a magazine for alumni and friends of university of the sciences in philadelphia winter 2009, volume 97 no. 4 A Decade of Growth Education 2.0 Preventative Medicine President Dr. Philip P. Gerbino Innovative online Vaccine policy research extends talks about the University’s growth classroom experience beyond classroom doors Joseph family, left to right: DR. DAVID B. JOSEPH TX’86, brother; RHODA STEIN KATZ P’54, mother- in-law; ANDREA STEIN JOSEPH P’83, wife; and ADLAI P. JOSEPH P’79, PharmD’08, husband. Szilagyi family, left to right: SANDRA SZILAGYI P’76, mother; MARK A. SZILAGYI, JR., PharmD’06, son; JENNIFER L. SZILAGYI PharmD’08, daughter; and MARK A. SZILAGYI P’76, father. Hennessy family, joined by DANIEL A. HUSSAR P’62, The USP Legacy Society is, simply put, a MS’64, PhD’67 (left) and President PHILIP P. GERBINO family tradition. Started in 2006, the USP P’69, PharmD’70 (right): KEVIN M. HENNESSY Legacy Society honors the many families PharmD’08, grandson (second from left), and ROBERT who have attended the University. F. HENNESSY P’53, grandfather. A legacy is defined as “any alumnus or student in a family with one or more generations of USP graduates both living and deceased. This includes alumni and students who are related by marriage.” The numbers are growing: 17 percent of our alumni (nearly 2,000 graduates) are “legacies.” And there are an estimated 63 current students with legacy connections. In what has become an annual tradition, the third USP Legacy Society event was held in conjunction with the University’s 187th Commencement activities in May. Visit www.usp.edu/legacy Fuchs family, left to right: SUZANNE PHILIPPON P’71, to learn more. mother, and ALBERT T. FUCHS, III PharmD’08, son. Are you a legacy? E-mail us at [email protected]. a magazine for alumni and friends of university of the sciences in philadelphia winter 2009, volume 97 no. 4 Scene from the 2008 Fall Fest Student Carnival cover stories features departments A Decade of Growth Education 2.0 Bulletin Board Page 3 Page 9 Page 14 It’s been 10 years since University of The Second Life platform provides an Scholarly Activity the Sciences attained university status. innovative online classroom experience. Page 20 President PHILIP P. GERBINO P’69, PharmD’70 talks about the growth of Preventative Medicine Class Notes the school. Page 26 Page 11 Faculty commitment to vaccine Alumni Events Commencement— Page 29 From Students to Alumni policy research extends beyond the classroom doors. Page 6 Honor Roll of Donors Page 32 Five recent graduates discuss their Alumni Focus collegiate experiences and their Sports in Short Page 12 goals for the future. Page 53 After 10 years in retail pharmacy, AARON SIEGEL P’59 transitioned to a new career in sports facility management. Page 13 MIKE DUNNE MPT’01 played a role in the N.Y. Giants 2008 championship season. from the president a publication of university of the sciences in philadelphia The USP Bulletin is produced by the It has now been over 10 years Adapting to the rapidly accelerat- That people who believe in our Marketing Department and Office of since we launched University of ing pace and expense of science mission continue to come together Institutional Advancement Executive Director, the Sciences in Philadelphia, and and technology—and the impact to reaffirm and support our mis- Marketing and E-Marketing I continue to be amazed each day this has on healthcare education, sion is truly what makes it possible Maria Goldblatt at the many ways in which this practice, and policy—has become for these students to become Senior Director, News & Public Relations, Editor Brian Kirschner a way of life for all of us. Add- institution has grown. We have successful alumni. As evidenced publication design certainly grown in size over that ing to that the truly remarkable by the generous commitments of Senior Director, Creative & Integrated Marketing time, with three new buildings and world-changing events of this those whose names are listed in Angela Buchanico assistant editors the quad, with student enrollment past decade, and especially this this edition, that dedication con- Scholarly Activity near 3,000, and with the breadth past year, has left all of us with tinues to grow. On behalf of the Carol R. Cool of our programs continuing to a heightened awareness of the students who will benefit USP Bulletin Thomas W. Durso expand in response to student in- need for sophisticated solutions from your generosity of spirit, Class Notes terest and to the growing need for to increasingly interconnected I thank you. Nichole Wilson quality healthcare. Also growing problems. contributors Elizabeth Bressi-Stoppe Sincerely, Carol R. Cool It has become a Thomas W. Durso hallmark of our thinking April Hall and planning that access Bob Heller Jessica D. Herr PharmD’00 to a University of the PHILIP P. GERBINO