Ursuline College Receives $364,000 “Choose Ohio First” Grant
The Ohio Board of Regents recently awarded a $364,000 grant to the Ursuline College/University
of Toledo Partnership Program. Allocated under the “Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program,”
the funding will provide a $3,500 scholarship per student annually for students who enroll
through Ursuline College.
Ursuline is one of seven higher education institutions in Ohio to have received such an award. The program goal is to increase economic growth in the state by supporting the success of Ohio students majoring in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math & medicine) fields. The Ursuline proposal is unique in addressing the need for new pharmacy professionals in the state, where the growing healthcare industry has created a critical shortage of pharmacists and pharmaceutical researchers. Students can pursue either a PharmD degree leading to a career as a registered pharmacist or a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree for work in pharmaceutical research or sales.
“The Choose Ohio First award allows us to expand an already great program, said Ursuline Dean of Arts and Sciences Christine De Vinne who commented that the program gives Ursuline an opportunity to address a specific community need and make a direct and positive economic impact. “Recent studies show that by 2020 Ohio will experience a shortage of 14,000 pharmacists and nationally the shortage will exceed 150,000,” she said.
The proposal includes recruitment initiatives aimed at introducing high school students to pharmacy as a career path and includes a “Pharmacy Camp” on the Ursuline campus this summer as well as a pre-pharmacy mentoring program. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Brecksville will partner with Ursuline to provide firsthand experiences on site. The project targets first-generation college students and students from under-represented groups in the sciences. Once enrolled, participants have the opportunity for peer-mentoring and other support programs provided by Ursuline to ensure success.
The Pharmacy Partnership was created in 2007 and gives students dual admission at Ursuline and The University of Toledo. It provides a seamless transition from one campus to the other. Students complete two years at Ursuline and then, once they are accepted for professional studies, finish their degree with the College of Pharmacy at Toledo.
