POMONA, Calif. — CVS Caremark Corp. has recognized the Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy as its 2010 Partner of the Year.
WesternU said Friday that CVS Caremark officials "surprised" its College of Pharmacy administration and faculty with the award and a $50,000 check at the school’s dedication ceremony for the CVS/Pharmacy Student Services Center on Jan. 27.
CVS is a major employer of WesternU College of Pharmacy graduates, and the college has enjoyed a strong partnership with the company, according to College of Pharmacy dean Daniel Robinson. "This is an amazing honor. We’re grateful to work so closely with CVS," Robinson said in a statement.
Each year, CVS Caremark recognizes one school partner that shares its vision for community pharmacy in helping to improve the quality of life through patient care and delivery of service, according to Papatya Tankut, the company’s vice president of pharmacy professional services.
"The quality of students WesternU produces allows us to meet these standards," Tankut stated. CVS hired 49 WesternU College of Pharmacy graduates in 2010 and has recruited 22 students so far in 2011, she reported.
Last April, CVS Caremark gave the WesternU College of Pharmacy a $75,000 gift to create the new CVS/Pharmacy Student Services Center, where pharmacy students will be able to plan community outreach projects and other club activities. "We need to provide infrastructure and support to allow students to do the amazing things we know they are capable of," Robinson commented.
