JUNE 15
White Coat Ceremony Class of 2026
6 2024 Class of 2025 SOLE Presentations | 1 PM
SGSHS Catholic Medical Association Conference
Michael G. Parker Research and Scholarship Colloquium
Hooding Ceremony and Graduation for the Class of 2025
Dr. Jody Eckert, PT, DPT, EdD
Greetings from the University of Mary Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Perhaps the biggest piece of news we have to share in the newsletter this year would be related to the program’s recent re-accreditation. The University of Mary program once again earned a full, 10-year re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
CAPTE is recognized as the agency to accredit physical therapy programs (since 1983). In 2003, Mary’s DPT program became the first doctoral degree offered at the university. Since that time, it has earned three successive 10year approvals without requiring additional compliance reports. We are proud to be part of only a small number of programs this year granted full accreditation without needing to complete additional work or requirements.
Comments by the CAPTE site review team were very positive and highlight the program’s:
• mature and driven students
• accomplished alumni who are independent learners
• outstanding team of faculty who serve as role models in the profession
• excellent program and university leadership
• mission-driven focus guiding all decisions
• tremendously supportive employers and clinical faculty to the program and students
• stellar program curriculum
Also, indicative of our excellent curriculum and faculty, not one suggestion was offered by CAPTE to improve curriculum pedagogy and teaching strategies. The faculty team endured a rigorous and challenging site visit with the result being assurance that the program continues to be an excellent representation of the University of Mary, Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences, and the PT program mission and vision. I am truly grateful and proud of our university administration and staff, faculty, graduates, and current students who were collaborative in the program’s successful re-accreditation.
Looking ahead, we see the challenges of a market where PT program proliferation is a real threat. The faculty and the admissions team have been working very hard to compete for the interest of applicants. We have developed strategies to help us build relationships with our students in the undergraduate programs. Unique to the University of Mary DPT program is the Early Assurance initiative for high school seniors and undergraduates who begin their undergraduate studies at Mary; as well as a Priority Admissions plan for undergraduate juniors who have transferred to the University of Mary doctoral program. Our best marketing tools are our current students and our amazing PT alumni who continue to represent Benedictine values and live out the unique mission and vision of the University of Mary PT program.
Check out the newly updated University of Mary Physical Therapy webpage www.umary.edu/PT
Visit our website for more information about the University of Mary DPT mission, vision, program goals, curriculum, and graduate outcomes.
Also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UMaryPT and Instagram www.instagram.com/umarydpt for program updates and highlights.
We have had a successful year with admissions. We had a total of 129 applicants and interviewed 101 of them. On-campus interview days were held on October 6 and February 9. For students who were unable to participate on these days, there were virtual interviews held with the faculty. We would like to thank all clinicians, students, staff, and faculty who helped make our interview days a success. Our upcoming class will have 48 students, including applicants from PTCAS, early assurance, and priority admissions. While most of our incoming students are from North Dakota and Minnesota, there are also students from Hawaii, Arizona, Wyoming, etc. These students will start the program in September 2024 and will graduate in April 2027. Our next admissions cycle for the class of 2028 will start this summer on June 17. Applicants who are not in the Early Assurance program apply through PTCAS (ptcas.org) or through our priority admissions application on our website for those who meet the criteria. We will have three on-campus interview days in the fall and the spring of 2024-2025. If you know students who are interested in physical therapy, or if they are observing in your clinic, please let them know about the University of Mary and how our program has impacted you.
The University of Mary hosted the annual Michael G. Parker Research Colloquium on Friday, April 26, 2024. This continuing education opportunity was attended by SGSHS students, faculty and local clinicians. Below are the titles of current projects and the graduating physical therapy students who presented.
