PA

152 31 STAT ES

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12 C O UN T RIES

S CH O L A RSHIP RECIPIEN T S

Proud to Be an Athlete The ACPHS women’s soccer team finished the season with an undefeated conference record and an overall record of 12–7. They won the HVIAC conference championship and earned a bid as the 7th seed to the USCAA National Soccer Championship in West Virginia, where they fell to SUNY ESF losing 0–1 during the second overtime.

Sarah Cope and Alexa Schooley were named USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year for Women’s Soccer and Women’s Basketball respectively.

The men’s soccer team finished their season with a 4–2–0 conference record and an overall record of 9–6–1. They too won the HVIAC conference championship.

Women’s basketball had another great season as well. The Panthers ended their season with an overall record of 16­– 8, were crowned HVIAC regular season champions, and made a USCAA Final Four appearance for the third straight season.

Another Successful Health Expo

Putting Some Muscle Into It

An estimated 680 people in and around the Albany area attended the 3rd Annual Health Expo.

A record 130 runners kicked the day off at the Mario Zeolla ’97 Memorial 5K Walk/Run. This event is spearheaded by students and provides the community with a valuable service whereby they can receive free health screenings, discounted flu shots, nutrition information, counseling sessions with pharmacists and other medical professionals and more. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful campus and an even better chance for the students to shine and get valuable experience as student pharmacists and health care professionals.

The College is committed to keeping its community fit and healthy. The school recruited professional personal trainer Zoltan Zborovszky to lead students and employees in a series of intense boxing and cycling classes all in the name of better health. In order to fit the model of being a leading health care institution we should also be investing in our students and employees health. This is one way to do that. The College would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Joseph Guerra, ’56 and the late Dr. Richard Isele, ’49 for their support and funding of this fitness program.

ACPHS Team Selected for Student Compounding Competition Congratulations to Kyle Flint, Amanda Adamec, and Sydney King, who were selected to represent ACPHS at the national Student Pharmacist Compounding Competition held on March 21–22 in Gainesville, FL. This year’s competition featured three events: (1) the “Compounding Classic,” which required the detailing of a Master Formulation Record and the preparation of three compounded medications, (2) The “Debate Challenge,” where students faced off with industry experts on regulation standards governing compounding, and (3) “Quality Compounding,” where teams were asked to create a poster for display at a tradeshow.

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C AMPUS NE W S

Inaguration and Gala The College officially welcomed Dr. Greg Dewey as the ninth president in the school’s 134 year history with an inauguration celebration. The two day event included a special symposium exploring the future of the health sciences. Later that evening close to 150 guests attended the Presidential Gala at the elegant 60 State Street in downtown Albany. The inauguration ceremony followed on October 15 in the Albert M. White Gymnasium on the ACPHS Campus before a crowd composed of trustees, faculty, students, staff, alumni, and special guests.

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QA &

WITH DR. GREG DEWEY

ON JULY 1, 2014, GREG DEWEY, PhD BECAME THE NINTH PRESIDENT OF ALBANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES. IN THIS DISCUSSION, DR. DEWEY TALKS ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS CAREER EXPERIENCES, HIS INITIAL IMPRESSIONS OF ACPHS AND THE MOST IMPORTANT INITIATIVES THAT HE WILL BE FOCUSING ON AS PRESIDENT.

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WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL DISTRICT. WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA BEFORE YOU STARTED THE INTERVIEW PROCESS?

WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSIONS OF THE COLLEGE FROM THE INTERVIEW PROCESS?

I’m not only new to the College, but to the Capital Region.

I’m from Pittsburgh originally though I did spend my graduate years at the University of Rochester. So I was a little familiar with upstate New York, but I didn’t know much about the Albany area before we moved here. It’s a very attractive area and it has a lot to offer.

I was very favorably impressed. My wife and I visited the campus one day during the interview process, and the students seemed very energetic and enthused. There is a good balance of teaching and scholarship that exists among the faculty here. It’s a place that has been well run, and the finances have been handled very responsibly.

Expanding from a school of pharmacy to a school of pharmacy and health sciences shows really solid strategic thinking. It is important that the school establishes a broader academic footprint. My job, in part, is to continue with the implementation of this strategic vision. We have already started down this path, but there is still much to do. That’s what is exciting. To continue in that visionary direction.

AS A YOUNG PERSON GROWING UP IN PITTSBURGH, WHAT FIRST PIQUED YOUR INTEREST IN THE SCIENCES? I have been fascinated by science almost since I can remember. My friends and I used to build our own rockets in high school. These were not pre-assembled rockets like what you can get today. We would make the engines, concoct the fuel, and then launch them in vacant fields.

So science, and particularly chemistry, was always a love of mine. The other love was mathematics. I found a certain elegance and beauty in mathematics. I have just always had a natural fascination for those two fields and that continues to this day. I’ve worked in a range of areas throughout my career – biochemistry, biophysics, computational biology. I am very much a generalist with a natural curiosity for a broad set of fields.

WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED YOU TO THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT AT ACPHS? The attraction with Albany is that it has a long history, has served its students well, and served the profession well. It’s at a very strategic point in its existence. It wants to grow at a time when the importance of health care is growing in America.

When the human genome project came out in the early 2000s, it was said that the 20th century was the century of physics and the 21st century will be the century of biology. How do you translate all of these advances in a way that benefits the health care system? Most schools in the country are still working to find an educational model to accomplish that.

During the 20th century, the great engineering schools in this country educated the innovators that would take basic discoveries in physics and chemistry and translate them into the amazing new technologies that we are surrounded by today. Now we need an educational model that will educate the innovators to take the discoveries of 21st century biology and translate them into new therapies.

