KINGSTON, R.I. – April 12, 2007 – – The University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy has honored alumnus George Kenna with the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Preceptor of the Year award.

Preceptors oversee pharmacy students’ clinical experiences and serve as their mentors. This award is given to a preceptor in recognition of excellent teaching during the advanced pharmacy practice experiential coursework. The nomination can come from either a faculty member or a student.

Kenna, a resident of North Kingstown, is a practicing pharmacist, researcher, and mentor. He was a 1975 graduate of the URI College of Pharmacy and also received his Ph.D. in psychology from URI in 2003.

Kenna is a clinical pharmacist at Kent County Memorial Hospital and an assistant professor at Brown University. He was also a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Fellow at Brown Medical School.

A year ago, Kenna, who has published several articles on the epidemiology and etiology of substance abuse, coordinated a half-day seminar for all URI doctor of pharmacy students on “Substance Abuse in Health Professionals.”

“I am excited and proud to have won this award,” said Kenna. “There are a lot of awards that pharmacists can win, but this one is completely unexpected and genuine because the students do the nominating.”

Kenna, who has mentored 10 students in three years, says it is one of the best things that he has ever done.

“It is a very rewarding experience,” said Kenna. “I feel honored that students have felt good enough about my mentoring to nominate me for this award and I hope I can continue to have a positive effect on their lives.”

Pictured above

PROUD MOMENT. Named Advanced Preceptor of the Year, George Kenna, a professor at Brown University, proudly shows off his plaque. With the recipient are: June Spink, coordinator of experiential programs, Kathy Fisher, director of experiential learning, and Pharmacy Dean Donald Letendre. URI News Bureau Photo by Nora Lewis.