• Physical Therapy Intervention for a Patient with Musculoskeletal and Neurological Deficits as a Result of Chronic Alcoholism: A Case Report
Madison Ferderer (PT student)
• Functional Neurologic Disorder in the Acute Care Setting: A Case Report
Anthony McFadden (PT student)
• Physical Therapy Management of Suspected Lindsay-Hemenway Syndrome: A Clinical Case Report
Bret Papas (PT student)
• Multiple Cerebrovascular Accidents Due to Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculitis: A Case Study
Autumne Haskell (PT student)
• Physical Therapy Intervention for a Child with Encopresis and Behavioral Influence: A Case Report
Diana Nathe (PT student)
• Inpatient Rehabilitation for a Patient with Underlining Fear of Falling Following Complications with Urosepsis: A Case Study
Brett Nunziato (PT Student)
• Convergent Validity of Dual Task Timed Up and Go Performance and Activity Balance Confidence Scale and Predictive Value of Six-Month Fall Risk
Jacob Glass, Grace Hartman, Zachary Jensen, Sophia Jung (PT students)
• Identifying Physical Therapists’ Attitudes, Beliefs, and Barriers Towards Diagnostic Imaging Referral: A Mixed-Methods Study
Kendra Karl, Mattias Stich, Christopher Dean, Sara Lawson (PT students)
• Exploring Beyond the Immediate Neurophysiological Effects using Pain Pressure Threshold Following Lumbar Spinal Manipulation in Asymptomatic Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Colton Swanson, Rudy Aguilar, Rylee Orteza, Saydee Wolff (PT students)
• Impact of Occupational and Physical Therapy Collaborative Intervention Strategies Addressing Chronic Pain: A Pilot Study
Alexandra Crain, Ashlyn Kessel, Alli McCoy, Hanna Johnson (PT students)
• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation for ACL-Reconstruction Through Retro Exercise in Conjunction with Spanish Squats: A Case Report
Keaton Boehm (PT student)
• Factors Which Influence Physical Therapists’ Decision to Practice in Geriatrics
Mckenna Weiler, Benjamin Giese, Dylan Obrigewitch, Jessica Schafer (PT students)
As we reflect on life’s greatest blessings, we are thankful to our “extended” family who work hard to serve our students in the clinical education setting. Each year, we recognize a winsome clinical educator who has been nominated by our students or alumni and selected by the directors of clinical education. This year’s recipient of the Clinical Educator of the Year award is Hunter Stemmer.
We asked Hunter a few questions, as well.
What is your educational background? (include your certifications, continuing ed, etc.)
University of Mary DPT, attended the Johns Hopkins Critical Care Rehabilitation Conference multiple years, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, attended multiple neuro and cardiopulmonary related courses, attended BeHEARD (Behavioral Health Education, Awareness and Response Development) course.
What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and 4 children (#5 due any day now), I also enjoy spending time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, hiking, camping or even just a walk around the neighborhood.
What is your philosophy for clinical education and your clinical teaching style?
My philosophy is to make a safe environment where my students feel that they can make mistakes and learn from them without significant risk. Some of the best learning experiences of my career have been from reflecting on things that didn’t go well and I believe it is very important for budding clinicians to continue self-reflection.
What do you enjoy most about your work as a PT and what is most rewarding to you as a clinical instructor?
In terms of being a PT, I enjoy being part of a multidisciplinary team that appreciates my knowledge and expertise. The most rewarding part of being a clinical instructor is when a student leaves their acute care rotation having enjoyed it, when they had never considered this area of physical therapy.
What is the greatest success you have had in teaching DPT students?
Honestly, I don’t see a lot of what I do as me succeeding, but as me helping students to succeed and achieve their goals. Sure, I help students by implementing different educational experiences and plans to build knowledge, critical thinking, and confidence. However, in the end any success is really due to the student taking the initiative and striving to become the best clinician they can be.
What is the most difficult aspect of teaching DPT students today?
Knowing when to push a student into uncomfortable situations so they can grow and knowing when they need a bit more confidence before they can attempt something. Also, it is hard to know when to step into a situation that a student is struggling with and when to just let them struggle through it.
