[PT2021] Message from Dean Adams

[Adams, Michael]

CPHS Students, Staff, and Faculty,



As we near the end of a difficult semester, I wanted to pause a minute and share some observations and set a goal for each of us to strive towards in the months to come.


The challenges have been many and varied and each of us has been on a unique and sometimes isolated journey. The navigation of life and a rigorous academic program during a pandemic is enough to add tremendous stress to anyone's daily lives.  I have been proud of how the students, faculty, and staff have adapted to less than ideal situations.  Remote instruction, social distancing, and the occasional quarantine have disrupted the way we approach our academic pursuits, not to mention our familiar family routines.  Yet we must still press on to achieve our mission of preparing health care professionals for purposeful lives and meaningful service in an ever-changing world.



The stress of the pandemic has also been compounded by an election that has divided the country.  The ability to have a civil disagreement and productive discourse has frequently broken down into name-calling and threats.  Social media has emboldened an aggressive and argumentative nature in many that further hinders civil discourse because of the dehumanizing effect of typing into a device rather than speaking face to face.



Recent events have reminded me that language, in all its forms, is extremely powerful and we must all be aware of how we use our words.  This is even more important for health care professionals as we are entrusted by our patients to provide care so they can have optimal health and wellness.  Words that offend or alienate others based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs can have detrimental effects on our community and the patients we serve.  Racist and homophobic language only further damages the health and wellness of a population that faces health disparities, not to mention devaluing the diversity of life.  As a member of the "Campbell family" and of a College whose mission includes education in a Christian environment, I challenge you to strive to uphold the simple, yet profound, commandment from Jesus that we "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31).



These times and this climate are seasonal, but the relationships that you build with colleagues have the potential to last a lifetime. I encourage you to approach each day with the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In this time when we are not able to gather in the ways that we are accustomed, it is more important than ever that we value our interactions with one another and lift each other up.



If you are experiencing unusual or new stresses, StudentLinc is an anonymous resource available to all CPHS students that provides behavioral health services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  Call 1-888-893-LINC (5462) to connect to StudentLinc.  To explore the services to see if they are right for you, please visit www.mystudentlinc.com<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.mystudentlinc.com__;!!OToaGQ!6MC8b1inzLdau7xAY71XdmpTPcM6keZ8yt8dNY3xWMFtodmoLMbHZ-Gx_5GjGnZsPPjimZ4$> and enter the code: camels.



You are what makes CPHS what it is.  You share our future so please accept the challenge to "Love your neighbor as yourself."



Best regards-Michael

Michael L. Adams, PharmD, PhD | Campbell University
Dean, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
205 Day Dorm Rd, Room 101
PO Box 1090
Buies Creek, NC  27506
*: 910.893.1686 |*: adamsm at campbell.edu<mailto:adamsm at campbell.edu>

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