Marieb College of Health & Human Services 2022-2023 Annual Report

Marieb College of Health & Human Services 2022-2023 Annual Report

Meet Dr. Elaine Nicpon Marieb Elaine Nicpon Marieb, R.N., Ph.D., lived a life dedicated to healthcare, teaching and an internationally acclaimed textbook writing career. She was also a philanthropist whose passion for education saw her donate $15 million to FGCU to create what’s become one of America’s top health and human services education programs.

In turn, she became the namesake for the Marieb College of Health & Human Services, as well as for the program’s home, Marieb Hall. The facility contains state-of-the-art practice laboratory facilities, classroom and conference spaces and offices that support and nurture the college’s interprofessional mission.

Marieb cited the university’s academic excellence and forwardthinking curriculum as inspiring her gift. Designating her as the namesake commemorates, for the university community and the world beyond, the late Naples resident’s contributions to humanity as an outstanding educator, scholar and benefactor.

Marieb was a human anatomist whose distinguished career in the sciences spanned more than 40 years. Those years saw her author or co-author more than a dozen anatomy and physiology textbooks and lab manuals. Those volumes are used by more than 1,000 colleges and universities. Among the most well-known titles are “Human Anatomy & Physiology,” “Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology” and “Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory Manual.”

The Massachusetts native was also a longtime educator. She began her teaching career at Springfield College of Massachusetts, where she taught anatomy and physiology. She joined the faculty of the Biological Science Division of Holyoke Community College

in 1969 after receiving her Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She worked there until 1993, when she retired to devote herself to writing.

While teaching full time, Marieb also pursued an education in nursing that culminated in a master’s degree, with a clinical specialization in gerontology, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Those studies furthered her quest to better understand the relationship between the study of the human body and nursing’s clinical aspects.

FGCU recognized her with an honorary doctorate, one of several awards she received for her work and philanthropy, which included donations to other institutions of higher learning.

In 1994, Marieb received the Benefactor Award from the National Council for Resource Development, American Association of Community Colleges, for her sponsorship of student scholarships, faculty teaching awards and other academic contributions to Holyoke Community College, which named its science building in her honor.

She was a member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a past director of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota and a member of the Women’s Resources Center of Sarasota County’s scholarship committee.

Marieb died in 2018 at 82. However, her legacy and passion for learning lives on each day through the hard work of the faculty, staff and students who work in the college bearing her name.

Table of Contents Message from the Dean .......................................................4 College/Clinical Partnership................................................ 5 Unprecedented Support ..................................................... 6 School of Nursing .................................................................... 8 Department of Social Work.............................................. 10 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences........................ 12 Department of Health Science.........................................14 Department of Counseling ................................................ 16 Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) ....... 18 Shady Rest Institite on Positive Aging ......................... 19

In addition, the Marieb Foundation graciously presented us with another donation, this one to launch our initiative on interprofessional education and simulation. We are actively recruiting a director of interprofessional education and emerging technology, and appreciate the foundation’s support. In concert with that, the college invested some prior end-of-year funding for Dr. Hologram, new simulation technology offering holographic solutions and innovations in AI healthcare.

Excellent progress was made in launching the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging under the leadership of Tom Felke, Ph.D., Marieb’s associate dean for academics. We have also started the search for the first five new faculty members to support the institute.

We were extremely successful this past legislative session in securing $58 million, half of the money required to begin planning and construction of Academic Building 10, which will support Marieb College’s further expansion. Poised to be the largest on campus, the new building will further cement our ability to train the healthcare workforce needed in the region and beyond. I’m thankful for the ongoing support of our local state legislators who were instrumental in arranging that funding, as well as the allocations we received again through Florida’s PIPELINE and LINE Funding program that supports our School of Nursing and its expansion.

Message from the Dean A YEAR OF CHALLENGES AND REWARDS Dear students, faculty, alumni and friends, It is my pleasure to present the third annual report of the Marieb College of Health & Human Services. On these pages, you will find several highlights illustrating our college’s impact and important development during the past academic year.

The time can be labeled as challenging yet rewarding — a history-making 12-month period.

The 2022-23 academic year started with renewed excitement and gathered momentum as the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts receded.

Things changed in almost unimaginable ways Sept. 28, when Hurricane Ian devastated our Southwest Florida community. The storm upended the lives of many of our faculty, staff and students with catastrophic personal losses.

But through months of recovery, our dedicated faculty and staff never wavered in their expectations of students and in maintaining the high standard of academic excellence that has become the college’s custom. That fact speaks to the steadfast resolve, dedication and amazing resiliency of everyone in the Marieb College of Health & Human Services family.

Despite those tremendous hurdles, there was much to celebrate during the past academic year.

Once again, we celebrated Elaine Marieb Day, commemorating our namesake with a great community event, highlighted by the third annual Student Medical Illustrations art show. This has become a signature annual event that generates excitement and anticipation, and we appreciate all the ongoing support from faculty and our community at large.