ACPHS is in a position to create such a new model with a structure that covers both undergraduate and doctoral education. That’s what I think is most attractive about this position.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE KEYS ARE TO BEING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER? I believe that there are three characteristics of a good leader: (1) Visionary – Someone who has the ability to work with the community to define a vision and then to articulate it back to the community; (2) Genuine – People have to see that you are motivated by what is in the best interests of the institution, not your own personal gain or a political agenda; (3) Inspirational – If you have #1 and #2, you will be well along the path to being an effective leader, but you need to also be able to inspire people to push beyond their perceived limits, driven by what is best for the institution.

WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE SOME OF THE MOST URGENT NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AT ALBANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES? Everything is changing. The basic science is changing.

We’re in what people are saying is an historic era of advances in the life sciences. Barely a day goes by where you don’t hear about a new gene being discovered and associated with a disease, or some new medical device, or a new therapy. It can be an educational challenge just to keep people up to speed with advances in the life sciences. Certainly we want to provide our students with a very up-to-date, modern education.

On top of that, the health care system is changing.

There are two, what I view as, almost opposing forces.

One is a drive to broader access and it’s also about a drive to what is called personalized medicine. How do we tailor therapies to one’s individual make-up? How do we individualize any kind of medical treatment? So there’s personalized medicine and there’s a dream of broader

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ACPHS IS IN A POSITION TO CREATE A NEW EDUCATIONAL MODEL THAT WILL EDUCATE INNOVATORS TO TAKE DISCOVERIES OF 21ST CENTURY BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATE THEM INTO NEW THERAPIES.

access to health care which require almost opposites kinds of attention. We have to educate the next generation of students of pharmacy and health sciences to be able to handle that very dynamic situation and better prepare them to operate in this new world.

HOW DO YOU FORESEE THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM? Technology is one of the drivers for change. We are seeing, and we will see more of, the heavy use of electronic medical records which will capture all sorts of physiological data from patients and that data will be increasingly sophisticated. You can envision a world where you can hook up your cell phone and have a series of physiological monitors screening your heartbeat, blood pressure, blood oxygen, all sorts of data and then this information will be

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easily transmitted and deposited into your medical record.

As a result, we have to educate our students to be in that technological world. You can never predict where things are going to go, but I feel pretty confident that information technology and its impact on medicine is going to be here to stay. That’s almost undeniable.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR THE COLLEGE? I want to try to anticipate future workforce needs and try to be ahead of the curve on that. So we will be carefully looking at all of our degree offerings to make sure they are current and meet future needs. That may mean restructuring existing programs and launching new programs to accommodate the dynamics of an ever changing health care system.

THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION IN THE PAST YEAR ABOUT THE COST AND VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION. WHAT IMPACT DO YOU SEE THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVING IN THE NEXT 5–10 YEARS? Generally speaking, with increased costs comes decreased access. We have to be mindful of that. There is no question that the value of a college degree over one’s lifetime far outstrips the ROI from, say, the stock market – even over its best stretch. The challenge is that if the financial burden is too great at the beginning, it’s difficult for graduates to reach that point of return. We need to contain costs and to find creative ways for students to finance their education. Ultimately, we also need to be

more adventurous and reduce our dependence on tuition dollars. That means employing more of an entrepreneurial mindset in the development of programs and actively seeking out other sources of revenue.

WHAT IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? When my wife Cindy and I became empty nesters around five years ago, she had the idea for the two of us to do a triathlon. I ran all through high school and college, but I worried about what type of shape I could get in at this point of my life.

The first one we did was a “sprint” triathlon, so the distances were manageable. I ended up finishing it, but it was a complete disaster.

I didn’t want that to be my lasting impression of triathlons, so we signed up for another one, and we’ve just kept going. We’ve sort of become triathlon fanatics.

In fact, I completed my first Half Ironman Triathlon this past year (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run).

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE SCHOOL ESTABLISHES A BROADER ACADEMIC FOOTPRINT. MY JOB IS TO CONTINUE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STRATEGIC VISION. THAT’S WHAT IS EXCITING. TO CONTINUE IN THAT VISIONARY DIRECTION.

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FE ATURE STO RY

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE one pharmacist’s personal struggle

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The media continues to report on the nationwide prescription drug abuse epidemic. While some recent statistics have shown that these numbers are beginning to drop across the country, certain states are still taking action and putting plans in place to get ahead of this widespread problem.

Local law enforcement , representatives from a regional addiction intake center, and an alumnus who battled and overcame a prescription drug addiction weigh in on this prevalent topic.

It happened gradually.

The heavy partying in college could have been the precursor. The family history of alcoholism may have contributed partly as well. He thought he had it under control. He could stop whenever he wanted. He set a few “quit dates,” but then days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months into years. It wasn’t until he was found unresponsive and rushed to the hospital that alumnus Matt was finally forced to face his prescription drug addiction.

Matt is a self-described extremist with a “go big or go home” mentality. He grew up in Albany until the age of nine when he moved to Hyde Park, New York. He was a good student in high school. “I was interested in and liked science and math,” Matt recalls. His mother and two cousins were pharmacists and all attended Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

He was familiar with the school and the profession and wanted to prove his guidance counselor wrong who tried convincing him he was not cut out for the pharmacy profession. He applied, was accepted, and began attending ACPHS in the fall of 1991.

Matt worked hard in school and partied even harder. “I experimented with drugs in high school and I was always a pretty heavy drinker in college,” he says. “I’d say I was an extreme partier, much more than my friends.”

After graduation, Matt got licensed in Pennsylvania and moved there to work for Walgreen’s where he was instrumental in helping the company open several new stores. Even though his college days were now behind him, he had a hard time leaving the drinking in the past as he transitioned into the professional world. “I was still drinking a lot, mostly every day while working,” Matt says. “And at first, it wasn’t so bad.”

Not long after Matt moved to Pennsylvania, he met a woman and soon after he had a son with her. They tried to make their relationship work, but ultimately it was not meant to be.

