School's Board of Visitors holds inaugural meeting

Dean David D. Allen leads discussion at the first meeting of the pharmacy school's Board of Visitors.

embers of the School of Pharmacy Board of Visitors held their inaugural meeting April 10 on the Oxford campus.

Made up of more than 50 pharmacy professionals from around the state and nation, the board's mission is to provide valuable input and feedback to the school on various topics.

"I was extremely pleased with the outcome of our board's first meeting," said David D. Allen, the school's dean. "It was a great opportunity for everyone to get acquainted and to begin developing ideas for our future. I am thankful for the time that our members volunteered to participate in this meeting. It is a testament to their dedication and commitment to the School of Pharmacy."

The group replaces the former Dean's Advisory Committee. Allen said he is especially excited about the addition of students to the new and expanded group.

"We are in the business of educating pharmacy students, so it was an imperative for us to get students involved in these discussions," he said. "The board currently has two student representatives from each class. Not only will the board have student representatives, but it [also] is a priority for us to have board members interact with our students as they come to visit our campus."

The first meeting included a discussion about the school's Differential Advantage, a singular statement that describes the school's unique benefits and how its graduates are different and competitive in the workplace. The board provided suggestions about how to improve a proposed draft of the statement.

"I'm so pleased to serve on the Board of Visitors," said Jillian Foster, director of pharmacy at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi. "Our first meeting was very insightful, and I can see a great deal of potential for the group. I applaud Dean Allen for asking alumni for their input on strategies that the School of Pharmacy is working towards."

The board plans to meet twice yearly, alternating between the Oxford and Jackson campuses.

For a complete list of board members, visit http://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bov.html.