Press Releases


Discovery for Life Fundraising Campaign Exceeds Goal and Achieves Multiple Firsts

February 15, 2022

ALBANY, NY – Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Discovery for Life fundraising campaign exceeded its goal and achieved multiple firsts. The Discovery For Life campaign, which closed December 31, 2021, raised $14.4 million to support the education and development of students pursuing careers in pharmacy and the health sciences by focusing on three main areas: Bridges to Industry, Scholarships, and Student Experience. The goal of the campaign, which began in July 2018, was to raise $11 million. A person in a suit smiling

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The centerpiece of the Bridges to Industry initiative is the Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET). The first center of its kind in New York, and the first in the nation at a pharmacy college, CBET is advancing the biopharmaceutical industry by training its workforce in all aspects of biomanufacturing including upstream processing, downstream processing, quality control, regulatory issues, and process analytics. ACPHS alumnus Dave Stack ‘76, Chair of the Discovery for Life Steering Committee, and Christine Stack donated $1.5 million to CBET to advance this flagship initiative for ACPHS. Walter and Michelle Borisenok also made a significant donation of $750,000 to support CBET and establish a scholarship for students enrolled in our Professional Science Master's program.

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Description automatically generated with low confidenceDan Benamoz ’81, both an ACPHS alumnus and parent of alumnus Joshua Benamoz ‘03, donated $1 million to create the first professorship in ACPHS’ history. The Professorship of Pharmacy Entrepreneurship is designed to help pharmacy students develop the business acumen needed to successfully operate independent pharmacies and other pharmacy services. As part of this professorship, the College will bring in guest lecturers who have a diversity of experience across the profession to help students understand the many facets of operating a pharmacy, so they are better equipped to deal with the challenges of running a business. “We’ve been teaching pharmacists to do good. Now it’s time to teach them to do well, so they can do even more good in the community,” said Dan Benamoz, Founder & Executive Chairman of Pharmacy Development Services.

Other firsts supported by the Discovery for Life Campaign are the establishment of three new fellowships. One fellowship, focused on manufacturing, is a collaboration with Curia, formerly AMRI, and the FDA. This fellowship in manufacturing is currently accepting applications. The College has also developed two fellowships in pharmacovigilance and medication safety. The two-year fellowship program provides two participants with opportunities to work at BeiGene, a global research-based biotechnology company, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology.

One fellow will first work full-time for one year at BeiGene at either their Emeryville or San Mateo, California location or Ridgefield Park, New Jersey location. Then the fellow will spend four months at ACPHS doing a series of field-based experiences in institutional pharmacy settings. Finally, during the last eight months, the fellow will work at the FDA’s Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology in Silver Spring, Maryland.  The second fellow will reverse this order. The first two fellows began the program in 2021.

The Discovery for Life Campaign raised over $6 million to support Bridges to Industry, and more than $3.3 million for scholarships. The Campaign’s focus on students inspired donors to create 18 new scholarships and awards, 12 of which are endowed. Donors also gave over $5 million to enhance the Student Experience at the College which includes renovating gathering spaces and laboratories, and expanding access to internships, residencies, and the fellowships and professorship mentioned above. With these funds, and despite the challenges of the pandemic, we were able to make multiple renovations to improve our campus, including:

  • Creating the Panther's Den and Ralph's gathering spaces in the Gozzo Student Center
  • Upgrading our Biology, Sterile Products and Simulation labs
  • Creating the Campus Green and Medicinal Garden outdoor gathering spaces

“The funds raised by this campaign enable ACPHS to enrich all aspects of the student experience and provide more pathways for students to be prepared to enter the everchanging healthcare environment and biopharmaceutical industry,” said ACPHS President Greg Dewey.

Supporting ACPHS students is more important than ever since these graduates are improving patient outcomes, tackling health disparities, and advancing the biopharmaceutical industry.

“We are grateful to all of the donors who invested in the future of the College by supporting our students, scholarships and programs” said Vicki DiLorenzo, Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

 

ABOUT ACPHS:

Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) is a private, independent institution with a long tradition of academic and research excellence. The college’s mission is to educate the next generation of leaders to improve the health of our society. ACPHS was named the #1 value-added college in the country by the Wall Street Journal and the Brookings Institution. For more information, go to www.acphs.edu.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Shannon Hutton

Director of Public Relations

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

(518) 694-7194

shannon.hutton@acphs.edu

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