Phil Douglass
Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cell Biology, Class of 1995
Originally from rural Upstate New York, Phil Douglass was attracted to the Eberly College of Science (ECoS) at Penn State because it aligned with his desire for a “big school experience in a small town setting Since graduating with a B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology in 1995, Phil earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Kentucky and has spent the last two decades in the biotechnology and life science industries.
“When I set foot in State College and on campus, it was what I had always dreamed of college being. It was a beautiful place,” said Phil. “But I wanted a big school with lots of programs and Penn State had that.”
The Gift of Time
Grateful for the education and experiences ECoS provided, Phil gives particular credit for his career success to his experience in Eberly’s cooperative education program, which provides students with the opportunity to receive a paycheck while gaining deeper on the job experience in the industry of their choice.
For Phil, that industry was pharmaceuticals, fulfilling his Co-op at Burroughs-Wellcome Company, now known as the British multinational pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. This industry introduction solidified his path to a gratifying career in life sciences, mostly at Agilent Technologies where he is currently a Director of Genomics and Pathology Sales.
“Penn State opened doors for me,” said Phil. “My Co-op experience introduced me to a network of professionals who were graduates of pharmaceutical programs and from them I learned more about the different pathways available to me.”
In an effort to help other Penn State students determine if biotech is the right path for them, Phil has returned to campus several years in a row as a guest lecturer in Ann Marie Daniel’s Science-Related Employment course (SC 402) which exposes students to the variety of careers available in the realm of science, as well as tactical information related to expectations and skills required to land a job in these fields.
An Entrepreneurial Endowment
In addition to his time, Phil has consistently made financial contributions to the University, dating back to 1995 and his senior class gift. In 2018, with a personal pledge and a 1:1 match from his employer, Agilent, Phil endowed a scholarship for ECoS undergraduates majors minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation (ENTI), a commitment that was matched 1:1 by the University as part of our first-time endowed scholarship matching program.
The ENTI minor consists of 10 different clusters, with one specializing in biotech, available to students both within and outside of the Eberly College of Science. The specialization prepares students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and apply innovative strategies to find solutions that benefit humans, animals, and the environment.