For its first day of school Aug.13, Manchester University School of Pharmacy will welcome its first class of 70 students to its new, 82,000-square-foot building, near the intersection of Dupont and Diebold roads.
The university held an open house for donors, alumni, community members and future students Wednesday night to celebrate the completion of the building.
With its three lecture halls, drug information center, four research labs, 21,000 square feet of meeting room space, 150-seat auditorium and mixed modern and traditional architectural elements, the building has more to offer than just a pharmacy school, said the school’s dean, David McFadden.
Businesses and the community will be able to rent meeting room space, and McFadden said the building’s space will allow other programs to come in to connect with the school.
The building’s location, near the new Parkview Regional Medical Center and Dupont Hospital just minutes away, lends itself to partnerships between the school and local medical facilities. Pharmacy students will begin working in local pharmacies as early as December as part of their schooling requirements.
The school’s drug information center will also be a resource for local practitioners. The center will provide answers to drug-related questions that practitioners may not have the time to research.
The school’s first class will be 70 students; the school will accept four classes of students total. McFadden said about 40 percent of students are Hoosiers, the rest will come to the city from around the country.
Spaces within the building will allow for student collaboration and integrate state-of-the-art technology. Other unique spaces include interview rooms designated for students to practice their people skills.
