School of Pharmacy

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) hosted their Career Fair and Residency Showcase on Nov. 19. Thirty-four agencies met students at this annual showcase for Employers and Pharmacy Residency Programs, the final career fair of the semester from SIUE’s Career Development Center.

Throughout the academic year, SOP works with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) to match applicants to residency positions. For the SOP Class of 20...

Gable Makes Urgent Call for Enhanced Mental Health Care Access   

The Journal of Patient Experience features an article that covers a treatment breast cancer survivors may not even know they need: behavioral health care. Authored by Kelly Gable, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP, professor and director of Well-being and Resilience at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP), the article "Dear Breast Cancer Oncology: Where is the Behavioral Health Care?" is told from the pati...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) proudly welcomed its newest class of student pharmacists into the profession during its annual White Coat Ceremony on September 12, 2025, at the Morris University Center.

Receiving the White Coat were 84 new pharmacy students who comprise the Class of 2029. These students began classes in August 2025 and will continue their training through a rigorous curriculum that combines classroom learning with hands-on clinical experienc...

With the publicity still fresh surrounding Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s fall enrollment growth despite challenging national trends, SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, gave an encouraging address, thanking students, faculty, staff, and administrators for achieving the monumental feat.    

Minor delivered the University Budget Update on Thursday, Sept. 4 in the SIUE Morris University Center’s Legacy Room to a crowded audience. Minor opened his remarks b...

Here are some of the recently published stories featuring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students, alumni, faculty, and broader initiatives:

1. CNN Highlights SIUE’s Partnership with Illinois State Police on Cold Case Investigations; KMOX Radio Airs Coverage the Following Day

SIUE is receiving both regional and national attention for its innovative partnership with the Illinois State Police (ISP) to address unsolved homicides.

CNN featured the initiative on “CNN T...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of the Provost announced that Sinan Onal, PhD, an associate professor in the School of Engineering (SOE), and Elizabeth Cady, PharmD, in the School of Pharmacy (SOP), are the recipients of the annual Teaching Excellence Award. Onan is recognized as a tenure-track faculty member and Cady as non-tenure track faculty. This recognition is the most prestigious teaching award for an SIUE faculty member. In addition to the award, each faculty me...

Matthew Jacquot from Bloomington is graduating from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this spring with degrees in both PharmD and Master of Public Health. He describes himself as “passionate about helping people live healthier lives.” During his training while at SIUE, he focused on providing patient-centered care, especially for vulnerable populations, and worked on projects in health education, chronic disease management, and deprescribing. He also served in leadership...

Dr. Kelly Gable is Part of AAPP’s First Fellows Program

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s Kelly N. Gable, PharmD, is among the inaugural class of the 2025 American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP). 

“I am definitely excited and quite honored to be on a list with some phenomenal psychiatric pharmacists from across the country!” said Gable, BCPP, FAAPP, professor and director of well-being and resilience for the SIUE School ...

 
Last Friday, SIUE School of Pharmacy hosted its 20th White Coat Ceremony.  All 62 student members of the Class of 2028, family and friends gathered in the Meridian Ballroom of Morris University Center to uphold the tradition that marks the start of their professional journey. More than 450 people attended. Sara Buehnerkemper, PharmD, (‘15) Director of Pharmacy, Carle Richland Memorial Hospital, was the keynote speaker. 

Buehnerkemper shared th...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville invites prospective students to learn more about its opportunities in the Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy and Engineering at its upcoming fall Explore Days.

Explore Days allow students and their families to interact directly with faculty, staff and current students as they learn more about an academic area of interest and the benefits of earning a degree in nursing, pharmacy or engineering from SIUE.

SIUE Explore Days include: 
School of Nursing: Satu...

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their long-awaited graduation plans, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) Class of 2020 did not just adapt—they innovated. Forced to move their commencement to a virtual platform, these resilient graduates turned their disappointment into an enduring legacy by creating the School of Pharmacy Scholarship.

