Inaugural associate pharmacy dean named for Kearney campus

Linda Sobeski, PharmD, will lead the UNMC College of Pharmacy program based at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Linda Sobeski, PharmD, has been named the inaugural associate dean for the UNMC College of Pharmacy’s regional pharmacy school at the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus.

The first pharmacy class at Kearney – projected to be 12-16 in number – is set to enroll August 2025 and graduate May 2029.

Dr. Sobeski, a UNMC alumna who has been with the UNMC College of Pharmacy since 2005, is a clinician-educator and board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist with a clinical practice.

“The college is excited to have Dr. Sobeski as our associate dean,” said Keith Olsen, PharmD, Joseph D. Williams Endowed Dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy. “Her great depth in understanding all aspects of pharmacy education will be invaluable to guide, lead and mentor our students and faculty on the Kearney campus.”

“We are delighted to have Dr. Sobeski lead our program in Kearney,” said Don Klepser, PhD, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the college. “She understands our curriculum and our culture, which will allow her to mentor new faculty and assure that students in Kearney are getting the same high-quality experience as those in Omaha. She will serve as an incredible ambassador for the college in Kearney and the surrounding areas.”

UNMC Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD, said Dr. Sobeski’s hiring is part of the university’s greater commitment to the state and its people.

“The expansion of our pharmacy program to Kearney, along with medicine, nursing, public health, the allied health professions and more, is the latest in our effort to serve all Nebraskans,” Dr. Davies said. “This will increase access to much needed pharmacy services for students closer to home for many of our rural communities.

“I am pleased that Dr. Sobeski, a UNMC alumna with a strong background of excellence in clinical education, has agreed to help lead the college of pharmacy students in this mission. I am confident the students will be well served by her experiences.”

Dr. Sobeski’s educational awards include an Outstanding Faculty Award from the UNMC College of Pharmacy class of 2022 and being honored as the college’s Preceptor of the Year in 2020.

Dr. Sobeski, who began her new role on Sept. 1, will be based in Kearney, Dr. Klepser said.

Prior to joining UNMC, Dr. Sobeski held an appointment as assistant clinical professor at Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Des Moines.

Dr. Sobeski’s primary research interests are management of cognitive disorders, inappropriate medication use in the elderly and clinical geriatric education. She currently is collaborating with the UNMC Geriatrics Division on a Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program grant.