![Lynda Welage Headshot](/sites/pharmacy.umn.edu/files/styles/folwell_third/public/2023-02/welage_300x400_0.jpg?itok=odTi7Oz-)
Dear alumni and friends,
By now, summer is well underway for all of us. It’s hard to believe half of 2022 has already passed and what a six months it has been! This issue of The Record captures some of the high points of our spring 2022 semester. It was filled with strategic planning for our future and celebrating the accomplishments of students, faculty, staff, preceptors and alumni.
We continue to learn to work differently given changes in higher education, healthcare and workplace conditions. At the college we are embracing flexibility for our students, our employees, our alumni and our partners. Five years ago, I would never have imagined in some cases students would be learning or employees would be working in “hybrid environments.” As a dean, I enjoy connecting in-person with everyone but have also come to recognize the importance of flexibility for individuals, when appropriate. Learning to work with greater flexibility has also helped us realize the enormous gift we have in being able to connect with people across the world via videoconferencing.
While many of our events, like our Dean’s Scholarship and Fellowship Celebration and our Pharmacy Awards, were held remotely, we are exploring how we can connect simultaneously in-person and remotely. We achieved that with our celebrations for this year’s graduates at the 2022 PharmD Celebration & Awards Ceremony and at Commencement. As we move forward, we will continue to look for ways to be inclusive and flexible in how we connect with everyone. This is a new path for us, so if you have any suggestions for options we might explore, please send them my way.
Other proud moments from spring semester and several newer initiatives you’ll find highlighted in this issue include:
- Changes in our leadership team that include goodbyes, welcomes and reorganization, all aimed at strengthening our commitments to members of our community, the profession and society.
- The launching of our new reimagining the professional program initiative which aims to provide unparalleled education, student and faculty experiences.
- Our partnerships with pharmacy and health plan leaders to accelerate the adoption of patient care services and payment strategies that deliver value to patients, providers and health plans.
All of these are coupled with our continued commitment to accelerate research and bring discoveries to those in need. As a follow up from our last issue of The Record, I want everyone to know the integration of the Center of Allied Health Program into the College of Pharmacy is official, based on the University signing the Memorandum of Agreement. We are working on formalizing our integration plans and will update you further in an upcoming issue.
This is a robust issue of The Record and still doesn’t come close to capturing all that is happening in our vibrant and evolving community. We are busy creating our future and, as always, we look forward to partnering with you and supporting you along the way!
With gratitude,
![lynda welage signature](/sites/pharmacy.umn.edu/files/styles/folwell_fifth/public/2023-02/lynda_black.jpg?itok=_3PHoMFc)
Lynda S. Welage, PharmD, FCCP
Dean