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The LINE Funding program allowed us to further strengthen our relationship with Lee Health, which serves as the local healthcare partner required to qualify for a grant. They provided a dollar-for-dollar match to the LINE grant of over $570,000. We would not have been able to receive any LINE dollars without our Lee Health partnership.

Lee Health is also our largest clinical rotation/internship provider.

Looking forward, Marieb College has several priorities for the 2023-24 academic year. Among them is beginning to plan Academic Building 10, implementing our strategic plan for Marieb College and working with the new FGCU President, Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., on strategic planning for the university. As always, we’ll focus on continuing our academic excellence in terms of preparing students to meet regional workforce needs. We will advance expansion of our interprofessional simulation initiative and meaningful translational research. Additionally, I am thrilled to launch searches for new faculty members supporting the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging. This institute is going to be another hallmark, not just for our college but for FGCU as a whole. We will become a pivotal authority on aging issues in Southwest Florida and beyond. There are several other exciting opportunities for our college, and I am so excited and optimistic for the 2023-24 academic year.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES FULL-TIME FACULTY

STAFF

ENROLLMENT

80

42

2,554

ENROLLMENT DEMOGRAPHICS

1,996

558 Asian (68) Black (207) Hispanic (632) Native American (3)

ENROLLMENT

BY RACE

Pacific Islander (4) Not reported (71) 2+ Races (82)

White (1,487)

DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS

5 1 15 5

Please enjoy the stories in this year’s annual report. And remember that for every story told, there are several more that have gone untold. I am proud to lead our dedicated faculty and staff and serve our remarkable students. Thank you for your ongoing support.

OFFICE OF CLINICAL AFFAIRS CONNECTS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS Marieb College of Health & Human Services’ Office of Clinical Affairs (OCA) was established in 2021 to become a central access point for clinical operations and clinical information within the college. The goals of OCA are to arrange affiliations with hospitals and clinical sites that want to be a part of medical education in established departments, assist with the recruitment of various clinical departments for emerging programs, and aid with student and faculty onboarding for clinical rotations.

We would like to thank all of our affiliate partners for supporting our college and providing critical opportunities for our students to complete academic training within your facilities. You and your teams make up a key component to our operations, and we would not be able to celebrate our students’ successes without your partnerships.

CLINICAL AFFAIRS FAST FACTS

1,254 574 351 179 164

Total active affiliates

64

Number of Marieb College courses requiring clinical/fieldwork/internship experience

Five-county area affiliates Lee County affiliates Collier County affiliates New affiliates added in 2021-22 academic year

MAP OF FLORIDA: CLINICAL PARTNERS BY COUNTY

Departments School

DENSITY

Programs Certificates

All the best, DEGREES AWARDED

Shawn Felton, Interim Dean

Marieb College of Health & Human Services

Bachelor’s Master’s Doctorate TOTAL

459 84 65 608

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

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UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT

State LINE funding boosts faculty recruiting efforts During the 2022-23 academic year, an additional funding source from the Florida Legislature enabled Marieb College of Health & Human Services’ School of Nursing to further expand. Overseen by the Florida State University System Board of Governors, this program was known as the State of Florida’s Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) funding program.

Enacted in May 2022, LINE provided $25 million to all Florida nursing schools and $6 million specifically to SUS programs that include 10 schools and colleges. The program provides funding to recruit faculty to combat an instructor shortage and to increase the number of nursing graduates. Florida is experiencing a nursing shortfall projected to intensify as the population continues to skyrocket.

LINE grant regulations require nursing schools to secure a dollarto-dollar match from a healthcare partner in their community. Lee Health stepped up to fulfill that requirement for Marieb College, further solidifying the organization’s support of the nursing school and other programs in the college.

Ultimately, the college received $1.4 million, thanks to Lee Health’s match of $570,000. The money was used primarily for scholarships, simulation equipment, adjunct faculty and other one-time expenses to foster the expansion of the nursing program, says Shawn Felton, Ph.D., Marieb’s interim dean.

“The Lee Health administration saw the need to invest in our community,” explains Felton. “I think the concept is that we are all in the business of making Southwest Florida the best community we can. And we have an obligation, from a university perspective, to get the workforce talent out there for our partners. We are very fortunate to have this type of partnership with the largest employer in Southwest Florida.”

Brenda Hage, Ph.D., the School of Nursing director, says the funds are a tremendous difference maker for financially challenged nursing students.

“Our students are working while they’re going to school, and when they’re trying to juggle so many things it can detract from their ability to be successful,” Hage says. “These scholarships have been so essential because they’re allowing our students to focus more fully on their education, as opposed to having to work as many hours.”

She is further establishing a link with Lee Health to enable more Marieb nursing students to complete their clinical rotation academic requirements at its facilities.

