Posted by William Nunnelly on 2009-05-05

Dr. Charles D. Sands III was named Dean of Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy, effective May 1. Dr. Sands had served as Acting Dean of the pharmacy school since August of 2008.

"It has been my pleasure to work with Dr. Sands this past year in his capacity as Acting Dean and I have observed first-hand his professionalism and his capabilities in providing leadership to the school," said Samford Provost and Executive Vice President J. Bradley Creed.

"I am looking forward to continuing this professional relationship as he assumes full responsibilities as dean and works with pharmacy faculty and staff in charting a course for the future."

Sands' appointment came during the annual spring meeting of the Samford board of trustees April 28. He was also promoted to full professor.

Sands has taught at Samford since 1984 and has also taught at Yanbian University Medical College in Yanji, China, and Sookmyung University in Seoul, Korea. He has served as chair of the pharmacy practice department in the pharmacy school since 1997. He holds pharmacy and doctor of pharmacy degrees from the University of Florida.

During the past five years Sands has been a leader in the pharmacy school's work to operate weekly diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction clinics in Perry County, Alabama. The program provides health care to one of Alabama's poorest counties (it has no hospital or emergency room). Pharmacy professors Gary Bumgarner and Condit Steil also worked in the Perry County program, along with Samford pharmacy students.

The program earned McWhorter one of eight national Crystal APPLE awards from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) in 2008 for providing top academic practice partnerships.

Sands was recognized as a Health Care Hero in 2007 and 2008 by the Birmingham Business Journal for his efforts to improve access to health care locally and abroad, including mission trips to Asia.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.