Hard Hat Day - A Peek at the Construction of the School 0f Pharmacy

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore marked the half-way point of construction on its newest classroom building today with “Hard Hat Day,” an event that substituted for a groundbreaking ceremony cancelled a year ago by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the $90 million structure is completed, the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions currently spread among six buildings, will be consolidated under one roof including state-of-theart laboratories for training and pharmaceutical research.

University leaders envision the three-story building being the first of two phases to create an allied health sciences complex on the east side of campus.

UMES offers seven such programs, graduate degrees in physical therapy, physician assistant studies and rehabilitation counseling, undergraduate instruction in exercise science, rehabilitation services, and rehabilitation psychology, which longrange planning recommends be clustered together to foster greater collaboration. It was a sentiment emphasized in remarks by UMES President Heidi M. Anderson and her boss, Dr. Jay Perman, chancellor of the University System of Maryland.

Because of COVID-19 mitigation protocols, UMES organized a low-key, invitation-only event that included a small gathering of university supporters and elected officials, including state Sen. Mary Beth

Carozza (R-Worcester) and Del. Sheree SampleTwo of our alumnae, Dr. Brandy Inkrote-Taylor and Dr. Lauren Antal, participated in Hughes (D-Wicomico), the UMES SPHP Hard Hat Event. Dr. Inkrote-Taylor (Class of 2015) works as a pharmacy speaker pro tem of manager at the RiteAid Pharmacy in Berlin, MD and Dr. Antal (Class of 2019) joined the the Maryland House of SOP faculty in the PPA Department in Fall 2020. Delegates. “You are well aware of the healthcare professionals’ shortage we have here on the Eastern Shore and the state of Maryland,” Sample-Hughes said, turning to five current UMES pharmacy students sitting socially distanced on the front row. “We need you.” It was a theme repeated by an appreciative parade of speakers invited to participate in the celebration. Posters helped event guests visualize the finished building