“It’s just a really nice, win-win partnership with the largest health system,” she says. “They’ve been wonderful partners with us, and we’re very grateful for their support and ongoing commitment to our programs. We have a reciprocal commitment to Lee Health to try to produce the best graduates possible that can help the healthcare needs of Southwest Florida residents.”

Lee Health has agreed to be Marieb’s LINE match for the 2024 school year. An application has also been submitted to the NCH Healthcare System.

“With the upcoming year we are excited both of our hospital systems are coming together to work collaboratively,” Felton says. “I think that part of our strength as an institution is to be more than just about education — to also bring all community partners together.

We’re really proud of that.”

PIPELINE powers enrollment and program expansion The State of Florida’s Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) fund has helped fuel the significant growth FGCU’s School of Nursing is experiencing.

PIPELINE was created to reward performance and excellence among public postsecondary nursing education programs. Funds were allocated by the Florida Legislature based on the number of nursing program completers and first-time passage rates for the nursing license exam. The legislature allocated $40 million to the base budget of the 10 State University System institutions with nursing programs for 2022-23.

This program was announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May 2022 with $100 million for all nursing education for the fiscal year. The fund’s intent is to ensure Florida’s nursing needs are met, today and beyond, as the population spirals upward. PIPELINE also rewards performance and excellence among nursing education programs at Florida College System Institutions and school district, postsecondary and technical career centers with licensed practical nurse programs.

PIPELINE funds can also be used for student loan reimbursement, nursing scholarships, expanding infrastructure at colleges and universities providing nursing education, and salary and recruitment incentives for nurses within the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

From the funds allocated to public universities, FGCU and Marieb College received $2.3 million, which made it possible to increase enrollment over the last year and add 10 new faculty members to accommodate the growth. With future growth anticipated, efforts are underway to add five more nursing instructors.

“The great support of the Florida Legislature has allowed us to expand our nursing programs by 33%, and we are moving forward to a 50% increase of our bachelor of science in nursing program,” says Shawn Felton, interim dean of Marieb College of Health & Human Services.

“The Florida Legislature, in a historic move, created this funding. It’s contingent upon an institution’s National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination pass rates and also the number of graduates who get through their nursing program,” says Brenda Hage, director of the School of Nursing. “The state wanted to impact the nursing shortage, which is certainly getting to be a major national issue. In their forward-thinking mindset, they came up with this, and we’ve been a beneficiary for the past two years.”

The great support of the Florida Legislature has allowed us to expand our nursing programs by 33%, and we are moving forward to a 50% increase of our bachelor of science in nursing program.”

SHAWN FELTON, Interim Dean Marieb College of Health & Human Services

6

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

7

SCHOOL OF NURSING

2022-23

SCHOOL OF NURSING ENROLLMENT

New director oversees rapid growth in nursing programs

736 ENROLLMENT BY GENDER

611

125 Asian (21) Black (69) Hispanic (183)

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY

Not reported (23) 2+ Races (15) White (425)

DEGREES AWARDED

Bachelor’s Master’s Doctorate TOTAL

79 3 36 118

FULL-TIME FACULTY /STAFF

NURSING PASS RATES

BSN MSNE DNP-NP DNP-CRNA STAFF TOTAL

Nursing (B.S.N) 98.48% Nursing (D.N.P) 100% Nursing (CRNA) NA*

13 1 7 4 4 29

Hall of Fame inductee passionate about healthcare and service FGCU’s Hall of Fame honors students who demonstrate superior leadership, integrity and achievement through activities, service, scholarship and academic excellence. This year’s honorees included recipients of prestigious national fellowships, aspiring scientists conducting research alongside professors, and Eagles actively advocating for others on campus, in the local community and abroad.

One of this year’s Hall of Famers was from the Marieb College of Health & Human Services. Serena Truong is from Naples and is graduating in fall 2023 with a degree in nursing. She was president of Global Medical Brigades and the American Red Cross Club. Truong was also a supplemental instruction leader for the Center of Academic Achievement, an Honors Mentor and the student representative of cultural enrichment for the Honors Executive Board.

She has found it rewarding to volunteer with organizations such as the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Gift of Life, and Unlocked Memories throughout her time at FGCU. She will further her academic endeavors by co-writing an Honors thesis investigating postpartum depression. She also hopes to make a social impact by implementing a sustainable free health clinic in the Golden Gate community this fall.

Over the last four years, she helped the underserved through her passion for healthcare and service in communities near FGCU and abroad. After graduation, she hopes to work as a pediatric nurse and plans to continue her academic journey by pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice.

Brenda Hage, Ph.D., DNP, APRN brings a wealth of higher education experience to her role as the new director of Marieb College of Health & Human Services’ School of Nursing.

She has served 25 years in a variety of university roles including teaching at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level. An experienced administrator, she has been a doctor of nursing practice program director, graduate chair and assistant dean of nursing and health sciences. She is also a gerontologist and nurse practitioner, with clinical expertise in gerontology, rehabilitation, geriatric case management and family practice.

