The NDSU Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has received the 2022 Advancing Inclusion Award from the NDSU President’s Council for Diversity, Inclusion and Respect. President David Cook spoke about the importance of the award presented to Dr. Jagdish Singh, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Health Professions at a ceremony on October 5, 2022.

According to the President’s Council, the Advancing Inclusion Award is given annually to an NDSU department, committee, group, or unit that collaboratively promotes an inclusive culture by enhancing or contributing to the overall environment of the community or university.

NDSU Pharmaceutical Sciences received the award highlighting its recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups. By the numbers, the department’s students represent eight different countries, and the number of faculty members hired who identify as female has increased from 9 percent to 27 percent in recent years. The department seeks to foster a collaborative environment inclusive of faculty and students representing culturally diverse experience. Graduate students in the department are from India, Bangladesh, USA, Nigeria, Ghana, China, Nepal, and Brazil.

“Every day they come with a positive attitude, making this a better place to work and live,” said Dr. Singh, who outlined the department’s commitment to inclusivity.

According to the President’s Council, the NDSU Advancing Inclusivity award “recognizes the implementation of practices, programs, procedures, and similar actionable processes which result in a mutually identified sense of belonging and thriving for all people across any number of axes of diversity including: race, class, sex, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, religion, age, and veteran status among others.”

In 2017, the NDSU Department of Public Health in the College of Health Professions received the Diversity Impact Award from the NDSU President’s Council for Diversity, Inclusion and Respect.

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the NDSU School of Pharmacy offers master’s and PhD degree programs, emphasizing both research and teaching excellence. The department's research portfolio includes R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health, with research focused on the role of pharmaceutical sciences in disease prevention, disease treatment, and additional research to promote health.

As a student focused, land grant, research university, we serve our citizens.