Pooling together funds originally intended for their graduation festivities, the Class of 2020 initiated the scholar...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) has been awarded two prestigious R-16 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), totaling nearly $1.3 million. These grants will support cutting-edge research in Alzheimer’s disease and cancer treatment, reinforcing the school’s commitment to advancing medical science.

Ken Witt, PhD, professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Michael Crider, PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, professor ...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) was recently awarded with the national Innovation in Teaching Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy for their innovative project, "Making an ‘ImPaCT (Improving Patient Care for Tomorrow)’: A longitudinal, required innovation curriculum to address practice-based problems.” The program is led by Kate Newman, PharmD, Director of Experiential Education and a clinical associate professor wit...

On the mornings of April 13 and April 20, a large group of students, staff, alumni, faculty, retired faculty and future Cougars from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) pitched in to clean and beautify the yards of 12 area senior citizens. The work ranged from small projects to large. After each shift, all homeowners were left with beautiful yards that they could safely enjoy.

The project was the idea of Chris Lynch, professor and director of clinical pr...

In its ongoing mission to “prepare pharmacy professionals, scholars and leaders to improve the health and well-being of the region and beyond,” the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships this academic year, according to SOP Director of Development Nick Niemerg. 

The SOP gave 34 merit and need-based scholarships/awards and three faculty awards totaling more than $31,000. Also, two inaugural awards were made po...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) has reached a new milestone by matching 93% of graduates into residency programs during the formal match process. SIUE’s 2024 cohort has attained the number one match rate in the state of Illinois and 21st in the nation with this ranking. Two students received residency offers outside the match, skyrocketing the overall residency placement at 97%.

Jess Kerr, PharmD, associate dean of student affairs in the SOP, share...

Two Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) students earned national recognition by placing in the top 10 in the ASHP Clinical Skills Competition as part of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting held from December 3-7 in Anaheim, CA. The last time SIUE SOP had representation in the top 10 was in 2016 when the team earned a third-place finish.

This year’s ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting hosted two-person teams, each from mo...

Putting students first, a high quality of teaching and learning and a collaborative culture are a few reasons Jennifer Hookstra, BSPharm, PharmD, MBA, CDECS, FNAP, wanted to work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Pharmacy (SOP).

Professor Hookstra, who started at the University a month ago, is the new chair of Department of Pharmacy Practice.

“So far, I would give us an A for our approach to teaching and desire to create a supportive environment for students,&#82...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, welcomed Governor JB Pritzker to SIUE’s campus for the momentous groundbreaking ceremony of SIUE’s new health science complex, the future home of SIUE’s School of Pharmacy and School of Nursing.

“With today’s groundbreaking at SIUE, we usher in a new era for Southern Illinois and its world class University – with greater access to quality education and first-rate healthcare,” said...

School of Pharmacy (SOP) students Brayden Shirley, Nicole Zachwieja, and Emily Gauthier at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville placed second in the national 2023 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Clinical Research Challenge. SIUE competed against teams from 87 top ranked pharmacy programs from across the country.  

“Nicole, Emily, and Brayden are extremely bright, creative and motivated students,” said J. Mark Ruscin, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS and faculty liais...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s (SOP) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program has received reaccreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). ACPE is the only accrediting body for schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States.

“Accreditation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program by ACPE reflects the continued commitment that the SIUE School of Pharmacy has in providing a program of learning that includes quality assurance a...

The School of Pharmacy and the College of Arts and Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville have announced a concurrent Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, providing students an avenue for increased opportunities in the fields of pharmaceuticals and healthcare policies and systems.

PharmD students who are admitted to the MPA program will use selected pharmacy courses to meet requirements within the MPA curriculum and use selected MPA cou...

As part of their clinical practice, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) students provide home visits for senior citizens in the area. The SOP students and faculty go further than only providing health checks to their senior patients.

“I noticed that they have a hard time keeping up with some of the larger jobs around the yard, and the state of their yards presented real fall risks,” said Chris Lynch, PharmD, professor and director of clinical program...