This is undeniably a time of great challenge and great opportunity. Never in my experience has there been a more exciting time for the profession of pharmacy and the field of pharmaceutical research. As I serve as your Dean, I feel privileged to be leading the College at this extraordinary time of growth and change that exists for the state of Georgia, the University of Georgia and the College of Pharmacy.

Georgia is now the 10th most populous state in the nation and it enters the 21st century as a lion whose time has come. The decade of the 90s saw the University of Georgia join the ranks of the best public universities in the United States. I believe that it is fair to say that the College of Pharmacy has come a long way in distinguishing itself from its humble beginnings in Terrell Hall almost a century ago.

With the unprecedented advances in drug discovery, together with the exciting new interdisciplinary approaches to scientific discovery, and the changing nature of the profession, it is sometimes difficult to predict the future of Pharmacy in the 21st century. One thing is certain however — there has never been a time of more promise or more possibilities for Pharmacy to explore the spectrum of human health.

While this is a time of unprecedented change, interestingly there is one thing that has remained the same—the generosity and the commitment of the College’s friends, alumni, and corporations. Your partnership has been crucial to our success, and I thank you for the role you play in helping us to make Pharmacy a primary discipline in the health sciences. I hope that you will continue to give as generously as you have in the past, and that we in turn can give back what I consider the College’s most important legacy — professionals who can further the frontiers of our practice, our curiosity and our commitment to serve.