Although they split up, Matt wanted to be an active participant in his son’s life and fought for custody. Shortly after the break-up, at the age of 23 Matt’s prescription drug abuse began. “It started out with legitimate prescription drugs that were prescribed to me by my doctor,” Matt explains. “I had been seeing a chiropractor to ease some really bad back pain. My doctor gave me pain meds and at the time I was also suffering from depression, anxiety, and sleep issues. I was on prescriptions for all of it. Once I discovered what it felt like to drink with the meds, I was like ‘Wow, this feels pretty good!’”

It’s not uncommon for addicts to follow this progression, says Keith Stack, executive director of the Addiction Care Center of Albany (ACCA).

“Users gradually build up a tolerance to the medication, and they require increasingly large amounts of it just to function normally,” Keith explains. “The addicted patient will try to get refills on the original prescription long after the condition for which they took it for has cleared up, and they will return to the doctor repeatedly in an attempt to obtain it.”

Matt’s addiction followed that same pattern.

“When you’re in it, you don’t see the progression. It was slow and sneaky,” he says. “I was seeing a psychologist and medical doctor, they both trusted me because of my profession. I thought I was smarter than everyone. I had a degree, I knew what I could mix and could not mix. Your mind plays tricks on you. And when you have that medical degree, you don’t think you have a problem because you’re not that guy in the corner drinking out of a brown bag.”

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Albany Country Sheriff, Craig Apple says that prescription drug abuse can affect anyone, no matter what their socioeconomic background or education. “These drugs are found in affluent homes as often as in poor neighborhoods, making it a county issue to educate the community, school, and parents.”

According to a study published January 2015 in the New England Journal of Medicine, prescription-painkiller abuse may be starting to reverse course. The decline suggests that recent laws and prescribing guidelines aimed at preventing painkiller abuse are working to some degree. But researchers also found a disturbing trend: Heroin abuse and overdoses are on the rise, and that may be one reason prescriptiondrug abuse is down.

While news that prescription drug abuse is on the decline nationally, that doesn’t appear to be the trend yet on a local level.

“Prescription drug misuse continues to be on the rise here in Albany County and has resulted in unintended drug addiction and death,” Sheriff Apple states. “We need to continue to partner with our community providers and The Regional Underage Drinking and Drug Use Prevention Coalition to reduce the rates of prescription drug abuse and heroin use among our 12–25 year old population. Through this collaboration with our community partners we work to strengthen prevention efforts and increase awareness of prescription drug abuse and heroin use.”

Prescription painkiller

abuse & addiction

QUADRUPLED from

2004 to 2010

When Matt was about 27 he started dating his now wife. During that time he also wrecked four cars and walked away from them all. “I used that excuse to further the need for more medications,” Matt says. “I also used the stress of my custody battle to fuel my need for more meds.”

In 2006 Matt’s pill mixing and drinking was at a high. He was stealing pills from the pharmacy where he worked and shorting customer’s medication all to feed his own addiction. Somewhere in the middle of all that self-destruction and chaos Matt and his wife had their first child together.

Shortly thereafter they had two more children.

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between 2004 and 2005

71 thousand children 18 or younger were seen in the ER because of overdose due to self-harm and recreational drug use

“Three children in three years, and each year I was getting worse and worse,” Matt recalls.

“More children meant more money. It sent me farther and farther into depression and addiction. And on top of that, my back pain was becoming unbearable. ” Then Matt’s first son with his ex-girlfriend was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. “That was an extremely tough time,” Matt recalls. “We were fighting with the school district to get my son services and get outside help. I had to hire an attorney.

Then just before his freshmen year in high school my ex came to me and said New Paltz had a great special education program. She wanted to move so he could get the services he needed. It was a really tough decision for me. I went from seeing him 3.5 days consistently, but I knew it was the best decision for my son so I approved the move. I was paying child support and within a month of them moving my child support doubled.”

During that period of his life Matt was either missing work or drinking and high while at work.

His hands were always shaking, he recalls and he was a nervous wreck all the time. “My life was one big ball of anxiety. I would be mixing pills all day long – uppers with downers, amphetamines with opiates – it was crazy,” he says. “I was never sleeping. I was terrified to go to sleep. The anxiety never ever left. I’d be sitting on the couch watching the sun go up and think ‘Oh my God I have to go to work.’ I couldn’t live with the drugs, yet I couldn’t live without them. I was so uncomfortable in my own skin. My addiction was harder than any job I’ve ever had.”

In 2007

prescription opioid abuse costs were

55.7 BILLION

$

In June 2009 when Matt was 36, fed up and at her wits end his wife confronted him and said either he was moving out or she was leaving.

“I contemplated suicide,” he recalls. “I went to work the next day and got stoned out of my mind all day and couldn’t stop crying. I called an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) hotline about six times and hung up. There was a detox clinic right in my town. I left work and drove there. I remember pacing back and forth before finally going in.”

An intake specialist admitted him right on the spot. “At that point I hadn’t had a drink in 24 hours and was shaking and experiencing withdrawal,” he says.

Matt stayed in the detox facility for four days.

His wife called work and said he was ill and would be out for a few days. When the facility released him, they suggested he start AA, so he did. “And I never drank again,” Matt says.

Matt went back to work and for two weeks he stayed completely clean and sober, but then the pill use started back up. The tipping point was when the septic caved in and the basement flooded. “I found out it was going to cost $8,000 and I just lost it,” he remembers. “I was right back to where I was before detox, constantly taking pills.”

Finally on October 16, Matt overdosed in his house on a mixture which included oxycodone and passed out sitting up on the couch. “My

wife heard me making vomiting noises,” he explains. “She poked me, but I didn’t move.”

Matt’s brother in law came over to stay with the kids so both he and his wife could get to work. Matt’s wife left, but Matt never got up.