Her predecessor retired in July 2022 after 11 years in the post.

“I have been given the awesome opportunity to step up and take the FGCU School of Nursing to the next level, and I’m incredibly excited about that challenge,” says Hage, who is also a professor and the Southwest Florida Endowed Chair in Nursing.

Prior to joining FGCU, the Tampa native directed DNP programs at Misericordia University, a small, private university in northeastern Pennsylvania. After living much of her life in that area, she found herself longing to return to Florida and its year-round warmth.

While investigating potential job opportunities, she discovered a listing for Marieb’s School of Nursing directorship.

“I saw an advertisement, and was intrigued and really impressed by the school,” she says. “Its outcomes have been wonderful, and it’s got a great history of success. I’m looking forward to contributing to excellence and continuing to build on it.”

The nursing school’s offerings are also expanding to include an accelerated, second degree pathway for the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. This program will provide an opportunity for adults who have attained a prior BS degree to earn the BSN degree. The program is four semesters long. Through the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners Through Incentives For Nursing Education (PIPELINE) funding initiative announced earlier last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, 10 additional faculty members have been added to the School of Nursing for the 2023-24 school year. The search is on for additional nursing faculty lines.

“We’re working hard to try to continue to meet the healthcare needs of Southwest Florida by producing high-quality nursing graduates,” Hage said about the future. “We’re also starting a new graduate psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program, which is very exciting. There are a lot of unmet needs for psych-mental health in the community, and we’d like to reach out and help with that.”

Hage has also created programs to assist the department’s faculty and students. The new Center for Nursing and Faculty Retention and Recruitment and Mentoring (CONFIRM) will assist faculty by developing and mentoring them in their teaching and scholarship.

In addition, two new positions, called NCLEX success coaches have been added to provide early intervention and help for at-risk students in the School of Nursing to enhance retention and ensure students’ success. These positions were also provided through PIPELINE funds received by the School of Nursing.

The nursing school’s growth over the last year is a point of pride and excitement for the new director. As evidence, she cites the fall 2022 semester’s 33% increase in enrollment over the previous fall. More growth is underway, and that trend is slated to continue. Enrollment is expected to rise an additional 17%, totaling a 50% increase by the end of 2024.

DEGREE PROGRAMS Nursing (BSN) Nurse Educator (MSN) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

DNP MAJORS Nurse Practitioner Nurse Anesthesiology 8

* The inaugural cohort of DNP CRNA students have yet to test for this reporting period 2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

9

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

2022-23

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK ENROLLMENT

225 ENROLLMENT BY GENDER

192

33 Asian (2) Black (23)

Hispanic (67)

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY Not reported (5) Pacific Islander (2) 2+ Races (8) White (118)

DEGREES AWARDED

Bachelor’s 51 Master’s 24 TOTAL 75 FULL-TIME FACULTY

7

STAFF

1

DEGREE PROGRAMS

Students and faculty put skills into action after Ian

Social work students and faculty bring health literacy project to Immokalee

A version of this article appeared on FGCU360.com.

A version of this article appeared on FGCU360.com.

As Southwest Florida faced the overwhelming job of recovery from Hurricane Ian, many FGCU students had time on their hands. They could have escaped the discomforts of power and internet outages, the undrinkable water and the lack of readily available food. Instead, many stayed or felt moved to return from safer locales, becoming their own force of nature.

In the heart of Collier County lies Immokalee, a town known for its agricultural fields and close-knit community. It is the hometown to Florida Gulf Coast University graduate student Naidelyn Maldonado (’23, social work). Starting as a research assistant, Maldonado was promoted to project coordinator for the Latino community on the Immokalee Health Project, an FGCU initiative aimed to improve the well-being of residents through health education and medical screenings.

Tom Felke, associate dean of Marieb College of Health & Human Services and a social work professor, maintains close connections to the area’s social services network. He started monitoring social networks to see where there might be help, which groups were operating, which needed volunteers.

He quickly assembled a map of services — where to get food, housing, help from United Way and locations of disaster assistance. He also included agencies that needed volunteers.

The map was published on the university’s Hurricane Ian resources webpage.

“People started sharing it, searching for whatever resources they needed,” Felke said. Several of his current and former students called to ask where they might be useful.

He and Marieb Interim Dean Shawn Felton contacted students and faculty. Some were ready to help, and others needed help.

Several faculty and staff members lost their homes.

Felke deployed those who could help to places they were needed — the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, Community Cooperative, Salvation Army — and the others to places where they could find assistance.

“It was really awesome to see the faculty, staff and students working alongside one another and to see them extend out with alumni into the community,” Felke said.

With the immediate crisis passing, there remained many needs to be met. Some students had internships at places too damaged to return, so they were working to place them with the agencies dealing with the storm’s aftermath.

