CVS chief helps URI find room to grow

KINGSTON, R.I. —With the help of CVS Caremark’s chairman, president and CEO, Tom Ryan, the University of Rhode Island recently broke ground on a $75 million complex that will allow its College of Pharmacy to grow in its role as a center of excellence.

Set to open in 2011, the facility is being supported by $65 million in general obligation bonds approved by Rhode Island voters in 2006, and a $10 million campaign for private donations.

Already, more than $4.1 million in gifts and pledges, provided by more than 200 alumni, friends and corporate sponsors of the college, has been raised, including contributions from, among others, Ryan, CVS Caremark and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA.

“This is a tremendous day for URI and for those of us who set our sights on the goal of building a state-of-theart school of pharmacy in Rhode Island,” Ryan stated. “With the aging of the population and continual advances in pharmacy health care, pharmacists play a key role as part of the healthcare delivery team. We are pleased to help in preparing them for their careers as trusted healthcare advisors.”

The new facility will allow the college to accept more students in its six-year doctor of pharmacy degree, its graduate programs and its four-year bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, which was launched this semester. The College of Pharmacy typically enrolls about 95 students annually in its doctor of pharmacy program from an applicant pool of more than 1,000.

With the new building, URI can pursue its goal of increasing enrollment in the doctor of pharmacy program by 30% over the next several years. Additional students will be enrolled in the bachelor’s program in pharmaceutical sciences, which will develop professionals to work in the pharmaceutical industry and within health systems to manage health service delivery.