Michael A. Schwartz, Ph.D., dean emeritus, College of Pharmacy retires

One of the things that Michael Schwartz, Ph.D., says he’s going to do in retirement is learn to play the flute better. But that’s not all.

Schwartz, who officially retired June 30, began his 25-year career with the College of Pharmacy in 1978 as dean, a position he held until 1996. He came to UF from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he served as dean of the School of Pharmacy.

In recent years, Schwartz created an elective course, called Thinking Skills, which he continues to teach one day a week. Designed to train pharmacy students in critical thinking skills, the course also promotes creative thinking. About his teaching style, Schwartz said, “I am less of a lecturer and more of a facilitator of learning.”

One of the biggest changes Schwartz saw during his years at UF was the financial growth of the college. In 1978, the college budget was less than $2 million — a figure that grew to more than $12 million by 1996, Schwartz said.

Other achievements include implementing the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program in 1984 and overseeing changes to the college’s teaching program to reflect industry trends.

Besides flute playing and teaching, Schwartz will work with other pharmacy leaders to develop a national consensus about pharmacy’s future focus. He also will promote Future Search, a technique for helping all types of organizations and communities develop plans for creating a desired future.