February 19, 2020

“Our vision for the College of Pharmacy is that it serves as a model of excellence in diversity and inclusion, not just at Michigan, but also among pharmacy schools.” Dr. Regina McClinton, the COP’s first chief officer of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), shared her goals for the college in the latest issue of Diversity in Action Magazine. Although the current DEI initiative under Dr. McClinton began in 2017, the University of Michigan has historically been a leader in DEI in the state and country. The work of Dr. McClinton and the College builds on the foundation established by Dean Valener Perry, who came to the College in 1972. At the time of her arrival, the University had made a commitment to improve its minority student recruitment. Perry was the college’s undisputed champion saleswoman and counselor, and the number one ambassador in all things College related. Staff and students fondly remember her as being a warm and welcoming character who wasn’t afraid to hold students accountable if she felt they weren’t living up to their potential. Within two years of her arrival, the College met and exceeded its commitment to have a minimum 10% minority student undergraduate enrollment. Flash forward to 2020, the PharmD student body is comprised of 7.3% underrepresented minorities (African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander), while the PhD student body contains 8.3% underrepresented minorities. Women in pharmacy are also exploding onto the scene, representing more than 40% of U-M College of Pharmacy graduate students and more than 50% of PharmD student population. However, there is still much more work that needs to be done.

“Diversity for us is not only race and gender,” McClinton explains. “It also includes ability, socio-economic status, sexual identity and orientation, age, nationality, experience, and perspectives and ideas. It is from this richness that our goals will be achieved.” The College of Pharmacy aims to diversify the applicant pool for both their student body and faculty to ensure proper representation throughout. Read the full article HERE!