Alcorn State University has agreed to join the preferred admission program for the UM School of Pharmacy, which will offer admission to qualified Alcorn State students. Submitted photo
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has signed an agreement with Alcorn State University to offer admission to qualified Alcorn State students who excel in freshman pre-pharmacy courses and participate in service activities.
This partnership, called the preferred admission program, is part of both the School of Pharmacy’s and Alcorn State’s more-than-century-old traditions of dedication to the health of the state and its communities.
UM Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter praised the agreement, saying that it demonstrated a commitment to the university’s mission of contributing to the well-being of Mississippians.
“Facilitating broader access to education is one of the University of Mississippi’s foundational priorities,” Vitter said. “The School of Pharmacy’s preferred admission program will benefit not only the students involved, but the overall pharmacy profession as well.”
Alcorn State is the second of three Mississippi institutions, along with Jackson State University and Tougaloo College, that are part of the program.
UM pharmacy students work in a skills lab on the Oxford campus. UM photo by Sydney Slotkin DuPriest/UM School of Pharmacy
“Alcorn is incredibly excited to be launching this unique collaboration with Mississippi’s premier pharmacy school,” said Alfred Rankins Jr., Alcorn State president. “This engaging partnership will greatly benefit our high-achieving student scholars by providing direct access to post-graduate opportunities in a critically important health care profession.”
Once admitted, students in the program will be on the pharmacy school’s traditional graduation track to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
“This partnership is an integral part of our school’s commitment to educating pharmacists who will provide the best possible care for patients,” said David D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “We recognize that providing more opportunities for motivated students ensures the continued quality of pharmacy’s essential contributions to health care.”
For more information on the preferred admission program, contact Kris Harrell, the School of Pharmacy’s associate dean for academic affairs, at kharrell@olemiss.edu.