“My brother in law tried but couldn’t wake me,” Matt tells. “He said my fingers were turning blue. He called our neighbor who is a physician’s assistant to check me. They ended up calling an ambulance and took me to the hospital where my wife worked. She wanted nothing to do with me.”

Matt was admitted to the intensive care unit.

Doctors were worried that he wasn’t going to make it. His kidneys were shutting down and they were talking about administering dialysis.

His addiction had finally caught up with him.

“Later I learned that I had aspiration pneumonia and the only reason I made it was because I was sitting up and didn’t choke on my own vomit,” Matt says. “In that moment, I knew I had a long road ahead of me. My wife called work again and said I was going to be out for a while and asked that they send disability paperwork.”

After five days spent recovering, Matt decided he was going to stay in the hospital for rehab.

His insurance stopped paying after seven days, but Matt realized that he wasn’t ready to go home. After some research he and his wife discovered High Watch Recovery Center in Kent, Connecticut, just over an hour from their home.

“By week two something clicked,” Matt recalls. “The first time I went to rehab because my wife threatened me. The second time I overdosed. The third time I was finally ready to get sober.”

In 2013

Things also started to fall apart at home. “By this time, my wife didn’t trust me with my own children. I would just sit on the couch like a zombie. I was not an active part of anyone’s life.

I was there, but not present.”

As Matt kept slipping further into his addiction he continued to distance himself farther and farther away from his family.

81

%

of DRUG OVERDOSE

DEATHS WERE unintentional

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At 21 days in High Watch, Matt decided he needed more time and therapy and wanted to stay even longer. “My wife came for a family therapy session and I kind of sprung it on her,” Matt says. “At first I added another two weeks, then five weeks. I applied and was accepted into the extended guest program where they give you a job and allow you to stay for free.”

In total, Matt was at High Watch for four months from the end of October 2009 through the end of February 2010.

“I missed my daughter’s first birthday, my son’s third birthday, Halloween and Christmas,” he says. “The kids came to visit a few times.

My wife came up several times for meetings with my therapist. It was heart wrenching hearing her side and hearing how badly I screwed things up.”

The first year back home was hard for Matt.

Trying to be a father and juggle work proved to be a challenge, but he got through the temptation by leaning on his AA sponsor often and remembering the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, which encourage honesty, spirituality, being a better person and taking care of you.

“I don’t ever want to go back,” he adds.

In 2012 healthcare providers wrote

259 million prescriptions for painkillers ENOUGH FOR EVERY AMERICAN ADULT TO HAVE A BOTTLE OF PILLS

Today Matt is over five years sober and living a much more full and normal life with his wife and children. He started playing guitar, something he’s also wanted to do. He’s lost 14 pounds because he’s more active. “I feel like a completely different person,” he says. “I still have depressive tendencies so I still take my medicine, but responsibly now.” Each day he starts out with a little prayer, simply stated, “Please help me make good choices today.” And so far, he has.

Continue the Conversation facebook.com/acphsalumni

For pharmacists and student pharmacists seeking help for prescription drug abuse visit the Pharmacists Recovery Network at usaprn.org for information and support.

Are you seeing signs of drug addiction in your teen?

A MESSAGE TO PARENTS FROM ALBANY COUNT Y SHERIFF CRAIG APPLE There is no greater influence on a young person’s decision about drug use than his/her own parents or guardians.

To successfully keep kids drug-free, parents must provide active support and positive role-modeling.

Parents are key in preventing drug use. Be a parent, not a friend. Establish boundaries that take a clear stand against drug use.

When you suspect your child may be using heroin or inappropriately using prescription painkillers, it is important to take action.

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• P repare yourself — work with what happened rather than why it happened. Don’t blame someone else, yourself or your child.

• C onfront the issue — don’t let anger or fear overwhelm your effectiveness in dealing with your child.

• H ave a conversation — putting your head in the sand is counterproductive. Accept that your son/daughter may be using so you can begin the conversation.

• A sk for help — there are many confidential resources available for parents, just ask! Ask your school health professional for help, or seek assistance from a mental health or substance abuse counselor.

G I F T S T H AT PAY I N C O M E

One of the best ways to support Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is through lifeincome gifts. Simply put, these gifts pay the donor income for life while also supporting the College.

CHAR ITABLE GIFT ANNUITY The College will make lifetime annuity payments to the beneficiary.

These payments are fixed and run the lifetime of a maximum of two beneficiaries.

After the death of the annuitant, the balance in the annuity account is used by the College for the purpose the donor designates. These annuity payments may be higher than your return on low-earning securities or CDs. Donors receive an income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the assets contributed minus the present value of the annuity interest retained.

Many donors take assets that produce very little income and convert them into gifts that pay greater income as long as the donor and/or a loved one is alive.

DEFERRED GIFT ANNUITY For younger donors, or those not needing income now, a Deferred Gift Annuity may be a good option.

Donors are still guaranteed fixed income for life, but because of the delay of payments, these donors see a higher payout rate as compared to an immediate-payment gift annuity.

CHAR ITABLE R EMAINDER TRUSTS These trusts provide the donor with the opportunity to place resources into a tax-favored trust.

This trust pays income to living individuals and donates the remainder to charity.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER ANNUITY TRUST

CHARITABLE REMAINDER UNITRUST

FLIP UNITRUSTS

This trust pays a fixed dollar amount each year for the trust’s term.

This trust pays a fixed percentage each year, so the amount paid to the lifetime beneficiaries goes up or down depending on the value of the trust’s assets.

This trust allows you to create income from an illiquid asset such as investment real estate or a family business.

Not all gifts are right for all situations, so always consult your financial advisor before making a decision.

The ACPHS Office of Institutional Advancement is here to assist as well.

FOR MOR E INFOR MATION VISIT

acphs.plannedgiving.org

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BEYOND PRACTICE READY

by Greg Dewey, PhD

In today’s rapidly changing health care environment, graduates must be prepared to go beyond practice ready.