Brian Kirschner Sciences’ education P’69, PharmD’70 Douglas Kleintop must continue to be President Thomas Kupfer available to the many Robin Schuman Rapport qualified students who Institutional Advancement Vice President, Institutional Advancement seek to learn with us. Ann Satterthwaite Each one of you has Director, Development Doven Collins been touched in some Manager, Alumni Relations way by the life of one Nancy Shils of our students, and Alumni Relations Officer Pat McNelly is the complexity of the environ- each one of you will recognize Manager, Annual Fund ment in which we operate, as we the special motivation that Bryan Park prepare our students for their inspires students to succeed here. Manager, Donor Relations future careers as practitioners Recently, I’ve had the privilege of Sarah Lingerfelt The mission of University of the Manager, Institutional Advancement and policymakers, researchers hosting small groups of students Pauline Grant Sciences in Philadelphia is to and educators, and entrepreneurs and alumni together for breakfast photo credits and innovators. We are challenged meetings, and it has been won- educate students to become lead- Pages 1, 2, 6–8, 11, 28–29, 52 ©2008 Scott Hewitt; ers and innovators in the sciences, pp. 14–15, 19, 21 ©2008 Kim Sokoloff; p. 18 ©2008 each day to ensure that we are derful to see the baton passing Bob Heller, p. 19 ©2008 Kelly and Massa. providing the very best oppor- from one generation to the next. health professions, and emerging The USP Bulletin (ISSN 1524–8348) is published tunities for the professional and related disciplines. Building on our three times a year by University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 600 South 43rd Street, personal growth and development legacy as the nation’s first college of Philadelphia, PA 19104-4495. of our students and that a Uni- pharmacy, we provide excellence in postmaster: Send address changes to USP versity of the Sciences’ education teaching, research, and service. Bulletin, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 600 South 43rd Street, Philadelphia, continues to be accessible—and PA 19104-4495, Attention: Marie Schwarzl. affordable to them. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, PA. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia admits students of any gender, age, disability, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, or national origin. The University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. usp bulletin: a decade of growth page 3 From its era as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science to the five colleges that now comprise its current structure, UniVersiTY of The Sciences in Philadelphia conTinues TO be A World-class learning, TEACHING, AND RESEARCH INSTITUTION for the sciences, life sciences, and healthcare professions. Over the last 10 years, the University has pressed forward with planned, sustained growth and continuously strives to meet the a decade needs of the science and healthcare marketplace. The USP Bulletin sat down with President PHILIP P. GERBINO P’69, PharmD’70 to assess the last 10 years and think about what’s in store for the growth next 10 years and beyond. of What would you say has been the biggest undertaking A Q&A about in the last 10 years? The conversion to a university both physically and conceptually University of the Sciences was a University-community effort. You have to commend the entire community for sharing a vision and taking the appropriate steps in Philadelphia forward to become a university. There was a shared vision that we needed to carve out a unique space in science, the health profes- with President sions, and life sciences. We have remained mission-specific and stayed PHILIP P. GERBINO focused. Admittedly, there is more that we need to add and do. The University community is forward thinking and has an understanding P’69, PharmD’70 of the challenges ahead. Philadelphia College of Pharmacy was founded based on the By Brian Kirschner premise that pharmacy was a profession, grounded in the sciences, and that’s the conceptual and content basis on which this University was formed as an academic institution. To me, we are still relentlessly fulfilling that same mission in taking all our health professions, all our elements of life sciences, and build- ing them on the basis of science so that they continue to thrive from a source of knowledge and expand and flourish as professions. Continued on page 4 Continued from page 3 Where do we go from here? Much of this is being driven by innova- That is to ask, what is University tions and new technologies. We will con- of the Sciences’ role? tinue to grow within our mission bound- The marketplace will determine our aries. For areas that we can’t do ourselves, growth. The healthcare space and the we will find partners to work with.