Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Opens Vermont Satellite Campus

Doctor of Pharmacy program is a first for the state

COLCHESTER, Vt., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Following nearly two years of
planning, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences opened its Vermont
Satellite Campus today, welcoming 70 students in the inaugural class. The
campus, located in scenic Colchester, Vermont, is home to the only pharmacy
program in the state.

The ACPHS-Vermont campus offers a four year program culminating in a Doctor of
Pharmacy (Pharm.D.). The Pharm.D. is the degree required to practice pharmacy
in the United States. Students entering the program have completed a minimum
of two years of college coursework, with prerequisites that include biology,
chemistry and physics.

The members of the incoming class were selected from more than 1,200
applicants. They represent 20 states (including three students from Vermont)
and 16 countries. Their average age is 25 years old.

"When we announced plans to open the campus, Vermont was one of just three
states without a pharmacy program [Delaware and Alaska are the others]," said
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences President James J. Gozzo. "Now
that the campus is established, we look forward to becoming an important
contributor to the state's growth by helping address Vermont's existing
pharmacist shortage and conducting advanced pharmaceutical and biotech
research."

Research will be an important part of the teaching and learning taking place
at the College. Many of the 12 ACPHS-Vermont faculty are actively pursuing
grants and awards. The College has also joined the Vermont Biosciences
Alliance and hosted that group's first event in June 2009. The Alliance seeks
to strengthen Vermont's bioscience industry by helping facilitate
collaborations among researchers in higher education, health care, government
and the private sector.

Robert Hamilton, Pharm.D., will serve as the Vermont campus' Associate Dean
and Chief Administrative Officer. He will be responsible for all academic,
professional and community activities for the campus. Dr. Hamilton has served
many roles during nearly 30 years at ACPHS, including chair of the department
of pharmacy practice, director of the post-baccalaureate Pharm.D. program and
director of the College's continuing professional development program.

"We have assembled an exceptional group of students and faculty and provided
them with resources that are on a par with the best programs in the country.
Everyone on the campus is excited about being involved with a program that has
the potential to positively impact the health of Vermonters and people
throughout the country," said Dr. Hamilton.

The College plans to add 70 students in each of the next three years, bringing
the total enrollment to 280 students by the 2012-13 academic year. Additional
faculty and staff will be hired as new classes are enrolled.

About Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private,
independent institution committed to the advancement of health. The College
has academic programs and research activities spanning the full spectrum of
pharmacy and health sciences - from drug discovery to patient care. Nearly
1,600 ACPHS students are pursuing a wide range of career pathways in health
related fields through degree programs in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences,
biomedical technology and health and human sciences. The College's main campus
is located in Albany, New York; its satellite campus is in Colchester,
Vermont. For more information, please visit www.acphs.edu.

SOURCE Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Gil Chorbajian, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Albany
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Work: (518) 694-7394, Mobile: (518)
542-5532, gil.chorbajian@acphs.edu