Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences announces its 145th Commencement ceremony, to be held on Saturday, May 17 at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, New York.
Approximately 230 undergraduate, graduate and PharmD students are expected to cross the stage to receive their diplomas at the 10 am ceremony. Graduating students have earned degrees in one or more of ACPHS’ 18 academic programs spanning the Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Clinical and Health Sciences.
The graduates come from various towns and cities throughout New York state as well as:
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17 additional states including CA, CT, DE, FL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, VT
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One U.S. territory: Puerto Rico
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One U.S. military installation in Italy
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Six additional countries including Canada, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Spain and South Korea
The event will be live streamed via the ACPHS website for families and friends who cannot attend in person. For details about the ceremony such as directions, tickets, accommodations and parking, please visit the 2025 Commencement web page.
2025 Commencement Speaker
Kathy Sheehan, JD, the 75th mayor – as well as the 1st female mayor – of the City of Albany, will serve as the Commencement speaker.
Mayor Sheehan has served as Mayor of Albany since 2014 after spending four years as City Treasurer. After graduating from Albany Law School, she practiced law before entering politics. The Chicago, IL-native earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University.
During Mayor Sheehan’s term, the city invested nearly $200 million in new parks, pools, community centers, streets, sidewalks, and water and sewer infrastructure. These investments have been made with a commitment to equity and responsive government that includes diverse community voices, and a focus on neighborhoods impacted by redlining and other historically discriminatory practices.
She has worked to reduce the crime rate in Albany by 21 percent, while witnessing Albany’s population grow beyond 100,000 citizens for the first time in decades. In her term, Albany has seen more than $1 billion in new development citywide with another $500-plus million in the pipeline – all indicators of the growing optimism within New York’s Capital City.
ACPHS is equally committed to building equity in the city. The College’s Collaboratory continues to serve Albany’s South End neighborhood and beyond. ACPHS’ Public Health Pharmacy Team (PHPT) works alongside Trinity Alliance’s Wellness Advocates Linking Communities (WALC) community health worker team to provide chronic disease screening, management, and education, naloxone training and distribution, medication reviews, and assistance navigating social determinant of health needs.
“Under Mayor Sheehan’s leadership, Albany now stands on the brink of a transformational era,” said Toyin Tofade, President, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “Our College shares in her optimism for the future as we continue to pursue our vision of serving as a global leader in preparing students for transformative health careers to solve problems that change the world. Our 2025 graduates are solid proof of that commitment.”
About Albany College of Pharmacy and Life Sciences
Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) is a private college dedicated to educating the next generation of leaders to improve the health of society. The College offers 18 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including online and hybrid options. Students have opportunities to extend what they are learning in the classroom through experiential learning opportunities such as in our Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET) as well as at student-supported pharmacies in underserved communities and a public health Collaboratory, designed to alleviate community health disparities. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce ranks ACPHS #1 in New York State for ROI. The College holds a Carnegie Research Colleges and Universities designation for its research expenditures and is graded an A+ for value by Niche.