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ne of the themes that I hear consistently when I meet with alumni is the need for students to be “practice ready.” By this they mean that graduates must be able to step into real life situations and solve problems that arise in the everyday practice of pharmacy.

Educating students to be practice ready is always a challenge, not just for a pharmacy college, but for any professional school. That is particularly true today when the expansion of knowledge and the advancement of technology are moving forward at such a rapid pace.

For this and other reasons, our faculty are constantly wrestling with what to leave in, what to add, and what to take out of the pharmacy

even greater. I want our students to go “beyond practice ready.”

Given some of these challenges, the question becomes how do we go beyond practice ready?

The insights provided by faculty, alumni, and preceptors have proved invaluable in answering this question and defining our approach.

At ACPHS, beyond practice ready will mean that all pharmacy students graduate with the tools to operate in the profession of today and the flexibility to operate in the profession of tomorrow – whatever form that may take. This will involve learning the skills and values at the core of the profession while at the same time being able to adapt to the demands of the future workforce landscape.

Beyond practice ready also recognizes that the practice of pharmacy is central to the health

BEYOND PRACTICE READY WILL MEAN THAT ALL ACPHS PHARMACY STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH THE TOOLS TO OPERATE IN THE PROFESSION OF TODAY AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO OPERATE IN THE PROFESSION OF TOMORROW.

curriculum. For example, the FDA now requires more than 125 medications to carry genetic information on their product labels. What is the proper curricular response by the College?

Do we add a course in pharmacogenomics, a dedicated lecture on the subject, or do we just mention it in a class? The tension between new and old is a near constant struggle for professional programs.

Since becoming president last July, I have thought a lot about what it means for our students to be practice ready and have had numerous conversations with members of our community on this topic. I’ve increasingly come to believe that while being practice ready is important, we need to strive for something

care system and, therefore, an ACPHS education must prepare our students for careers that go beyond the traditional roles of the pharmacist.

Some have argued that professional schools are not fully meeting the needs of their students. They say that these schools are educating students “full of book learning,” instead of emphasizing relevant workplace skills.

The “beyond practice ready” initiative will ensure ACPHS students have the versatility, resourcefulness, and experience necessary to build successful, rewarding careers – regardless of how the profession of pharmacy may evolve or how the demands of the healthcare system may change.

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The

ABCs of ADCs In 1906 Dr. Paul Ehrlich, a future Nobel Prize winner in immunology, foresaw the role of modern-day pharmaceutical research when he predicted that chemists would one day be able to produce substances that would seek out specific disease-causing agents.

Ehrlich reasoned that if a compound could be made that selectively targeted a disease-causing organism, a toxin for that organism could be delivered along with the agent of selectivity. He dubbed these dynamic duos “magic bullets.”

Today, researchers like Steven Hansel ’85, Ph.D., are making Ehrlich’s magic bullet theory more than just a shot in the dark. Dr. Hansel leads the research and development efforts for Pfizer’s Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, and Metabolism (PDM) Group where he manages a team of 25 researchers focused on oncology.

After graduating from ACPHS with a B.S. in Pharmacy, Steve earned his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from SUNY Buffalo. He worked in drug discovery research for Bristol-Myers Squibb before joining Pfizer. During his time at Pfizer he has led various small molecule focused research units such as those dedicated to Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Endocrine Diseases; Antibacterials; and Inflammation.

Dr. Hansel’s current team is on the forefront of formulating ADCs — antibody-drug conjugates — a new class of highly potent injectable drugs designed to target and destroy a range of cancers while minimizing damage to healthy cells.

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ANTIBODY-DRUG CONJUGATES — AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN CANCER TREATMENT THAT HAS ITS ROOTS IN AN IDEA THAT’S MORE THAN A CENTURY OLD

“There are already three approved ADCs in use, and about 40 more in various stages of clinical testing across the industry,” says Steve.

“My team works almost exclusively on ADCs, about a dozen currently.

Here’s how ADCs work.

A pharmacological target antigen is selected that’s exclusively or predominantly expressed in cancer cells. The potent small molecule toxin is then piggybacked onto the antibody, and the ADC eventually bonds to the cancer cell. Once attached, the ADC is digested and releases its active potent cytotoxin inside the cell of the tumor.

“For the last two decades, the biotech industry has pioneered technologies allowing researchers to target specific types of cells. We are now able to evaluate a large group of antibodies and quickly identify those that will target cancer cell surface antigens very potently,” Steve says.

The first generation of ADCs targeted hematological cancers partly because they were infused directly into the bloodstream, which contained the targeted cells.

More recently, scientists have begun pursuing a variety of solid tumors, focusing more on the cancer’s genetic fingerprint than the tissue where the cancer resides.

“Increasingly cancer is being seen as a cluster of orphan diseases driven by the genetic fingerprint of the cells making up that cancer,” says Steve.

Dr. Hansel and his team are developing ADCs they hope will be effective in treating lung, ovarian, and breast cancer. An evolving area of research in his lab is targeting cancer stem cells, thought to be responsible for cancer metastasizing to other tissues.

What is his assessment of the effectiveness and future promise of ADCs? “At this point the effectiveness varies, and the jury is still out on the full potential of ADCs as a biotherapeutic class. With some of the drugs already on the market, there have been enhancements in the quality and quantity of life typically on the order of months.

“There are impressive results from clinical trials even outside of Pfizer,” he continues.

“But ADCs are not yet a panacea. We’re going to continue inching forward to widen the therapeutic window and make interventions available for treating a variety of cancers. Hopefully we’ll hit some home runs along the way, where the ADC will be a game changer and could become a first line therapeutic.”

Dr. Hansel does acknowledge some of the challenges inherent with ADCs. “We’re able to deliver some of the most potent toxins known to humankind, which couldn’t be safely administered at all if not in ADC form. But we’re still developing our understanding of ADCs, so there remain obstacles we need to navigate.