Describe your best professional development experience. Honestly, my best development experience has been talking to other professionals and gaining as much information as I can from them. This includes problem-solving complicated patients with PT colleagues, but also discussing patients with Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists to gain a more holistic understanding of the patient and how to approach treatment.
What are your five-year goals?
I would like to become a Board-Certified in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist.
In accordance with the APTA national mail-out date for solicitation of clinical experiences, the Director of Clinical Education sent requests for experiences in 2025 on March 1, 2024. If you did not receive a request and/or you are interested in educating a student in 2025, please contact Dr. Lauren Emmel at laemmel@umary.edu
We are need of additional inpatient/acute clinical experiences and experiences in neurologic settings (Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Outpatient Neurologic Settings, and Skilled Nursing Facilities). If you are interested in having a student in one of these areas or would like to set up an affiliation agreement for University of Mary DPT students, please contact Dr. Lauren Emmel at laemmel@umary.edu or Dr. Missy Taylor at mmtaylor@umary.edu
Saydee Wolff, SPT
A final hello from the class of 2024! We completed our fourth and final clinicals in April and traveled back to Bismarck for graduation. What a great day up on the University of Mary campus for the Hooding Ceremony and celebrating with our professors and fellow classmates after walking across the stage at the Event Center. A big thank you to all the members of the Class of 2025 who helped make our Hooding Ceremony go smoothly and to the professors for their continued work to help us get to this point. It was a great day celebrating with friends, family, and classmates.
Prior to graduation we had many research groups and individuals present research projects and case reports at the Michael G. Parker Colloquium. What a great day listening and learning about all the hard work all the health science students worked on to add to the body of research. Two of our cohort’s research projects are in the process of publication!
With graduation bringing an end to this journey of PT school our class is eager to put all our hard work into practice. Some will be traveling back across the country to head home or for their first job, while you may find some familiar faces around Bismarck and throughout North Dakota. I cannot wait to see how our class will impact the profession of physical therapy!
Thank you again to everyone for helping us get to this point. We would not have gotten here without the support from our friends, family, professors, and fellow classmates.
Hello from the class of 2025! A lot has changed since you last heard from us. At this point, we have completed our first clinical rotation, which was six weeks long. It was nice to get a break from the classroom to feel like a “real PT.” As we settled back into the school year, our courses changed from foundational knowledge to clinical application. Our time in the clinic gave us the confidence to dive headfirst into this new type of learning.
Throughout this year, we have had the opportunity to work with members of the community both in the pro bono clinic and in lab learning activities. In pro bono, we got to flex our clinical knowledge to serve those in the community who were in need of physical therapy. In labs, we got to work with patients with diagnoses that we were learning about this semester. We were blessed to work with patients who had amputations, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and many more. Group learning was a big topic for our class this year, with over fourteen group projects in our curriculum.
Besides classroom activities, our class has been busy volunteering in the community. One of the Benedictine values held near and dear to our class is the value of service. Between Day of Service, Racetrack Heroes, SOLE, and PT interview day, our class has volunteered over 400 hours at twelve locations throughout the BismarckMandan community. Our class has also stayed active this year by participating in the PT volleyball tournament organized by the 3rd years and playing basketball after class with a few professors. We have also reached some life milestones this year with engagements, marriages, and welcoming three new children. As this year comes to an end, we are excited to leave for our next clinical and see what the next year has in store for us!
Hello from the class of 2026! We are thrilled to be a part of the University of Mary’s DPT program! As we settle into the program, we make time for class comradery and to support each other daily. We love our professors and appreciate the dedication and kindness from each of them as they push us to expand our knowledge in capacities we didn’t know were possible. Reciprocally, we keep them on their toes - our class loves asking questions!
