Few names resonate in pharmacy education like Johnnie Early II.
Early's recent decanal retirement marks 37 years serving as dean of several leading pharmacy schools, most recently Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health.
His career, sparked by his fascination with an herbal remedy from his maternal grandmother, demonstrates his passion for learning and a commitment to nurturing future leaders in the field. Known for his gentle nature, keen intellect, and people skills, Early’s approach to networking allowed him to transform challenges into opportunities.
“I remember one of my pastors said to our congregation, ‘Your minister needs a minister.’ Well, deans need deans,” said Early, a longtime ASHP member. “Even 30-plus years into being a dean, I have run into a couple of things. Even when I think I know the path I should take, I will use some of my friends who are at similar schools and whose judgment I have regard for and ask, ‘What do you think about this?’ How would you approach it?’ “There’s always a gem that comes out of that.”
At the Helm: Leaders in Pharmacy Education
As the fall term begins for schools and colleges of pharmacy, ASHP is spotlighting some of the deans and associate deans helping shape a new generation of pharmacists.
A pharmacy career set in motion
Early’s interest in pharmaceutical sciences began at age 5 when he was sick and his grandmother stopped by to visit. She felt his forehead, then went and cut some leaves off a morning glory plant growing in the front yard. She brewed a tea from the plant; Early recalls feeling much better shortly after drinking it.
Many years later, Early identifies that moment as the start of his pharmacy journey.
Early studied biology/pre-pharmacy at Fort Valley State University, a historically Black university. He earned a pharmacy degree from Mercer University, where he was a charter member of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, and a PhD at Purdue College of Pharmacy.
Early was just nine years out of graduate school — and a published toxicologist — when he took on his first deanship at FAMU. His mentor, Charles Walker, provided him with challenging assignments and support.
“I had not planned on a dean being my career goal, but because of all that he had done and the opportunities (Walker) had given, I was prepped to make that application and be successful,” said Early.
Breaking barriers
Throughout his years in administration, Early worked to promote a more diverse healthcare workforce.
His highlights include hiring the first Black faculty member with a PharmD at the University of Toledo; building the PhD program at FAMU; and involving the faculty and learners at Medical University of South Carolina in a community health fair.
“South Carolina at the time was more than 30% Black, and my college typically had in every class of 50, three people of color until I arrived,” he said. By going into the community and people seeing him and the students, it helped to increase minority applicants.
“The PharmD, PhD, and residency programs have all showed measurable growth in ethnic diversity, reinforcing the mission to prepare a healthcare workforce that reflects the communities we serve,” Early added.
Early says he also is proud of his work establishing pharmacy summer camps at FAMU and the University of Toledo. These camps introduced underrepresented high school students to pharmacy, resulting in a notable impact: approximately 10% of the University of Toledo’s first-year pharmacy students in recent years were former campers, many of whom were on scholarships.
Engaging supporters and advocates
In his roles as dean, Early became a champion fundraiser to support his schools and programs.
“I’m a relator,” he said.
When he meets potential donors, he looks around their offices, for example, to find something he can bring into the conversation. And Early, a longtime photography buff, always brings his camera. When he winds down a meeting, he often takes a picture of the person with whom he met — and turns it into a greeting card that he mails them with a personal note.
Early’s personable manner also helps him when he’s advocating policymakers on pharmacy issues. While directing the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program at FAMU, for example, Early networked with an alumnus who was a Senate aide to help secure $1 million in funding for vital equipment.
Under Early’s leadership, alumni giving at the Medical University of South Carolina increased, and pharmacy programs at both the Medical University of South Carolina. The University of Toledo gained recognition in U.S. News and World Report rankings, and FAMU improved its ranking during his tenure.
Early’s efforts to improve diversity and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare have been recognized with numerous awards, including the ASHP-Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists Joint Leadership Award and an ASHP Honorary Membership Award.
Teaching, he said, has remained at the core of his life, starting with his time at Purdue, where he learned to teach in the pharmacology laboratory course. Now Early is stepping into a new chapter, one that naturally involves teaching: He is serving as scholar-in-residence with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, with plans to return as a full professor with an administrative focus on PharmD accreditation.
He credits "remarkable mentors, colleagues, and learners" in shaping his nearly four-decade journey advancing biomedical research, leading institutions to national rankings, and mentoring the next generation of CEO deans. “The work has been deeply rewarding," he said, "and it continues.”
