Botanicals have been the main sources of medicines throughout the human history, until the recent century. Although pharmaceuticals are dominated by synthetical chemicals and biologicals now, we still should eat more vegetables and fruits, right? While botanical medicines become hidden treasures, I believe plants still will provide more balanced nutrition, healing, and wellness products, that are sustainable, economic, environmental, and beneficial. Actually, US FDA has been trying to approve more botanical products, but has been limited by bottlenecks of sciences, technology, strategies, and clinical supports.
I want to add my thanks to our Alumni and ACPHS Class of 1969, who made new Medicinal Garden a reality on our campus, and reminded us that Albany College of Pharmacy was the hub of leaders, experts and students of pharmacognosy and botanical medicines not that long ago. Thank President Dewey and the college leadership for working with contractors and architects to make our first Campus Master Plan a reality. And to finish the project on time! It had been a dream for many of us! Thank you, faculty, students, and community are embracing this initiative immediately, just within couple of months, even during the pandemic. But the pandemic reminded us that how much we are longing for wonderful outdoor spaces and in-person interactions under the Sun! All of this happened at the right time, right place, with right people.
This Medicinal Garden is an exciting challenge and opportunity for us at such a time, inspiring us to be a leader again. Do we dare to be different, to be unique, and to be #1 in something but not everything? — So that ACPHS students can be valuable and competitive, Beyond Practice Ready as the next generation of leaders to improve the health of our society. I believe Botanical Medicine is such an area of Renaissance, for new development, new curriculum, new research, new practices based on new sciences, with new opportunities for community service, outreach, and collaboration. We can carry our heritage and shine as a College of Pharmacy and Health Science for another 140 years!
Faculty and students are embracing this Botanical Garden challenge for the long run. Thank you all once again! (Oct 2, 2021 at Ribbon Cutting for ACPHS Class of 1969 Botanical Garden)
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