Congratulations to Dr. Andrew Darley ’12, Pharm.D., M.Ed., BCPS, who has been appointed Assistant Dean for Professional Education at the College. Dr. Darley has served as the Director of Professional Education since May 2021. In his new role, he will have authority and expanded administrative responsibility as the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program’s Chief Curricular Officer and Academic Program Coordinator. He will continue to serve on the Dean’s Senior Leadership Team. Among his initial charges, he will initiate a revision to the PharmD program’s curriculum.
In announcing Dr. Darley’s newly elevated position, Dean Kelly Smith remarked, “The numerous advances he has led in our PharmD program, his advanced training in higher education, and his commitment to service and willingness to accept additional responsibility for the greater good of the college and university make Dr. Darley exquisitely positioned to lead our signature degree program to even greater heights.”
Dr. Andrew Darley, new Assistant Dean for Professional Education, reflected on his new role at the College of Pharmacy.
What are your thoughts about your promotion?
It has been a privilege to serve as the first Director of Professional Education for the College of Pharmacy, and I am deeply honored to now be named Assistant Dean for Professional Education. Our PharmD program is one of the best in the country, and I am constantly impressed by what our graduates achieve in their careers. As we look to the future of our PharmD program, I am excited to continue to work with our students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders to build on our successes and advance pharmacy education and practice. I am deeply grateful to Dean Kelly Smith for the confidence she has shown in me throughout my time as director and now in my promotion to Assistant Dean.
What are your goals and objectives for your new role? How will your leadership impact students?
My priority is to foster a rigorous but supportive academic program that prepares students to begin their pharmacy career in any area they choose. For some graduates, this may be directly entering the profession as pharmacists in community, health system, industry, or other settings. For others, it may be pursuing postgraduate residencies or fellowships. Pharmacy may be a small world, but career paths within the field are unlimited. With a PharmD from UGA, our graduates can be confident that they have earned a respected degree that prepares them for professional success.
What are some of your professional affiliations and involvement?
I am extremely fortunate to have been able to pursue several leadership development opportunities while on faculty at UGA. This has included graduate education with my completion of an MEd in higher education administration through Georgia Southern University, and now my enrollment in the EdD program at the UGA McBee Institute of Higher Education. In addition, I was a member of Cohort 19 of the Academic Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP) offered by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). These opportunities have allowed me to develop leadership knowledge and skills in higher education, strengthening my commitment to developing and implementing evidence-informed practices that maximize student success.
Dean Smith’s full letter appointing Dr. Andrew Darley to his new position can be viewed here.
