2014-Winter-DU-Magazine

WHAT’S NEW
What’s at DU?
new
DU Named a Best Private College by
“Kiplinger’s Personal Finance”
Duquesne has been selected as one of the country’s best values in private
colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. On the annual list of only 100 private
universities and 100 liberal arts colleges, Duquesne is ranked No. 84.
According to Kiplinger’s, Duquesne and the other schools included in the 2014
list represent the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable
cost. The colleges exemplify the attributes that parents and students look for
in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate
and a high four-year graduation rate.
“It is not by chance that our University is included in Kiplinger’s Best Private
Colleges List,” says Paul-James Cukanna, associate provost for enrollment
management. “Our inclusion reflects a decade-long effort by President
Dougherty and his team to manage the University in a highly sophisticated
manner. While his efforts have always been mission- and student-focused
rather than intended to garner external accolades, it’s great to have yet another
independent entity acknowledge and confirm the benefits of sound leadership
at a time when other universities are struggling nationally.”
Although private schools generally carry higher sticker prices than in-state
prices at public schools, the magazine notes that private schools can actually
be cheaper than public schools because of their generous financial aid.
“Combining a high-quality education with an affordable price tag is a challenge,
but the colleges on this year’s list offer the best of both worlds,” says Janet
Bodnar, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine editor.
Symposium Drills into Marcellus Research Findings
The Marcellus Shale boom has been followed by a litigation boom.
These are trends that Dr. John Stolz, director of the Center for Environmental
Research and Education, has observed in the five years of his involvement with
studies of fracking and shale gas extraction.
Stolz, a geomicrobiologist, organized Facing the Challenges, a symposium that
drew more than 300 participants to campus in November to hear academics
present their latest research around Marcellus. Some of Stolz’s findings in
five years of Marcellus study, including the use of chemicals in fracking and
the safety and integrity of the wells, were represented among the symposium
presentations. Other research presented covered topics such as air quality and
air migration, impact on animal and human health, effects on water treatment
plants and local government response to shale gas development.
Mylan School of
Pharmacy Receives
PPA Award
The Pennsylvania Pharmacists
Association (PPA) recently presented
the Mylan School of Pharmacy with
its Government Relations Award
at the PPA’s annual conference in
Gettysburg, Pa.
The Government Relations Award
recognizes a school that has gone
above and beyond in the area of
advocacy work. Points were awarded
for participation in Legislative Day,
meetings with legislators, PharmPAC
(Pharmacy Political Action
Committee) awareness and other
innovative advocacy efforts.
The Mylan School of Pharmacy
participated in 33 appointments
on Legislative Day to advocate for
advancing pharmacy practice and
had five students at the PPA’s Annual
Government Relations in Advocacy
Student Program. In addition,
the school’s entire second-year
pharmacy class took a legislative trip
to Washington, D.C.
18 DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE Winter ‘14