An innovative program run by the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (COPPS) reached its tenth anniversary last week.FAMU has operated a “Bridges to Pharmaceutical Sciences” program with Hillsborough Community College (HCC) since 2001. It aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who enter career tracks in the pharmaceutical sciences.
FAMU helps HCC recruit a cohort of 30 students who are interested in pharmacy degrees. The two institutions then provide a variety of services that assist the students with their laboratory research skills, study habits, professionalism, and self-confidence. After the participants graduate from HCC with their associate of arts degrees they transfer into FAMU COPPS.
“Bridges” is funded by grant money FAMU receives from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH has awarded a total of $982,057 to Bridges since 2001. The first principal investigator was former Pharmacy Dean Henry Lewis, III. The current principal investigator is Professor John J. Scrivens (pictured top left).