This fall, the 2nd and 3rd year students welcomed us with lots of fun events to get to know each other – a scavenger hunt, picnic, volleyball tournament, and a golf tournament! As a class of our own, we’ve enjoyed serving the community, going bowling, helping with RaceTrack heroes, student interview days, and countless themed dress-up Fridays to keep class fun! With our first round of finals, we learned to keep our focus and embrace the uncomfortable, or “hug the cactus” as we like to call it. This semester, we are enjoying our first experiences in the pro bono clinic with our 2nd year mentors and are starting to learn all of the fun skills like joint mobilizations and special tests. We recently practiced our goniometry skills on the dinosaurs at the North Dakota Heritage Center (Did you know the T-rex’s temporomandibular joint is deviated to the left?!)
We’ve come a long way this year, and can’t wait to see what comes next. In June we are excited to celebrate our efforts in preparation for our first clinical experiences by receiving our white coats, along with welcoming the first baby within our class! We’re so excited for this little kid to have 41 aunts and uncles. In the meantime, we’ll be studying hard and learning everything we can to prepare for clinicals!
The University of Mary Physical Therapy program hosted their 16th annual adaptive sports and activities event, Racetrack Heroes, on Sunday, January 28th, at the UMary Fieldhouse. This event holds a special place in the hearts of the faculty, current students, alumni, and community members alike. The opportunity to facilitate activity and community engagement is something that is the UMary PT program strives to promote. The event brings children of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds together for participation in various adaptive sports. They included soccer, basketball, baseball, various yard games, track and field, mini-golf, both ambulatory and nonambulatory obstacle courses, and even a sensory station for kiddos that just needed a little reprieve from the action! Each child is paired with two buddies from the UMary PT program, and they spend one hour together doing anything and everything that they can get to! This event has continued to grow over the past several years, and we are hopeful that the word will continue to spread in the coming years. Racetrack heroes has served as an opportunity to connect families in the community with the University of Mary PT program, while also helping to remind us students about the value a few swings of a bat, goals and baskets, or even a good race can have in the lives of the children and their families. We are excited to continue hosting this event for many years to come – it is truly something that we all look forward to every winter!
In August of 2023, a dedicated team of nine physical therapy students and alumni from the University of Mary embarked on a journey of service and compassion. Spanning ten impactful days, the trip took us to the heart of rural communities in San Lucas and the city of Antigua, Guatemala. As we reflect on this experience, we are deeply moved by the lives we touched and the lessons we learned.
In San Lucas, our mission with Friends of San Lucas was marked by collaboration with Big Stone Therapies. For five days, we immersed ourselves in providing essential physical therapy services to underserved populations. From treating common ailments to addressing chronic conditions, we encountered a multitude of patients, each with their own story.
Together, we witnessed the transformative power of empathy and service, forging connections that transcended cultural and linguistic barriers. Every interaction reaffirmed our commitment to the fundamental principles of our profession – to serve with compassion and advocate for those in need.
In Antigua, our focus shifted towards a different form of service with the God’s Child Project. Here, we had the privilege of contributing to the construction of two homes for families in need. Beyond the physical labor, this experience underscored the profound impact of shelter and stability on individuals and communities. This building process took five days and created shelter for two magnificent families.
Throughout our journey, we were truly inspired by the resilience and strength of the people we encountered. Their stories of perseverance in the face of adversity left a lasting mark on our hearts, reinforcing the importance of empathy and solidarity in our professional and personal lives. As we returned home, we carried with us a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude, mindful of the profound privilege and responsibility inherent in our role as healthcare providers.
Indeed, this service mission trip was more than a journey; it was a transformative experience that deepened our understanding of the human experience and reaffirmed our commitment to making a difference in the world. As we continue on our respective paths, we carry forward the lessons learned and the connections forged, guided by the timeless principles of compassion and service. In the end, it is not the miles traveled or the tasks accomplished that define our journey, but the lives touched, and the hearts uplifted along the way.
