SIUE’s School of Pharmacy Announces Inaugural Endowed Professorship

EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) now has its first Endowed Professorship, due to a major contribution from Professor Emerita Therese Poirier, PharmD, MPH, FASHP, FCCP, BCPS. The Therese Poirier Endowed Professorship in Pharmacy is the largest single gift in the School of Pharmacy’s history.

“I look at some of the bigger schools and their affiliations where they have lots of money,” said Poirier. “And I was looking at what I could do and thought I need to start deciding where I'm going to make a major gift. This particular endowment is kind of a novel concept for SIUE.”

Poirier, a professor emerita of pharmacy practice, was recruited to SIUE faculty in 2004 to help establish the pharmacy program. She is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. Notably, Poirier’s recent donation is an extension of her generosity. She and members of the Class of 2020, whose in-person graduation celebration was moved to a virtual ceremony due to COVID-19, launched an endowed School of Pharmacy Scholarship to support future SOP students. While in retirement, Poirier continues to teach SOP classes.

“The greatest gift a leader can bestow is the empowerment of others. Dr. Poirier’s gift reflects a profound belief in people, their ideas, their leadership, and their capacity to transform what is possible. It is a natural extension of the way she has engaged and uplifted others throughout her career, and a powerful expression of her conviction in our program and its mission,” said Dean Mark Luer, PharmD, FCCP.

This new endowment will be used to attract/retain a distinguished scholar/teacher by providing recognition and financial support for research, teaching innovation, and scholarly activities. This endowment will support the work of the distinguished faculty member to advance the professor’s research/scholarship, professional travel, graduate assistantships and other activities with the SIUE School of Pharmacy.

"The Endowed Professorship is not only for pharmacy, but people involved in pharmacy education with the idea to stimulate innovation and research. I'm about investing in people. It's always about investing in people. That's what has guided me along,” said Poirier. “To invest in people, to invest in our faculty, to do greater things, to benefit the school and ultimately, the students.”

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Home to a diverse student body, SIUE is situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis.

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