Message from the Interim Dean
Dear friends, alumni, colleagues, and community partners,
The first half of 2024 has been an exciting and productive time for the Brooks College of Health (BCH). We are thrilled to share our achievements and updates across various departments and programs. Our students, faculty, and staff have been working hard, and we have many accomplishments to celebrate. Below are some highlights from the past six months.
Awards, Honors & Welcomes | Academic Achievements | Research | Community News | Student Support & Wellness | Upcoming Initiatives & Events
Awards, Honors & Welcomes
Annual Awards
The Brooks College of Health Annual Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff who go above and beyond in shaping the future of our healthcare students and college. The 2024 winners are:
- Faculty Scholarship Award: Guilherme Cesar, PhD, PT
- Faculty Service Award: Shyam Paryani, MD, MHA, FACHE
- Faculty Teaching Award: Casey Colin, DCN, RDN, LDN, FAND
- Staff Excellence Award: Misha Bogomaz, Psy.D., ABPP
Honors
Dr. Andrea Arikawa (Nutrition & Dietetics) received a HIP grant to plan a study abroad trip to Japan in collaboration with the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.
Dr. Amber Barnes (Public Health) was selected to serve as an expert member of the Guidance Development Group for traditional food markets by the WHO. Read More
Dr. Jenifer Ross (Nutrition & Dietetics) received the Outstanding Faculty Community Engaged Scholarship Award.
Ms. Katryne Lukens Bull (Public Health) received the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.
Dr. Chitra Lakshmi K Balasubramanian (Physical Therapy) received the Outstanding Faculty Service Award.
Dr. Jeffrey Harrison (Health Administration) received the 2024 Marcus E. Drewa Distinguished Endowed Professorship. Read More
Welcomes
- Seanna Aker, RN, Market Days/Quality Assurance, SHS
- Kristen Berg, DCN, RDN, Instructor, Nutrition & Dietetics
- Bambi Bougainvilla, MSN, CNM, Instructor, Nursing
- Lauren Butler, PhD, RDN, Assistant Professor, Nutrition & Dietetics
- Connor Dougan, BCH Academic Advisor
- Emily Gabriel, PhD, ATC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical & Applied Movement Sciences
- Weimin Gao, PhD, Chair and Professor, Public Health
- Brittany Gibson, MS, FNP-BC, Instructor, Nursing
- Mila Insuasty, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner, SHS
- Debra Kilcrease, MSN, Instructor, Nursing
- Mary Kerley, BSN, RN, Registered Nurse, SHS
- Aurora Tafili, PhD, Assistant Professor, Health Administration
- Terra Meng, BSN, RN, Registered Nurse, SHS
- Julia Paul, DNP, MSN, RN, NP-C, Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, Nursing
- Mary Radhakrishnan, BSN, RN, Registered Nurse, SHS
- Melinda Strickland, MSN, BSN, APRN-ANP, Nurse Practitioner, SHS
- Melissa Titus, MSN, PMHNP-BC, Instructor, Nursing
- Bruce Turner, Interim Director of BCH Academic Advising
- Jessica Yanson, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, Assistant Professor, Public Health
Lastly, we are excited to welcome the incoming 2025 Chair and Vice Chair for the BCH Dean’s Council. Paul Sapia, MHA, Chief Population Health Officer at Telescope Health, will serve as Chair, and Michael Mayo, DHA, FACHE, President and CEO of Baptist Health, will serve as Vice Chair.
| Paul Sapia | Michael Mayo |
|---|---|
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Academic Excellence & Program Achievements
The School of Nursing continues to grow its enrollment for undergraduate prelicensure BSN students, with 70 more students set to graduate in 2024 compared to 2023. The first quarter 2024 NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate was an impressive 96.8%.
The University of North Florida’s online RN-BSN bridge track program is ranked as the second-Best Accelerated Nursing Program of 2024 by Forbes.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program received full accreditation from the Commission for Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), reaffirming our commitment to excellence in education.
BCH Academic Advising implemented a new appointment and sign-in system called myNest. 92% of surveyed students gave their advisor the highest satisfaction rating.
Our Nutrition & Dietetics MS Online program was ranked as one of the top 10 best online programs in Dietetics for 2024 by Forbes. The Meals on Wings program continues to thrive, securing significant funding and providing invaluable community service opportunities for our students.
The BCH Case Study Competition 2024 brought together students from across healthcare disciplines to tackle live case challenges in patient care, offering an unparalleled learning and networking opportunity.
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Research Update
Our faculty have been actively contributing to research and scholarship
Dr. Gui Cesar (Physical Therapy) received a NIH R03 grant to study power mobility devices for children with cerebral palsy.
Dr. Zhigang (Shay) Xie (Public Health) was selected to participate in the Advancing Workforce Analysis and Research for Dementia (AWARD) Network Summer Institute, July 15-19, 2024, at the University of California San Francisco Mission Bay Campus
Deborah Owen (Public Health) received contract funding from the CDC Public Health Infrastructure Grant, which will support fellows and interns at the DOH-Duval over the next four years, along with conducting needs assessments and training on public health competencies.
Community News
- UNF MedNexus expands academic programs in Palm Coast. Read Article.
- UNF nursing students partner with BEAM to offer wellness checks for seniors. Read Article.
- UNF Kinesiology Team wins second at SEACSM quiz bowl. Read Article.
Student Support & Wellness Achievements
Student Health Services had a busy Spring 2024 semester, completing over 3,000 appointments and achieving a 96.3% patient satisfaction rating. The clinic supported 1,000 hours of interprofessional experience for BCH students and was named the Spring 2023 Presidential Quality Customer Service Awardee for the third consecutive year.
The Counseling Center provided more than 4,700 appointments to UNF students, with a very brief wait time of just two weeks for individual counseling appointments, nearly achieving a waitlist-free status. They also recruited a new cohort of trainees for the upcoming academic year. Their outreach efforts included collaborating with student government for Mental Health Awareness Week, conducting suicide prevention training, participating in Market Days and various support programs, and attending a wellness fair at Sandalwood High School.
Upcoming Initiatives and Events
Initiatives
- We are excited about the upcoming implementation of our new Doctorate in Health Administration (DHA) program starting in fall 2024. This program will emphasize health leadership and advanced management of healthcare institutions. Read More.
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- We continue to expand our curriculum with new and revised programs, including the Bachelor of Health Management (BHM), Master of Health Administration (MHA) Accelerated Program and new curricula for the Prelicensure BSN and Nursing Leadership and Administration (MSN) programs starting in fall 2025.
Events
- The International Healthcare Symposium 2024, taking place from Oct. 9-10 at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center, is a multidisciplinary conference aimed at educating, engaging, and connecting healthcare professionals through relevant sessions about challenges and opportunities in the healthcare industry.
We hope you have a wonderful summer and stay connected with us. Follow us on social media for frequent updates. For more detailed updates and stories, visit our newsroom.
Warm regards,
Mei Zhao, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
Brooks College of Health
University of North Florida