Students who desire a career in pharmacy are often faced with the daunting task of figuring out how to prepare for the discipline, which can be confusing. But thanks to a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Alabama State University and South University of Savannah, Georgia, the process of moving from undergraduate studies to a doctorate in pharmacy is much easier.
On Feb. 1, the leading academic officers of both institutions, Alabama State University’s Carl S. Pettis, Ph.D., and South University’s Gilbert Singletary, provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, signed a MOU that offers a seamless avenue for students to study and receive a doctoral degree in pharmacy from South University.
“Helping bridge the gap for our students to have enhanced professional careers by receiving, in this case, a doctorate in pharmacy, is the purpose of this academic agreement between our two universities,” Pettis said. “One of our main goals at ASU is to enrich the academic lives of our students and for ASU to expand educational opportunities by better defining pathways for their success in life.”
Singletary agreed that helping our students achieve career success is important, as is its goal of increasing diversity nationwide within the pharmacy profession.
“It is an important issue for South University to increase the number of minority students in our pharmacy program and thus, increase the number of African-American pharmacists in the nation. At present, America is not very inclusive when it comes to African-Americans or other minorities being within this profession,” Singletary said.
Data shows that at present, only 7.6% of the registered pharmacists in the nation are members of a minority community; and in 2023, only 143 pharmacy students in the U.S. are African-American.
“Alabama State has a great history of being at the forefront of educating and uplifting members of our community, and in being a leader in advocating social change; so we applaud its signing this MOU and through its students, helping us diversify the pharmacy profession in the nation,” Singletary said.
Pettis explained that this MOU is an important opportunity for the university’s students.
“I wish to thank President Quinton Ross, Ed.D., who inspires us to constantly look for and put together programs that lift up our student body,” he said. “We do so that ASU’s students will have a larger number of good career opportunities to choose from after receiving a fine education from the university. This MOU forges a great opportunity for our campus, its students, our community and ultimately, our nation.”