“Like any other monoclonal antibodies, ADCs will distribute in the body and even partition into non-targeted tissue. We’re starting to tip the scales toward tissue selective delivery, but we haven’t gotten there altogether.”

Steve’s team employs sophisticated bioanalytical capabilities to assess the pharmacokinetics of ADCs, including obtaining critical cell-based measurements of structures including targets. His preclinical modeling group creates sophisticated mathematical models to make accurate predictions of efficacious human concentrations and projected human doses.

Not only is the team working to support the advancement of therapeutic projects in the preclinical space, they are also exploring what happens to the ADC when it’s internalized in the cell.

“We have a basic understanding, but there are still a lot of missing pieces,” he says.

“Finding them will help us inform not just the therapeutics but address toxicity concerns as well. That said, I have no doubt that we’ll see some of our ADCs become marketed approved drugs in the future, and knowing that my team had a role in that would be very exciting.”

Dr. Hansel sees the pharamaceutical industry as tailor-made for developing ADCs. Historically, small and large molecule businesses were conducted by different ventures.

“Big pharma was small molecule, while biotech and small companies worked on larger molecules. ADCs are all about bringing these two worlds together.”

“To me, this is an exciting journey to be on because there’s still so much unknown science and so much room for discovery. That’s what makes it fun and rewarding for me and everybody on our team.”

Primary Mechanism of Action of ADCs: Targeted Delivery of a Cytotoxic Agent

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ADC in plasma

CANCER CELL

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ADC binds to receptor

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Apoptosis (cell death)

Cytotoxic agent is released

ADC-receptor complex is internalized

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Master Class Elyse Wheeler, PhD is proud of the new master’s program in Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

But she’s even prouder of the students.

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The first class in the master’s in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) program will graduate in May 2015. The two-year program educates students in a range of laboratory disciplines, including molecular diagnostics, laboratory management, and the application of research techniques in evidence-based decision making.

In their first year, students focus on clinical laboratory disciplines, including hematology, clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, and immunohematology, plus courses in statistics, proposal writing and literature evaluation. In their second year, students receive practical training in laboratories in hospitals and clinical settings throughout the Capital Region.

The program culminates in a capstone project focusing on the science and management of the clinical lab and the scientific and regulatory requirements of diagnostic laboratory medicine.

According to Dr. Wheeler, employment prospects for program graduates are excellent. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics says 10,000 new positions will open up annually over the next decade. Yet nationwide, clinical lab programs are only yielding 5,000 graduates annually, so there’s going to be a tremendous manpower shortage.”

At the conclusion of the program, graduates can take the Board of Certification exam overseen by the American Society of Clinical Pathology for state licensure. “Our students have over a 90% pass rate on their first attempt and many have job offers before they’ve even finished their rotations,” says Dr. Wheeler.

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Dr. Wheeler was brought to the College by former ACPHS President James Gozzo who asked her to resurrect the medical technology program the College had conducted from 1938 to 1989. Dr. Wheeler did just that, modernizing the curriculum and signing new agreements with area hospitals to expand the range of rotation sites.

“Over time, I began to see students coming to us who already had bachelor’s degrees in the basic sciences, but who were struggling to find work. That was the spark that led us to develop the master’s program in CLS,” she says.

“There are very few master’s programs like ours out there,” she adds. “Most of the other programs are for people who already have degrees in the laboratory sciences. We are one of the few to offer coursework in areas such as molecular diagnostics. We are also able to rotate students though multiple clinical sites, whereas the majority of these programs are limited to a single location.”

“ They’re just fantastic.

We’re attracting highly qualified individuals, many of whom already have advanced degrees.

Though the master’s students take some of the same courses as the CLS bachelor’s students, the expectations are naturally higher for the graduate students. They prepare case studies, conduct classroom sessions, and are required to develop the capstone project.

Despite the different trajectories, each group of students benefits from the presence of the other. Dr. Wheeler notes that shared classes tend to have a higher level of classroom interaction and help raise the performance level of the undergraduates.

“Community support for this program has been phenomenal,” she says. “The lab managers and preceptors who have taken our students have just been incredibly helpful.

And it’s so gratifying to have students tell me they’ve found their niche.”

Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

What excites Vaishali about clinical lab sciences? “You get to diagnose the patient first, even before the physician. So you have to do it right. If you make a mistake in the lab, everything after that will be faulty as well.”

That attitude is part of the reason that Dr. Wheeler says, “Vaishali will be able to provide excellent lab supervision and work with people very smoothly, as well as implementing new technologies in the lab.”

Ivory Coast native Patrice Ohouo has three young daughters and squeezes in just two to three hours of sleep a night, yet still manages to excel in the program. Patrice already has his Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology from Cornell, and has been published in some of the nation’s leading medical journals.

This remarkable drive, combined with his sense of humor and patience with people is why Dr. Wheeler says, “I’m sure that Patrice will rise to a leadership position as a laboratory director.”

MEET THE STUDENTS Ultimately I want to work in a microbiology lab as a medical technologist, but not necessarily in a hospital laboratory. There are also plenty of opportunities in pharmaceutical and food production companies.

Three of those students are Jonathan Church, Vaishali Kale, and Patrice Ohouo.

Banjo plucking Jonathan already holds a master’s in molecular biology from the University at Albany.

Last summer Jonathan worked in the microbiology lab at Albany Medical Center, focusing on their mass spectrometer. “This will be the basis of my capstone project,” Jonathan says. “They’re doing amazing things with mass spectrometry now, everything from analyzing entire genomes to identifying single base pair mutations.”

Dr. Wheeler adds, “Jonathan is very outgoing and people oriented. He will be a strong leader and excellent educator.”