Our PT Program is proud of our commitment to the SGSHS and PT program’s vision, mission and strategic plan. In this edition of the newsletter, we’d like to feature our faculty’s accomplishments in alignment with Pillar 1 of the SGSHS and PT program’s strategic plans.
St. Gianna Vision
In the spirit of St. Gianna, we envision a thriving center of excellence that prepares servant leaders who will transform healthcare for everyone at all stages of life. (approved March 2021)
St. Gianna Mission
In the spirit of St. Gianna, we envision a thriving center of excellence that prepares servant leaders who will transform healthcare for everyone at all stages of life.
Physical Therapy Vision
Our vision is that our graduates will be ethical, compassionate, and caring physical therapists who optimize the human experience through the advancement of practice, advocacy, education, and service in accordance with the Benedictine values.
Physical Therapy Mission
Guided by the University of Mary’s Benedictine values of Service, Prayer, Moderation, Respect for Person, Hospitality and Community our mission is to prepare physical therapists for life.
SGSHS Strategic Plan Pillar 1: Develop exceptional healthcare providers through innovative interprofessional learning.
Objective #3: Increase dissemination of interprofessional research between and among faculty and students.
Physical Therapy Strategic Plan Pillar 1: Culture of Innovation
Objective #2: Faculty Development and Research: Invest in faculty development initiatives to support teaching excellence, foster research collaboration, and promote ongoing professional growth and faculty formation, thereby enhancing the program’s reputation for academic excellence.
Peer Reviewed Publications
Schreiber J, Rapport MJ, Anderson DA, Lundeen H, Moore J, Furze J. “Revision of the Essential Core Competencies: Domains of Competence for Pediatric Physical Therapy Professional Education.” Accepted to Pediatr Phys Ther. Anticipated publication date 2024 issue 4.
Schumacher MR, Karl KA, Stich MA, Dean CR, Lawson SR, Hogan JL. Identifying Physical Therapists’ Attitudes, Beliefs, and Barriers Towards Diagnostic Imaging Referral: A Mixed-Methods Study. J Man Manip Ther. 1-9. Published online April 27, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2024. 2346957
Schumacher MR, Swanson CJ, Wolff SE, Orteza RB, Aguilar RA. Exploring the immediate and shortterm effect of spinal manipulation on pressure pain threshold: A randomized controlled trial of healthy participants. Chiropr Man Ther. 1-9. 2024. DOI : 10.1186/s12998-024-00540-5
Cottone KA, Schumacher MR, Young JL, Rhon DI. The majority of clinical trials assessing mobilization and manipulation for neck pain lack a pragmatic approach: a systematic review of 174 trials. J Man Manip Ther. Published online March 25, 2024:1-17. Doi: 10.1080/10669817.2024.2327127
Dickson T, Eckert J, Pabian P, Greco J. Challenges and Opportunities for Physical Therapist Education Research: Results From an American Council of Academic Physical Therapy Needs Assessment Survey. J Phys Ther Educ. 2024;38(1):p 80-89. DOI: 10.1097/ JTE.0000000000000297
Keller M. Outpatient geriatric concussion s/p fall (ACAPT Scenario #27). ACAPT Simulation Scenario. October 26, 2023. https://acapt.org/resources/simulation/simulations-summary
Furze J, Schreiber J, Lundeen H. Dianne Cherry Forum: Pediatric Education Summits: Striving Toward Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Education Session. APTA Combined Sections Meeting; February 17, 2024; Boston, MA.
Arndt J, Keller M, Sperle C. Physical and Respiratory Therapy Student IPE Collaboration and Simulation. Poster presentation at: IPEC Virtual Poster Fair, November 29, 2023.1
Eckert J Dickson T, Greco J, Helgeson K, Johnston Lisa, Ruen J, Riopel MA. ACAPT research project: Understanding Faculty Researcher Experiences and Exploring Opportunities. Education session presentation at: Education Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, PA, Oct 14, 2023.
