Pharmacy students visit Hawaiʻi State Capitol

Student pharmacists from The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo visited the Hawaiʻi State Capitol April 16 to deliver informational packets to Hawaiʻi’s legislators.

At risk is the accreditation for the College, which is being evaluated by committee members from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) at the same time that the legislators head to conference to deliberate the fate of funding a permanent building for the College.

The conference committee is the final hurdle for legislation before heading to state House and Senate floor votes in early May. The state Senate has included the $38 million needed for the building in its budget, but the House has not.

The packets, including a CD with 1,000 letters of community support and petitions with 1,243 signatures, are a product of a group of community members called the Friends of The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (FDKICP) Steering Committee, headed by Kelvin Sewake, a Hilo resident.

“The community has really come out in full support of the College, and for that we are truly grateful,” said Sewake, who also is the father of a student pharmacist. “The letters and petitions represent the hopes and dreams of the current pharmacy students as well as the bright future for all aspiring pharmacists.”