“It was brought to my attention that the Haitian and Latino populations find it challenging to focus on their health due to working long hours and focusing on providing sufficient income for their households,” says Maldonado, a first-generation college graduate working toward her social work master’s degree. The Immokalee Health Project became a platform for her to bring health literacy into her community and be a positive change at the grassroots level.

“We got to know each other and build a connection,” says Maldonado about the 15 nursing and social work students who served as translators and assisted in data collection and delivery of services. “Not only with this project, but pushing each other to continue with our education, so it was a great relationship to build.” The services of student volunteers ensured the health literacy initiative was accessible to participants.

“Growing up, my parents picked citrus, tomatoes, chilies, jalapenos, cucumber — everything,” says Maldonado. “A lot of our participants worked in the fields. I didn’t know them all, but they would often recognize me.”

Lirio Negroni, a social work professor, and Payal Kahar, an associate professor of public health, were the principal investigators on the study. With 256 participants in the Immokalee Health Project, less than 1% of the population took part in the study. But, each individual represented an entire household that could benefit from sharing the received health knowledge.

“This was a great opportunity for me to learn more about my community. Some of us saw it as just the place where we grew up. But when you actually work there, it’s eye opening to realize the resources that are needed and how an individual can make a change in the community and help a lot of people like my parents,” she says.

Maldonado says her goal in studying social work is to help people, and she appreciated the opportunity to work on the Immokalee Health Project. “It’s just a great feeling to give back to a community where I grew up and have this opportunity to learn so much more about it.”

Some of us saw it as just the place where we grew up. But when you actually work there, it’s eye opening to realize the resources that are needed and how an individual can make a change in the community and help a lot of people like my parents.”

NAIDELYN MALDONADO ’23, social work

“These students keep churning away,” Felke said. “This is what we train them for. These are the moments that healthcare and human service professionals get called on. They really answered the bell and stepped up in a big way.”

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Master of Social Work (MSW) Medical Social Work Certificate

10

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

11

DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SCIENCES

2022-23

DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION SCIENCES ENROLLMENT

508 ENROLLMENT BY GENDER

301

207 Asian (12) Black (23)

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY

Hispanic (107)

Not reported (16) 2+ Races (17) White (333)

Bachelor’s 70 Doctorate 28 FULL-TIME FACULTY/STAFF

DEGREE PROGRAMS

New OT director eager to build community connections

Rob Sillevis, Ph.D., brings extensive practical and educational experience to the directorship of Marieb College’s physical therapy program.

It’s no exaggeration to say that occupational therapy has been a focal point for Paul Arthur, Ph.D., for the bulk of his adult life. After 12 years in the U.S. Army, he is now the program director and an associate professor of occupational therapy for the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences.

A Cape Coral resident and native of the Netherlands, he assumed the position in July 2022. His duties expanded in April 2023 when he became chair of the rehabilitation sciences department.

A physical therapist for 30 years, with experience in private practice and as a clinic owner, Sillevis became an FGCU instructor in 2015. He taught anatomy and physiology courses initially before joining the PT faculty. He continues to be an associate professor and remains active in clinical practice.

Sillevis’ background as an instructor includes a long tenure as an adjunct professor at Florida’s University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. He earned a doctor of physical therapy degree there in 2003 and his Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University.

He lists a host of reasons why Marieb’s physical therapy program is exemplary. Among them are the college’s facilities and low student-to-faculty ratio that fosters frequent direct interaction. He appreciates that classes are taught by faculty, rather than teaching assistants or graduate students.

DEGREES AWARDED

Occupational Therapy Exercise Science A&P Physical Therapy Staff TOTAL

New PT director likes class sizes, research opportunities

8 4 3 10 4 29

“The majority of our faculty members are still practicing clinicians, so they bring experience from the field into the classroom,” says Sillevis. “I think that works really, really well for our students. So it’s small groups and an up-to-date faculty with high expertise. They complement each other and that provides a very well-rounded experience for the student.”

He began field training as a teenager in Indiana. He received a bachelor’s in psychology from Purdue University, master’s degrees in occupational therapy and gerontology from the University of Indianapolis, and a Ph.D. in rehabilitation science from the University of Florida. He holds a certificate in occupational therapy (assistant) from the Army’s Medical Department Center and School in Texas.

Arthur joined FGCU last fall as an adjunct professor to gain exposure to students and the college before taking over as program director in January 2023. His predecessor in the job was Lynn Jaffe, who retired in 2022 after seven years leading the program.

After serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and rising to the rank of captain, he left the Army in 2012 to pursue his doctorate and focus on raising a family with his wife, Megan. Immediately prior to coming to FGCU, he occupied a similar position at the University of Southern Indiana, helping to establish a doctoral program.

What attracted him to Marieb? The desire to return to Florida, where his three daughters were born, and the opportunity to join the faculty of a program he respected.