Keller M, Schroeder J. Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Student IPE Community Project. Poster presentation at: Bridging Research with Practice: Interprofessional Collaboration, Health Science Research, and Evidence-Based Practice Conference in Fargo, ND, October 20, 2023.
Hogan J. Factors Affecting Frequency of School-Based Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Related Service Delivery: Retrospective Analysis of the School Outcomes Measure. Poster presentation at North Dakota Nurses Association Interprofessional Collaborative Research Conference Fargo, ND October 20, 2023.
Allen D, Hogan J, Roller J. Use of video and synthetic cadavers in an anatomy continuing education course for rural health care providers. Workshop presentation at the Interprofessional Collaborative Research, October 2023, Fargo, ND.
Emmel L. Straighten Up! Enhancing Application of the Clinical Practice Guideline for Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis. Education Session at APTA-North Dakota Annual Conference. September 2023.
Emmel L & Haj T. Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant Readiness to Serve as a Clinical Instructor. Education Session at APTA-North Dakota Annual Conference. September 2023.
Schumacher MR. Prevalence of Referred Pain: Importance of Properly Screening for the Orthopedic Physical Therapist. APTA North Dakota State Conference in Grand Forks, ND. September 23, 2023.
Keller M. Physical Therapists’ Decision to Practice in Vestibular Rehabilitation and Concussion Management: A Qualitative Study of Influences. Poster presentation at: Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (ANPT): Annual Conference 2023 in Minneapolis, MN, September 28-30, 2023.
Keller M, Schroeder J. Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Student IPE Community Project. Poster presentation at: Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) in Washington, D.C. June 29th, 2023.
Honorable Mention Winner in the Category of Behavioral Health
Schumacher MR, Taylor M, Allen D. Attracting Professionals to Rural Healthcare: The Experiences of a North Dakota Physical Therapy Program to Attract Students & Promote Rural Health. Conference on Rural and Public Health in Bismarck, ND. June 15, 2023.
Schumacher MR. Screening of the Thoracolumbar Spine for Sacroiliac Joint Pain: A Systematic Revie. 2024 APTA ND research grant ($660).
Eckert J, Sibla J, Anderson C. Collaborative Occupational and Physical Therapy intervention for patients with chronic pain. Funding for participant incentives 2023 NDPTA research grant ($1,200).
Eckert J, Sibla J, Anderson C. Collaborative Occupational and Physical Therapy intervention for patients with chronic pain. Funding for participant incentives. 2023 U Mary faculty research grant ($1,500).
How wonderful to look out the window and note the bright green grass and blue skies – a time for all of us in ND to herald the onset of summer! These environmental reminders provide us with the great gift of hope and new life. I am also filled with additional joy and gratitude with the arrival of my first grandchild on March 17 (Edison Joseph Dockter, our St. Patty’s day blessing) and anticipate this future Marauder will look great in orange and blue! God is good!
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
- Anne Bradstreet -
As always, spring is a busy time for the University as we enjoy the numerous activities surrounding commencement as well as taking the time for end of year assessment and planning. I have always said that the first day of school and graduation are two of my most favorite days – warmly welcoming anxious and shy students in September followed by celebrating the accomplishments of the many confident and assured young men and women in April is indeed a blessing. Immediately after graduation, program faculty waste no time in assessing and analyzing programmatic data and outcomes to make new goals and plans. While the receipt of the outstanding Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education report was cause for celebration for the PT faculty, I have no doubt they will fully embrace the process of strategic planning and program review later this spring/summer.
