Core Area
Education
Strategic Area
Sustained focus on recruitment and services to attract and support an outstanding and diverse student population
Goal Status
In Progress
Objectives
- Support the remaining students enrolled in the Flex PharmD Program in their journey to graduation (2023–2025).
- Completion of admission project with Dr. Marion Pearson to review and make recommendations for changes to the PharmD admission process, as an initiative of the E2P Admission Sub-Committee (2024).
- Associate Dean Students portfolio to increase activities for students newly admitted to the Faculty (2024).
- In collaboration with the Development and Alumni Engagement Office, continue to look for ways to include Alumni Ambassadors in recruitment processes (2024).
- Graduate student recruitment visits to institutions in Ontario, Quebec and BC will be conducted with a focus on Indigenous and black students (2025).
- Enhancing relationships with rural/remote and Indigenous focused colleges to build admissions pathways (e.g., New Caledonia) (2024).
- ADGPS Office and DAE Office to seek donors to establish a bursary for racialized graduate students and a Black and Indigenous Scholars fellowship program (2024–25).
- ADGPS Office looking to enhance competitiveness in attracting top talent by raising minimum graduate stipend to a higher amount by 2025.
Achieved Goals
- SPIIF fund approved project to support recruitment pathways for Black and Indigenous students in the Graduate program (May 2023). Initiated visits to graduate career fairs at schools nationwide with targeted approach to black and Indigenous student groups in addition to the general student population (summer 2023). Implemented a further 4 career fair visits to institutions with targeted approaches for recruitment for Indigenous and black students (2024).
- Launched revamped graduate program website with the goal of effectively showcasing our grad program features and better engaging prospective students. Incorporates fresh and engaging content that highlights various program features and covers a wide range of topics (including featuring the profiles of current Black and Indigenous students, and listing support and funding resources for Indigenous and BPOC students) to help attract diverse prospective students. (Nov 2023); further enhanced content to better support students applying to the program with respect to admissions, awards, scholarships, professional development opportunities and support services, in particular information for equity-seeking students (2024).
- Participated in the Verna Kirkness Foundation program for Indigenous high school students to participate in pharmaceutical science experiences (2 students in May 2023; 4 students in July 2024).
- Created Associate Dean Students position to support the Faculty in supporting pre-entry and admitted students (Aug 2023).
- Participated in the D'HoPE program for diverse health professions education students to participate in pharmaceutical science experiences (summer 2023 and 2024).
- Supported the development and implementation of the admissions process for the Graduate Diploma in Pharmacy Leadership; students recruited for fall 2024 (2023 fall and 2024 spring).
- Initiated process to review the admissions requirements for the BPSc program (spring 2024), and seek to make the Year 2 transfer option more accessible.
- With provincial government support, increased the seats in the BPSc program, effective for the 2024 Winter Session (spring 2024).
- SPIIF fund approved "Discover Pharmacy Tour" by Amanda Haggett—awarded $17,200. The project supports a campaign aimed at recruiting strong students of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to our undergraduate programs. In particular, a goal of the DPT is to support recruitment of students from Indigenous and rural communities (April 2024); visits initiated summer and fall 2024.
- Initiated relationship with five Faculties to develop direct entry Indigenous student pathways to STEM subjects (spring 2024).