“This opportunity became available and it’s not available very often,” he said. “Usually people that come here, stay here. That was attractive to me. Dr. Jaffe had really long-standing success here, with great outcomes. I like the master’s program. I like the design of a faculty that, again, stays around and really supports and cares for its students. That’s probably what was most attractive.”

He cites meeting the healthcare needs of Southwest Florida as an overriding concern in his role as program director.

“My goal is to get, whenever possible, students from the Southwest Florida community to come to school here,” says Arthur. “About half our students come from here, the other half come from elsewhere.

And of course, we have some out-of-staters from up and down the East Coast. We hope they all want to stay here. So I think immersion in the community and meeting its unique needs is perhaps the most important thing.”

He’s also focused on expanding research programs, specifically in areas of assistive technology and senior services.

“There are a number of faculty members here that are doing great things in pediatrics, along the developmental disabilities spectrum,” he adds. “I really think we can continue to promote that, collaborate more with the community, while bringing in research dollars and disseminating information to this community and beyond.”

In terms of goals, Sillevis aims to create more cohesiveness and collaboration among the Department of Rehabilitation Services programs and faculty members.

“We’d like to see some productive research efforts across the department and hopefully we can get some of those projects going.”

Exercise Science (B.S.) Occupational Therapy (M.S.) Physical Therapy (DPT) 12

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

13

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCE

2022-23

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCE ENROLLMENT

1,015 ENROLLMENT BY GENDER

834

181 Asian (32) Black (89) Hispanic (258)

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY Not reported (26) Pacific Islander (2) Native American (3) 2+ Races (34) White (571)

DEGREES AWARDED Bachelor ’s Master ’s TOTAL

259 28 287 3 5 3 2 4 3 20

DEGREE PROGRAMS Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science (BS) Bachelor of Science in Health Administration (BS) Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BS) Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) Master of Science in Health Science (MS) Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Clinical Laboratory Science Certificate Health Services Administration Certificate Molecular Diagnostics Certificate

PASS RATES Clinical Laboratory Science (B.S) Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S) *ultimate pass rate after all attempts for all takers 14

A version of this article appeared on FGCU360.com.

Public health and nursing faculty and students at Florida Gulf Coast University recently wrapped up the Immokalee Health Project. The FGCU initiative focused on improving the wellbeing of residents in Collier County’s Immokalee through health education and medical screenings. The Fort Myersbased nonprofit Collaboratory funded the study with an aim to help Latino and Haitian participants.

Payal Kahar is an associate professor of public health. She and Lirio Negroni, a social work professor, were the principal investigators on the study. They spent a year developing connections with the Latino and Haitian communities prior to beginning the project. At each health event, their educators presented on topics related to exercise, nutrition and managing personal healthcare concerns. The researchers relied on more than two dozen bilingual community volunteers and students.

According to the Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit that serves the Collier County community, approximately 40,000 people live in Immokalee during the peak winter season. It’s home to one of the largest migrant communities in the U.S.

FULL- TIME FACULTY/STAFF Health Sciences Public Health Health Admin Clinical Laboratory Science Physician Assistant Studies Staff TOTAL

Faculty and students deliver health literacy education to Immokalee

77% 100% *

“This is what regional colleges are meant to do,” says Kahar.

“To make impacts — either small or big — but be there for people in the community in the most need.”

PA program prepares to graduate fifth cohort

Students study healthcare abroad

The physician assistant program will be graduating its fifth cohort in December 2023, a significant achievement according to program director Kristina Mullins. Mullins, who has been with the program since its inception in 2017, took over as program director in April. “The graduation of this cohort will increase the total number of practicing FGCU PA alumni to nearly 100, which is significant for meeting community healthcare needs and bringing name recognition to the program in a competitive PA education market,” Mullins says.

In May 2023, a group of sixteen undergraduate and graduate students from FGCU traveled to Germany, Switzerland and France as part of a comparative healthcare study abroad program led by Lesley Clack, ScD, CPH, associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Sciences in Marieb College.

The group immersed in European healthcare and experienced guided tours and lectures at healthcare facilities in Munich, Germany, Interlaken and Geneva, Switzerland, and Paris, France.

A highlight was visiting the World Health Organization during the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

The PA program has a proven record of success, with all graduating cohorts attaining first time board certification pass rates above the national average and overall pass rates of 100%. According to Mullins, FGCU PA graduates are enjoying successful careers in a variety of healthcare disciplines, including primary care, emergency medicine, critical care and surgical specialties. Based upon alumni communication, most graduates opt to remain in Florida after graduation to practice in their local communities, with many staying here in Southwest Florida. In part, this is due to the experience garnered and connections made during their clinical rotations within FGCU’s dedicated community provider network.

“The faculty and staff have worked hard to ensure the success of our graduates, and we are proud of the quality care they now provide to our residents and visitors,” concluded Mullins. “As we look toward future expansion of the PA program at FGCU, we will build upon the achievements of our first five graduating cohorts with gratitude to all of those who made it possible.”

