CHCS Perspectives Winter 2014

PERSPECTIVES • WINTER 2014 – Page 2 “Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.” – Alexander the Great Dean’s Message The Office of the Dean would like to extend a special greeting to our readers of the third edition of Perspectives magazine. On October 1, 2013, I assumed the role of dean of the College of Health Care Sciences (CHCS). Even though it has only been a few months since I un- dertook this new role, I have already been privileged to gain a new perspective about the phenomenal growth of the college over the past 20 years. The vast array of programs that have been developed since the establishment of the college in 1993, coupled with the distinctive quality of each program, speaks vol- umes about the commitment to meeting the academic needs of our community of students. Accordingly, I feel privileged to be leading the College of Health Care Sci- ences, which houses a diversity of health care programs that provides opportunities for those seeking to fulfill their professional aspirations. Throughout this maga- zine, you will be afforded insights into the many facets of our college and the levels of accomplishments that are regularly occurring. However, accomplishments are rarely an individualistic endeavor. Importantly, we firmly believe that engaging others in collaborative ac- ademic pursuits goes a long way toward enhancing the quality and foundation of our programs. As such, for the college’s students and faculty and staff members, engagement is not just a passive aspira- tional pronouncement but rather an active and essential derivative of many of the college’s health care pro- grams. Significantly, the efforts involving the Interpro- fessional Diabetes Education workshops displayed on the magazine’s front cover represent one area of many that exemplify how the college values engagement. We believe it is these types of efforts that unite our commu- nity of learners to work together and which go a long way in helping to deliver solutions to pressing health care issues. It must be stated, however, that the challenges we face in academia in meeting the needs of the health care marketplace are formidable and cannot satisfac- torily be addressed by single entities. To that end, we are committed to be on the frontline in the develop- ment of functional interprofessional health education models that will transform how health care is deliv- ered in the 21 st century. We believe our miscellany of programs makes us appropriately positioned to achieve that reality, which will ultimately ensure that our students enjoy productive educational experiences as they take advantage of collaborative academic and clinical opportunities. Today, our students demand more value for their health education, and we must be prepared to provide the highest quality, high-tech training and instruction in preparing them to deliver the best care to their pa- tients. We are fully committed to that ideal and readily grasp opportunities to innovate, effectuate constructive changes, and strengthen our existing systems. As we look to the future, we are prepared to adopt transfor- mational principles that nurture and develop faculty members and students of academic and clinical distinc- tion. As a college, we strive to achieve results far beyond the mundane and conventional. Instead, we remain steadfast in our efforts to attain heights where our pro- grams will be consistently characterized as innovative, distinctive, and preeminent. In closing, I would like to state that I am delighted to be dean of the College of Health Care Sciences, and I look forward to continuing to move this college to a level of excellence about which we can all be proud. As you peruse this magazine and acquaint yourself with the many activities occurring in the college, it is my hope that you—our faculty and staff members, student body, and alumni—will remain engaged with us as we push forward with plans that are guided by our desire to deliver the best in health education. My special thanks to the Office of Student Affairs for producing this issue of Perspectives magazine. Stanley Wilson, Ed.D. Dean, College of Health Care Sciences