Paving New Pathways For Students

SJNY President Dr. Donald R. Boomgaarden and SCCC President Dr. Edward T. Bonahue.

SJNY President Dr. Donald R. Boomgaarden and SCCC President Dr. Edward T. Bonahue.

Paving New Pathways For Students

New articulation agreements with ACPHS and SCCC further SJNY’s status as a transformational institution.

By Valerie Esposito-Saadat

College is a transformational experience. As an institution with a steeped history of expanding access to higher education, St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) has inked new articulation agreements that will open even more doors for students.

Accords announced this fall with New York state area institutions will provide guaranteed pathways for undergraduates who wish to obtain an advanced degree in health care as well as those who wish to pursue a B.A. or B.S. after graduating from community college.

A Path to PharmD

SJNY’s new articulation agreement with the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) guarantees students who meet specified criteria and complete SJNY’s biology program admission to ACPHS’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program. Beginning in fall 2025, students who enroll will begin the program as SJNY students until completing all requirements for a B.A. in Biology. Once students are admitted to ACPHS, they will remain ACPHS students through completion of the program.

Heather Barry, Ph.D., SJNY provost and vice president for academic affairs

“St. Joseph’s is an institution committed to helping students meet their goals and achieve degrees, much like the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences,” said SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D. “We are proud to begin this partnership and continue to provide expanded opportunities for students and future leaders.”

Doctor of Pharmacy programs—commonly referred to as PharmD—prepare students for a variety of careers as community pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, hospital pharmacists, pharmaceutical industry pharmacists, veterinary pharmacists and more.

“This articulation agreement joins the extensive and ever-expanding opportunities that we provide for students who are seeking higher education degrees,” noted Heather Barry, Ph.D., SJNY provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We are proud to now be able to assist students as they work toward a PharmD degree, together with the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.”

Founded in 1881, ACPHS is a private, independent college located in Albany, NY that offers 17 undergraduate, graduate and doctorate programs. Students at ACPHS have opportunities to extend what they are learning in the classroom at The Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training; student-supported pharmacies in underserved communities; and The Collaboratory, a public health resource designed to alleviate community health disparities in Albany’s South End neighborhood.

SJNY student smiling in lab at table with microscopes

SJNY students who meet requirements for a B.A. in Biology at SJNY can enter the ACPHS PharmD program in the new agreement.

PharmDs can work in veterinarian settings.

PharmD Careers

By offering admission into an accredited PharmD program, numerous opportunities await SJNY students who complete their advanced studies through the articulation agreement with ACPHS.

PharmD programs prepare individuals for careers as community, clinical or hospital pharmacists, who not only prepare and dispense medication, but are involved in more direct patient care.

For example, a clinical pharmacist employed by a hospital can attend rounds with a physician or health care team, recommend medications to patients and oversee the dosage and timing of the delivery of those medications. Clinical pharmacists can also evaluate the effectiveness of drugs and a patient’s progress, conduct certain medical tests and offer advice to patients.

Community pharmacists at local pharmacies and chain drug stores are critical providers within the larger U.S. health care system. According to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) in Washington, D.C., nearly 80 percent of patients view pharmacists as an integral part of their health care team. Community pharmacists often counsel customers on medications and over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, test for illnesses like COVID-19 or strep and administer flu shots. Pharmacists prescribe and manage care in all 50 states for chronic disease management (such as diabetes and hypertension), respiratory infections, immunizations, medications for opioid use disorders and Naloxone.

PharmD graduates play an important role in public health.

Pharmacists play a vital role in public health, especially where access to physician practices may be limited. For example, there are 15.1 percent more pharmacy locations within low-income communities than physician practices, and pharmacy locations offer 95.7 percent more operating hours than physician sites, according to data from APhA.

In addition, there are also more specialized roles for PharmD, such as veterinary pharmacist or infusion pharmacist.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for pharmacists is $136,030 and employment opportunities are projected to grow five percent between 2023-2033.

Career opportunities also exist within the wider pharmaceutical industry including marketing, sales and research and development (R&D) roles.

Suffolk County Community College and ACPHS logos

female students sitting in desks in classroom

SJNY is a top choice for SCCC students to continue their studies after graduation.

Upward Educational Mobility

In a separate move that also expands access to an affordable, quality education, SJNY and Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) have expanded their existing partnership to allow guaranteed acceptance to nearly all of St. Joseph’s programs for all SCCC students who choose joint admission.

“Our two institutions are here to help students meet their goals and achieve degrees,” said Dr. Boomgaarden. “With strong programs, less student debt, scholarships and a smooth transition from community college to university, we are proud to reaffirm this long-standing partnership and continue to provide expanded opportunities for students.”

With 48 articulation agreements between the two institutions, the partnership will continue to facilitate upward educational mobility and enable students to stay on Long Island to complete their undergraduate studies.

Students in the joint admission program between the two schools are automatically considered for generous transfer scholarships and grants, including the Stay on Long Island Scholarship initiative that annually awards four full-tuition scholarships and eight $20,000 scholarships to SCCC graduates.

“St. Joseph’s University, New York is transforming the world by fostering knowledge, prioritizing student success, and cultivating future leaders and global citizens through expanded opportunities and a world-class education.”
— Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D.

SJNY is a top choice for SCCC students to continue their studies after graduation, and is the No. 1 private institution, according to SCCC’s Report of Institutional Effectiveness (Spring 2024). During the 2023-2024 year, 50 percent of all SJNY Long Island transfer students came from the community college.

What’s more, SCCC students who come to Patchogue to continue their education are successful. SCCC graduates who enrolled at SJNY have had a shorter time to degree completion and a higher average GPA than their classmates who either transferred before receiving a degree or transferred from other institutions.

“Suffolk County Community College lays the foundation for students while St. Joseph’s builds on top of that foundation with a direct pathway to a baccalaureate degree,” said Suffolk County Community College President Edward T. Bonahue, Ph.D. “St. Joseph’s remains a direct interest for Suffolk students who want to earn a four-year degree, but also want to remain on Long Island.”

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