The Immokalee Health Project events administered pre- and post-questionnaires and a one-hour interactive conference.

They discussed managing stress, communicating with a healthcare provider and recognizing the signs and symptoms of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and asthma.

FGCU nursing students and faculty checked blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and body mass index. They provided health screenings for undiagnosed cases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. When participants had positive results, nursing students and faculty provided additional information about services, medical counseling or a referral.

The researchers were looking for evidence that workshops and screenings can change the health profile of residents. They are currently analyzing the data and plan to publish their findings.

“There is so much to be done,” Kahar said. “The fact that the community members appreciate what we did and expect more from us would drive us to secure more grants and keep the work going.”

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

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DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING

2022-23

DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING ENROLLMENT

70

A version of this article appeared on FGCU360.com.

ENROLLMENT BY GENDER

58

A two-time Florida Gulf Coast University graduate working in the behavioral health field is now nurturing future mental-health professionals by helping Marieb College of Health & Human Services students secure internships and clinical experience at the Naples-based treatment and rehabilitation center where he works.

12 Asian (1) Black (3) Hispanic (17)

ENROLLMENT DIVERSITY

Not reported (1) 2+ Races (8) White (40)

DEGREES AWARDED

Master’s

29

FULL-TIME FACULTY

STAFF

5

3

Alum links current students to real-world experience

DEGREE PROGRAMS

Alex Conrad, who received his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2010 and his master’s in clinical mental health counseling in 2014, is associate clinical director for acute care and the partial hospitalization program for children at David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health.

The nonprofit organization provides mental health, substance use and integrated healthcare solutions for clients of all ages at multiple locations in Collier County.

Conrad joined the team in 2019 as a supervisor of the access center helping link clients with the agency’s services.

He later oversaw the centers’ Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team for 2 ½ years. FACT provides intensive, community-based treatment, rehabilitation and support services for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. Many of those served have histories of repeated hospitalizations, admissions to state hospitals, multiple emergency room visits, homelessness or incarceration. They may receive psychiatric care, medical referral and follow-up, individual supportive therapy, crisis assessment and intervention, substance use aid, workrelated vocational assistance, support in activities of daily living and case management.

“From my experience at FACT, I will take with me the knowledge that I gained, the confidence that appeared within me with the support of Alex Conrad and his team, and the dedication Alex puts toward each employee and client to better them as an individual and a team,” she said. “Alex has played an important role in my social work education path. He is a supervisor who I hope every student has an opportunity to learn under. He will motivate, provide support and help each individual grow.”

Conrad said he knows firsthand the value of internships and clinical learning opportunities from his own time as an FGCU graduate student.

“I learned it is important to experience a variety of internships throughout your time as a master’s student in order to discover more about the populations with which you enjoy working and also the theoretical approaches you feel most comfortable practicing,” he said.

“For example, I had reservations about working with the substance use disorder population while in school. However, my first job out of school was working with that population, and I absolutely loved it. If I had not had the exposure during my internships, I don’t know that I would have gone that path.”

If I had not had the exposure during my internships, I don’t know that I would have gone that path.”

ALEX CONRAD

Prior to joining David Lawrence Centers, Conrad spent five years working in the area of substance use disorders at the Gabel Center, which became Isle of Palms Recovery Center. In addition to mentoring current FGCU students, he remains connected with his alma mater by serving on the advisory board of the Department of Counseling.

Student interns from FGCU are important members of the team, getting real-world professional experiences while providing individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, treatment planning and assessments for clients.

Tiffany Ketis, who completed her social work master’s degree at FGCU in 2022, is among the many students who have benefited from an internship under Conrad’s supervision.

“FACT was extremely hands-on learning, which allowed me to grow as an individual to better help and understand the client population,” said Ketis, now working toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA) Transition to Mental Health Counseling Certificate Relationship and Family Counseling Certificate

16

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

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COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS)

SHADY REST INSTITUTE ON POSITIVE AGING

Institute leads a unified mission of supporting older adults

Counseling services for students in high demand Marieb College’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) employs a comprehensive approach in providing mental health support and therapy services to students on the FGCU campus.

CAPS is structured based on the four pillars of college counseling: clinical service, training and supervision, outreach and prevention, and consultation and collaboration.

The department offers free and confidential individual and group counseling to enrolled students. Some of the resources available include crisis intervention, psychological assessments and psychiatric services, outreach programs, career counseling and case management for connecting with on-and-off-campus resources.

“We’re here because one of the most important things is that we continue addressing the emotional and behavioral needs of the FGCU community,” says Jon Brunner, Ph.D., the university’s senior director of Counseling and Wellness Services and a Florida licensed psychologist. “And I say that broadly because the needs are so great.”