Rock climbing Vaishali Kale, a native of Bombay, India, already held a master’s in clinical embryology and andrology when she talked to Dr. Wheeler about the M.S. program in

— JONATH A N CHURCH

I feel ACPHS trains you more thoroughly than other programs by integrating a lot of medical school type training. My background is in basic research, and this program provides me with a vital link between research and medicine.

— PATR ICE OHOUO At first I just wanted to take a few courses and get my embryology license, but after taking all those interesting courses in my first semester, I found myself leaning toward microbiology. I’d like to work in a hospital microbiology lab because you see so many different kinds of patients there.

— VA ISH A LI K A LE

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R U I 2 1

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RE UN ION 20 14

Thank you to the many alumni who returned to campus for Reunion Weekend 2014! We hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather and the opportunity to reconnect with classmates. The Joseph Lapetina Physics Laboratory dedication ceremony, campus tours, wine tastings and the rocking beats from live band TS Ensemble provided the perfect backdrop for our Reunion festivities. We look forward to seeing you June 5–7 for Reunion Weekend 2015.

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CL A S S NOTES

SHA RE YOUR NE WS !

To share news and messages to fellow classmates and community members contact us at: PHONE (518) 694-7393 EMAIL alumni@acphs.edu

1972 Congratulations to Robert “Bob” Locke who gave the keynote address at the St. John Fisher, Wegman’s School of Pharmacy “White Coat” Ceremony in January 2015.

1974 Frank Grosso was named the new American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) Executive Director and CEO and assumed the role in September 2014.

right Dr. Nicholas Zacharczenko ’82 and his daughter, Brigette, published a book entitled, “Dr. Zach’s Amazing Catskill Critters.” You can find and purchase the book on Amazon.

1980 This past July, Sam Berardino was named as one of the officers of the Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation.

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1982 Dr. Nicholas Zacharczenko won both the 100 and 200 meter dash events and the javelin competition in his age bracket at the 2014 Liberty Games in July 2014. Dr. Zach also placed 8th overall in the men’s 55’s tennis singles division of the Eastern USTA this past year.

Bob Zywiak won a silver medal at the Virginia State Hill Climb Cycling Championship on June 28, 2014. The Race was held at Wintergreen Ski Resort and was sanctioned by the United States Cycling Federation. His time was 45 minutes and 9 seconds. The 7.3 mile climb included gradients of 17, 15 and 14%.

1983 Together with longtime friends and brewers, Paul Held founded Queen City Brewery in Burlington, Vermont. They produce a variety of traditional ales and lagers, as well as several unique specialty beers. For more information on one of Burlington’s newest breweries visit queencitybrewery.com.

Chris Henderson has joined Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in New Hampshire as pharmacy manager. Melissa Mooney, administrative director of APD pharmacy, said Chris will play a key role in leading a highly professional team of pharmacists and pharmacy techs as the practice of pharmacy at APD continues to grow and evolve with the organization’s strategic plan.

1987 Congratulations to Leigh BriscoeDwyer, Pharm.D., BCPS, FASHP, Chief Pharmacy and Medication Safety Officer at North Shore - LIJ Health System, who was appointed to the College’s Board of Trustees in December 2014. Thank you for your service!

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1991 Susan Learned, Pharm.D., M.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Medicines Development Leader and Head, Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis Care Areas at Stiefel, a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) company was appointed to the ACPHS Board of Trustees in July. Dr. Learned joined GSK in 1997 and spent 12 years leading various global neurosciences clinical divisions, including posts based in Europe and Asia-Pacific, before being named to her current position. Congratulations and thank you for your service!

1992 Congratulations to Michael Duteau, B.S., R.Ph., Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Relations for Kinney Drugs, Inc., who was also appointed to the ACPHS Board of Trustees in July. Mike has more than 20 years of management experience specializing in pharmacy, drug store operations, patient care, and innovative business model development. Thank you for your dedication and service to the College!

1994 & 1995 Serge ’95 and Holly ’94 Shishik recently launched a line of homemade spirits. Pick Six Vodka and Devil’s Den moonshine in flavors Apple Pie and Strawberry Jam are distilled out of their new Saratoga Courage Distilling Company in Saratoga Springs, New York.

For a tasting schedule and for more information visit www.facebook.com/ SaratogaCourageDistillery.

1999 Michael Dufort and Erika Potter welcomed baby Ezrah on September 11, 2013. Ezrah joins his five sisters – Claire, Cecelia, Zeallah, Lolah, and

Fionah. Michael is a pharmacist at Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, NY. The entire staff is comprised of ACPHS graduates – including pharmacy Director Kurt Trautmann ’73 and staff pharmacists Megan Bristol ’13 & Geordan Caswell ’12.

2003 Congratulations to John Marraffa who was appointed to the New York State Board of Pharmacy in May of 2014.

2004 Alessio Depoli along with his business partners recently opened The Capital American Eatery and Lounge in downtown Albany, New York. For more information on this new establishment and Alessio’s other venues in Albany, visit thecapitallounge.com.

2006 Sonja Hitchman and Dustin Allen of Denver, NC, were married on September 5, 2014 at The Quarry on Carrigan Farms in Moorseville, NC. The couple honeymooned to Riviera Maya, El Dorado Royale, and Mexico. Sonja is a supervising pharmacist at Walgreens and Dustin is employed with North Carolina Med Assist as a pharmacy manager in Charlotte, NC.

2008 Samara Ashley Ringer and Ryan Conlon Bushey were united in marriage on September 13, 2014 at The State Room in Albany. Samara is the Manager of Retail Support Specialists for the Western Division of Hannaford Bros. Ryan is Pharmacy Manager for CVS in Mechanicville, NY. The couple honeymooned in Aruba.

2009 Lisa Lynn Murphy and Thomas More Scudder were joined in marriage on June 21, 2014 at St. Mary’s of Cooperstown.

A reception followed at the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, NY with out-of-town guests from Alaska, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey and Indiana. After a honeymoon trip to Bar Harbor, ME, the couple settled in Boston, MA.

2010 Drew Wheaton, Pharmacy Area Manager, joined Wegmans in 2004 and previously worked as a pharmacy intern, pharmacy technician, staff pharmacist,

and is now the pharmacy area manager.

As pharmacy manager, Wheaton will oversee all aspects of the Burlington, VT pharmacy department and its staff to ensure the utmost in customer service and personal attention to detail that each customer deserves in order to live a healthier life. Wheaton resides in Marlborough.

Franciscan Pharmacy, in Syracuse, NY. He has worked for Kinney Drugs since 2008. Most recently, he worked as a staff pharmacist at the Liverpool store.

Congratulations to Emily R. Napper Horth who was recently married.

2013 Congratulations to Meghan Barry and Justin Bissonnette who were married in January.

Congratulations to Shawn Signor & Colleen Lawless who were married in November.

2012 Kirk Kwaczala has been appointed supervising pharmacist of Kinney Drugs at

Joseph A. Parisian and Stephanie N. Ball announced their engagement.

A September wedding is planned.

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this page Leigh Briscoe-Dwyer ’87, Susan Learned ’91, Michael Duteau ’92, Kirk Kwaczala ’12, Lisa Lynn Murphy ’09, Ryan Conlon Bushey ’08, Joseph A. Parisian ’13, Michael Dufort ’99

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ALUMNI GET READY FOR

REUNION WEEKEND JUNE 5 –7, 2015

FR IENDS WE’LL MISS Alumni 1948 Vincent Grifo September 6, 2014 Dr. Richard “Dick” Isele August 2, 2014

1950 William H. Steckel January 16, 2015

1951

1959

1969

Charles “Chuck” Henry Mosseau January 5, 2015

Edward Fausel December 22, 2014

George Howard Crittenden June 29, 2014

Raymond J. Mooney Sr. May 5, 2014

2004

Anna Winchell Spath October 10, 2014

1952 Edward A. Belemjian February 26, 2015

1953 Joseph E. McCarthy May 10, 2014

1957 Jerome “Jerry” Wilk November 5, 2014

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1961 David Bruce Van Etten December 8, 2014

1963 Joseph W. Decker November 6, 2014

1966 Henry Chris Buhrmaster September 28, 2014

Kwaku Nimako December 16, 2014

Friends of the College Jim Anderson Assistant Professor of Humanities and Communication July 31, 2014 Bobby Bryant Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, Interim President & Dean of the College (1996–1998) November 19, 2014

Keep ACPHS in Your Pocket

Download our free mobile app and keep up-to-date with all things ACPHS. visit mycribsheet.com/acphs search app store for “ACPHS Crib Sheet” or scan this QR code with your smartphone

crib sheet mobile app

EVENTS For registration details and a complete listing of ACPHS calendar of events visit acphs.edu.

JUNE 5 8th Annual Friends of Noah Sorensen ’97 and Mario Zeolla ’97 Memorial Golf Tournament – Orchard Creek Golf Club 5–7 Reunion Weekend 2015

APRIL

JULY

16 Queens City Brewery Alumni Mixer — Vermont

27 22nd Annual President’s Cup Golf Tournament – Albany Country Club

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Continuing Education

SEPTEMBER MAY

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Annual Scholarship Dinner

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Commencement – New York Campus

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Commencement – Vermont Campus

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Annual Health Expo Mario Zeolla ’97 5K Run/Walk Alumni Soccer Game

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Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Summer Science Camp Summer Science Camp at ACPHS sparks imaginative learning and gives kids opportunities to discover science through interactive and hands-on activities and experiments. Children become junior scientists and embark on fun science inspired field trips each week!

July 13 – July 17 The Deep Blue

July 20 – July 24 Medical Mysteries

July 27 – July 31 Engineered to Amaze

Dive in and explore the secrets hidden within our vast oceans through hands-on activities where you will test water samples, interact with marine life, and learn about ocean conservation. Join us for a week of discovery in the Deep Blue!

Roll up your sleeves and put on your surgical gloves as we learn how the body “fixes” itself and compare that process to how disease is managed in animals.

Ideal for anyone interested in unlocking the mysteries of living organisms, particularly those who want to become doctors or veterinarians.

Test your engineering skills as you design, create, and test simple and complex machines.

You will also learn about the history of engineering, how it has advanced over time, and what is in store for the future.

The perfect camp for anyone who is curious about how things work!

Camp includes all activities, field trips, lunch, snacks, and a t-shirt. Availability is limited and last year’s program sold out for two of the three weeks, so register early!

Entering 4th – 6th grade: 40 spots available/week Entering 7th – 8th grade: 20 spots available/week Entering 9th – 11th grade: 20 spots available/week

Limited availability. Register Today!

acphs.edu/sciencecamp For info call Rebecca Beach at (518) 694-7189 28

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A different kind of annual appeal…

As I start my journey to advance the school, I invite you to join me as an active participant and contributor.

Send me your ideas. By sharing insights about your experiences, you can help inform today’s graduates. I want to know how best to make our students “beyond practice ready.” What courses helped prepare you for your profession? What courses should the College be offering current students to accelerate their transitions into the workplace? Take a moment and email me your thoughts at feedback@acphs.edu.

Make a gift. Great ideas become reality when we have the resources to make them happen. Your gift will help ensure we have the people and programs in place that will define the future of pharmacy and health science education.

…not just for donations,

but for ideas.

Your donations of ideas and resources will make a positive impact on the future of ACPHS.

Make your gift online at acphs.edu/donate

facebook.com/acphsalumni

Stay Connected!

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Office of Institutional Advancement 106 New Scotland Avenue Albany New York 12208 Permit No. 349 Albany NY

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Non-Profit Org. US Postage