As Dean of the Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences (SGSHS), I also have the pleasure of taking a comprehensive look at what our school has accomplished this past academic year. I am filled with pride in what I know has been accomplished, while also eagerly making plans for the future with our outstanding faculty team. A few key accomplishments are highlighted under each of the four pillars of our plan and include:
1. SGSHS will be a thriving hub of interprofessional service to meet the needs of the community and beyond
• Our pro bono clinic was a buzz of activity with PT, OT, AT, and SLP students all seeing patients at the same time and place. Throughout the fall and spring, we had >240 students at the undergrad and graduate level participating, as well as 30 faculty members providing mentorship. All total, there were overall 2430 patient/client visits which demonstrates a positive impact on the community.
• We continue to offer international opportunities for students to foster their growth in understanding global health needs. While many of our PT students continue to journey to Guatemala as part of their program, our interprofessional service-learning trip to Peru continues to expand and several PT students and alumni have participated.
2. Foster resilient healthcare leaders who inspire compassionate, ethical and joyful practice
• This past December, we held our 2nd annual St Gianna Medical Professionals Conference with about 400 attendees. This 1 ½ day conference was bookended with optional campus activities including a live bioethics debate and Christmas at Mary concert that provided participants with a fulfilling and faith-filled weekend. We were grateful for the wonderful financial support of our clinical community in helping to bring in highly acclaimed speakers. Put Dec 6-7, 2024, on your calendars as we have plans for the 3rd annual conference with a great lineup of speakers.
• Faculty formation is also an important component of this pillar. We continue to add resources on Catholic Social Teaching and Benedictine Values to an online repository. Additionally, the
University has invested in faculty formation by paying the tuition for SGSHS faculty members to complete the National Catholic Bioethics Center Certification Program (I started it in February and have found it extremely helpful).
3. Cultivate and support mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders
• We continue to establish and grow our relationships with healthcare partners and work together on ways to augment and retain their workforce. A great example of this is our innovative Nursing Academy in which 30 high school seniors are selected to enroll in our partner-supported, tuition-free nursing program. Students complete the year-round program in just over 2 ½ years and commit to work at the healthcare facility upon graduation. This has been a great way to decrease/eliminate student debt and provide facilities with top notch providers. We are now expanding these opportunities to other highly sought-after professions.
4. Develop exceptional healthcare providers through innovative interprofessional learning
• Interprofessional education, clinical, and research activities have substantially increased over the past year. Notable examples include our PT and respiratory therapy students engaging in several sessions of teaching and learning from/with each other followed by collaborative work on simulated activities. Additionally, our PT and OT students and faculty are working on a research study focused on chronic pain management. Several faculty members have also worked together and presented their work regionally and nationally.
• We are also revamping our interprofessional course for all SGSHS students. Previously a 1 credit course that included both undergraduate and graduate students, we are now expanding to
introduce concepts early in their academic journey and expanding when students are more engaged in their professional phases. All graduates of the SGSHS will be required to achieve competence in the interprofessional competencies including values and ethics for interprofessional practice, roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice, Interprofessional communication, and teamwork and team-based care
As a university, I am thrilled to report that we are bucking the national trend of declining enrollment. While we are paying close attention and continue to work to meet the goals in our online undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as traditional graduate programs such as physical therapy, we experienced record setting enrollment with our fall 2023 freshmen and anticipate similar results in fall 2024. In addition to high enrollment, our comprehensive, wrap-around retention efforts resulted in exceptional retention and persistence rates. Finally, we are grateful and blessed by tremendously generous and loyal supporters who continue to support our Vision 2030 strategic plans. We are making great strides in making phase II come to life. I am hopeful we will begin to see a flurry of bulldozers and dirt movers in summer 2025 as we begin the much-anticipated football stadium/ classroom and research pavilion, multi-purpose turf field and dome, track and field, new roadway system, and comprehensive, one-stop welcome center.
While these structures will change the face of our campus, I have full faith that we will remain steadfast in our mission to serve the needs of the people of this region and beyond. You will all want to make frequent return visits to campus to see the transition – don’t be a stranger, we love visitors. And hopefully when you do return, you will be welcomed with spring/summer like temperature and signs of new life and vitality! God Bless.