University of the Sciences Announces Two Endowed Appointments

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Wyeth Dean Dr. Andrew Peterson

• McNeil Professor Dr. Marvin Shulte

PHILADELPHIA, PA (08/21/2013)(readMedia)-- University of the Sciences president Helen F. Giles-Gee, PhD, has announced two appointments to prestigious endowed positions: Andrew M. Peterson, PharmD, PhD, dean of the University's Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy, has been named the Wyeth Dean; and Marvin K. Schulte, PhD, chair of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, has been named the McNeil Professor.

The Wyeth Deanship is named after John Wyeth P'1854, an alumnus and founder of John Wyeth and Brother, which is now part of Pfizer. This deanship preserves the Wyeth name in perpetuity at the institution.

Dr. Peterson was appointed as dean of Mayes College in 2010 after serving as interim dean for a year. He has more than 20 years of research experience in pharmacy management, managed care pharmacy, and medication compliance, and more recently, medications in the environment. Prior to his position in Mayes College, Dr. Peterson was chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice/Pharmacy Administration within the University's Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He earned a PharmD from Medical College of Virginia and a PhD in health policy from University of the Sciences.

"Dr. Peterson's interdisciplinary background in health policy and pharmacy practice and their relevance to healthcare today were key in his appointment as the Wyeth Dean. Dean Peterson's leadership is crucial for ensuring that new insights in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries will emerge from the research and education programs of Mayes College," said Dr. Giles-Gee.

The McNeil Endowed Professorship was created to support pharmacological research and is named in honor of Robert L. McNeil, Jr., P'38, HonDsc'70, an alumnus who played a pivotal role in the development of Tylenol. This endowed professorship enhances the University's ability to perform advanced pharmaceutical research by investing in key research equipment, encouraging collaboration, and funding promising research projects.

Dr. Schulte came to the University last year with a distinguished record of scholarship in the areas of receptor neuropharmacology and protein bioengineering, for which he has had continuous grant support for his research. He served as co-coordinator of the biochemistry and molecular biology program at The University of Alaska Fairbanks and is the co-founder of its biomedical research conference for faculty, students, and researchers. Dr. Schulte earned his BS with a neuroscience minor from St. John's University (Minnesota) and his MS and PhD in biochemistry with a minor in neuroscience from the University of Minnesota, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Medical College of Pennsylvania.

"Dr. Schulte is the ideal person for this exciting professorship because he brings both deep knowledge of chemistry and chemical engineering, as well as a profound concern for human health and the pharmaceutical industry," said Dr. Giles-Gee. "His collaborative work in industrial pharmacy will further promote student internships and faculty contracts with industry and enhance the University's backing of regional economic development."

At University of the Sciences, students embark on a challenging learning experience in a proving ground for successful professionals in the science and healthcare-related fields. A private institution dedicated to education, research, and service, and distinguished as the nation's first college of pharmacy, the University has produced leaders in the science and healthcare marketplaces since its founding in 1821. Students in USciences' five colleges learn to excel in scientific analysis and to apply their skills to improving healthcare in the lives of people worldwide through such disciplines as pharmacy, biology, physical therapy, healthcare business, and health policy. For more information, visit usciences.edu.

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