The College of Nursing and Health Sciences endeavors to prepare health care professionals who provide interprofessional, compassionate and family-centered services to patients and clients. This spring, our commitment was particularly evident through the service our college provided in various capacities in the local community. Whether sharing knowledge gathered through research or skills gained through practice, our faculty, students and staff made a difference for the better in other peoples’ lives.
Our research efforts led to the release of Assistant Professor Seth Frietze’s study offering hope for more effective treatment of leukemia; Assistant Professor Yang Bai’s demonstration of the impact of the NFL’s efforts to increase wellness among young fans; and Assistant Professor Nancy Gell’s revelation of the impact of rehabilitation services on the well-being of those who use Medicare. We also hosted the eighth annual Zeigler Research Forum, which offers an opportunity for faculty and students to network and share their research.
Our community outreach included hosting the first Vermont Athletic Training Student Symposium in collaboration with the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers, and the provision of a variety of valuable services by our CNHS students who volunteered within organizations and programs including: MS IDEAL (Individually Designed Exercise for Active Lifestyles), the state’s only exercise group for individuals with multiple sclerosis; the UVM Medical Center’s exercise program for psychiatric inpatients; Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports; and the UVM Wellness Environment, an incentive-based program focused on health promotion, illness prevention and behavioral change for college students.
In our continued commitment to providing high-quality health care education, we established an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Human Functioning and Rehabilitation Science and introduced the four-year, residential Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. Our graduate programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Nursing, and Physical Therapy continue to be ranked nationally.
And finally, we celebrated the CNHS Class of 2017 with a commencement ceremony for 192 students and their families in Patrick Gym followed by a reception in the Dudley M. Davis Center on May 21. You can listen to what our graduating seniors have to say about our College in this video >>
We are proud to provide a culturally aware and patient and family-centered learning environment for our students that is supported by faculty who are teacher scholars and committed to student success. We are fortunate to be able to learn from our students as well as teach them; as we are on a shared journey for improving outcomes for those we serve.
Patricia A. Prelock, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Dean, College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders