Greg Dewey, PhD, President of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, announced today that former Vermont Governor James Douglas will be the commencement speaker at the May 17 graduation ceremony for the College’s Colchester Campus. This year’s commencement exercises will take place at 1 pm at the Champlain Valley Exposition.
Douglas served in Vermont state government for more than 35 years, including four terms as governor from 2003 - 2011. He was governor of the state when the College opened its Colchester Campus in 2009 and was a supporter of the campus throughout his time in office.
One of his top priorities as Governor was ensuring that Vermonters had access to high-quality, affordable health care. In his first year in office, he launched the “Blueprint for Health” as the state’s vision for transforming Vermont’s health care system through a focus on chronic disease prevention and management resources.
Building on the Blueprint, Governor Douglas signed a comprehensive package of health reforms in 2006 designed to expand access to coverage, improve the quality and performance of the health care system, and contain costs.
As a result of his health reform efforts, Douglas was honored by AARP as one of “10 extraordinary people who have made the world a better place through their innovative thinking, passion, and perseverance,” in 2006.
Governor Douglas is now an Executive in Residence at Middlebury College, his alma mater.
“A decade before the Affordable Care Act was passed, Governor Douglas signed legislation to help ensure Vermonters had access to quality, affordable health care,” said President Dewey. “That foresight makes the Governor particularly well suited to offer our graduates perspective on how future public policy initiatives may impact the nation’s health care system and what the implications could be for pharmacy and other health professions.”
“I would like to thank Dr Dewey, Dean Hamilton and the entire Colchester Campus for the honor of addressing the Class of 2015,” said Gov. Douglas. “Before Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences opened its Colchester Campus, Vermont did not have a pharmacy school. The College’s arrival and many subsequent contributions over the past six years have not only enriched Chittenden County but the entire state of Vermont.”
Source: Colchester, VT – April 1, 2015 – Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private, independent institution with a long tradition of academic and research excellence. The College is committed to educating the next generation of leaders in the health care professions and to innovative research that translates scientific discoveries into therapies that benefit humankind. In addition to its doctor of pharmacy program, ACPHS offers six bachelor’s programs and five graduate programs in the health sciences. The College’s main campus is located in Albany, New York; its satellite campus is in Colchester, Vermont.