Student mental health is an issue of growing significance at colleges and universities nationwide. The top five presenting concerns within the last year at CAPS include anxiety and stress, depression, relationship concerns, self-esteem and trauma.

At CAPS, the average percentage of enrolled students seen over the last three years was 11.3%, while the national average for universities of equal enrollment is 9%. The number of sessions per student is also trending upward at CAPS. The department employs an impressive number of outreach events, prevention programs and training workshops for students, says Cassandra Sirmans, CAPS marketing coordinator. In 2022-23, CAPS reached 7,400 campus and community stakeholders through 136 events.

“We try to do something at least twice a month,” says Sirmans, who’s also a licensed mental health counselor.

“We work closely with a lot of campus organizations and groups on such things as ‘CLASPing,’ which is a suicide prevention initiative. I’ll be doing some training on intuitive eating for our campus recreation group, and we also do at least three largescale main events each year.

One of those is the “Renew You” event held each fall on the library lawn. The daylong event centers on mental health awareness and dispensing information to help students manage emotional issues.

The biannual “Celebration of Wellness” birthday events feature CAPS therapy dogs Dasher and Luna.

“We’ll have tables on suicide prevention, managing anxiety, finding creative outlets and building coping skills,” says Sirmans. “There’ll be an eating piece and something on body image and more we’ll be having this year.”

The CAPS training program is an important pillar to the comprehensive services available to students. The program consists of four levels of trainees under the supervision of licensed staff at the counseling center. This year’s trainees attended more than 3,300 appointments, serving almost 650 clients. They also gave 55 presentations to students or other campus partners.

Overall, CAPS maintains a dynamic staff that represents a number of different mental health disciplines, levels of experience and areas of specialty.

This column by Thomas P. Felke, Ph.D., Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging executive director, was originally published in The News-Press.

with older adults in nursing, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy or social work.

Positive or healthy aging is achievable by everyone as we work to make better choices in the near term to improve our lives in the long term. Positive aging is adopting a constructive view of aging as a healthy, regular part of life.

The Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging serves as a regional hub to connect FGCU faculty, staff and students from across academic disciplines with community organizations in a unified purpose of supporting the older-adult community in Southwest Florida through education, service, research and advocacy. The institute focuses on issues facing the older-adult population through four strategic areas of emphasis:

A Yale University study looked at the long-term health consequences of ageism on seniors. Researchers determined age discrimination can potentially shorten seniors’ lives. Among the study group, seniors with more positive views about the aging process lived 7.5 years longer than people who perceived aging negatively. Additional studies indicated positive thinking could result in an 11-15% longer life span and can increase the likelihood of living to age 85 or beyond.

As the older adult population in Southwest Florida increases, it accentuates the need for a regional hub to connect and convene organizations and individuals focused on addressing this age group’s changing and increasing needs, defined as individuals 65 and older. In the five-county Southwest Florida area Florida Gulf Coast University serves, 30.1% of the population is 65 and older.

This percentage exceeds state and national averages, except Hendry County when considered individually. Further, population projections for Southwest Florida through 2050 predict the highest growth in the 65 and older group, with the most significant increases in the 85 and older category. The growth in these three age ranges accounts for 38% of Southwest Florida’s expected population growth through 2050.

Older adults face many of the same issues found among other population segments in Southwest Florida – food insecurity, income inequality, affordable housing or homelessness. They also face unique challenges such as social isolation, higher rates of complex medical issues and chronic disease. The increasing olderadult population, combined with the general desire to age in place and the existing healthcare system fiscal realities, underlines the need for care in settings other than hospitals and long-term care facilities.

u Workforce development: Supporting individuals’ educational and professional development with a focus on working with older adults and their families. u Translational research: Investigating issues most important to our older-adult population to provide data supporting the creation and refinement of solutions. u Community engagement: Engaging in community-based education and service opportunities in collaboration with our local agency partners. u Policy and advocacy: Using the best available data to advocate for meaningful policies and legislation targeting the needs of older adults.

Over the past few years, we have been able to highlight the needs of older adults through surveys, focus groups and community needs assessments. One of the most discouraging findings: Older adults describe themselves as a “forgotten population” in Southwest Florida. The Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging will serve as a leader in the development of practical approaches to address the needs of older adults. Together, we’ll help them thrive with dignity as fully seen participants in their communities.

To undertake the current challenges of meeting the needs of older adults, the collaboration of researchers, educators and practitioners is essential.

10,742

TOTAL NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS ATTENDED

18

1,488

UNIQUE CLIENTS

OF CAPS CLIENTS ATTENDED 10 OR FEWER APPOINTMENTS DURING THE YEAR

With this focus, FGCU’s Marieb College of Health & Human Services launched the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging.

The institute was founded in August 2022 through a generous $5 million gift from the Shady Rest Foundation. This followed a $4.1 million gift to FGCU to support students seeking careers working

2022-2023 MARIEB COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ANNUAL REPORT

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