Target Presents Leadership Gift
Target presented a $50,000 check to the College of Pharmacy (COP) at Western University of Health Sciences on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, during a gift ceremony at one of Target’s newest store locations in Brea, California.
Attendees from WesternU included COP Dean Daniel C. Robinson, Dr. Jesse Martinez, Dr. Sam Shimomura, WesternU students Moon Kim and Amanda Wong, and Paul Stover. Target representatives included Joe Toscano (Regional Pharmacy Manager), Guy DiPasqua, Kate Nelson, Erinkay Griffiths, Jodi Nordstrom, Sarang Aranke, WesternU alums Diana Ibrahim and Kristina Kross, and Michelle Do, a WesternU alum and the pharmacist in charge of the new Target Pharmacy in Brea.
The collaboration between Target and COP will help build a multi-purpose Professional Development Laboratory that will serve as the center for many of the college’s educational and professional development learning activities. This brings Target’s total support for this program to $100,000. With these gifts, the Target Campus Grant Program Foundation has also recognized the College of Pharmacy as a Target Leadership School, a distinction given to only two colleges of pharmacy in the nation.
Dean Robinson welcomed everyone by noting how much he enjoys being with Target team members, since “”They are always smiling.”” He further stated his appreciation for the contribution to the College of Pharmacy by Target and the Target team members.
Target’s Guy DiPasqua followed Robinson’s comments by stating, “”We have a lot of opportunity (at Target) that includes internships and leadership.”” He also noted how important it is for Target to continue with its support of WesternU’s student pharmacists and programs, a sentiment was echoed by Joe Toscano. “”I really appreciate the openness and the willingness to develop connection points at the College of Pharmacy,”” Toscano said. “”We are excited about filling the gaps wherever they may be regarding the need for internships, leadership programming and more.””
The presentation was followed by a guided tour of the new Target pharmacy. One special feature is that the location of the pharmacy is at the front of the store, a rarity in retail chains. A second prominent feature is the ClearRx program. This first-of-its-kind system makes prescription health information easier to understand, specifically with innovations in patient communications, such as an easier-to-read-and-use bottle design (color-coded), and prescription and health information pamphlets.
Target’s support also demonstrates a strong commitment to the diversity initiative of WesternU’s College of Pharmacy to support the needs of the local community.
