With more than 7,400 alumni, one of the oldest pharmacy schools in the country will celebrate its 100th anniversary this weekend.
Duquesne University’s School of Pharmacy will celebrate its centennial with special
events on April 4-5. Former Pittsburgh Steelers legend Rocky Bleier will serve as
the keynote speaker for the April 4 event. The school is only one of approximately
50 U.S. pharmacy schools to reach the 100-year mark.
With a focus on providing quality care to patients and conducting cutting-edge research,
the renowned school has been an innovative leader in pharmacy education and leadership,
preparing students for the many changes in the field over the decades.
“We are excited to be celebrating our 100th anniversary,” said School of Pharmacy
Dean Dr. James Drennen. “As the pharmaceutical industry and the practice of pharmacy
have grown, the School of Pharmacy has grown with them, advancing programs and improving
classroom, faculty and research facilities to help students reach their bigger goals.”
Duquesne pharmacy school graduates and students have been a fixture in the western
Pennsylvania region for decades, participating in community programs such as the annual
Health and Wellness Fair in downtown Pittsburgh. The school has provided thousands
of health screenings and immunizations to individuals living in underserved areas,
continuing its commitment to health equity.
“Duquesne has a long history of helping to meet community needs and we actively look
for opportunities where our students can play a role to improve the health of the
region,” Drennen said. “We are also thankful for our alumni, who make a difference
in a variety of health settings both in the region and beyond.”
Groundbreaking research inside the school’s labs has also been a hallmark for Duquesne.
For example, the school’s Nanomedicine Manufacturing Lab (NML) was the first lab to
create pain nanomedicine for trauma and surgical pain, which could lead to reducing
the use of opioids for recovery. The NML also developed the first oxygen carrier with
clinical grade imaging agents for real-time tracking during organ/limb preservation,
which may reduce organ rejection and lead to improving transplantation success.
Since its founding in 1925, the school has been renowned for its innovative programs
that help meet the needs of students and the greater community alike. It was one of
the first schools in the nation to offer an online Doctor of Pharmacy Program.
More recently, the school developed a partnership with CVS to educate the next generation of pharmacists. The partnership comes at an opportune time, as the Health Resources and Services Administration projects there will be a shortage of nearly 5,000 pharmacists over the next 15 years, according to Total Pharmacy Journal.
Duquesne University
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities
for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly
8,200 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them
work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic
programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh
region have earned national acclaim.
It's time for bigger goals. Follow Duquesne University on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.
www.duq.edu
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Published
April 02, 2025