Winter 2008 Dean's Update

Mark Meyers
Dean of College of Social Sciences, Health, and Education

Since I arrived at Xavier just over a year ago, I have been impressed with the quality of the faculty, staff, students and programs in the College of Social Sciences, Health, and Education. The graduate program in health services administration is no exception to this impression.

I have described the faculty of the program as being spectacular; however, I believe this should be applied to the students and alumni of the program as well. The GPHSA is not a program from which you graduate; it is a place to start your professional journey. Alumni and friends take great pride in the program and support it in a number of ways, including direct support of instruction, providing case studies, and mentoring of students to indirect support of the program through the alumni association and other partnerships. We cannot underestimate the contribution to the program made by alumni and friends, and it is certainly never taken for granted.

Leaving the 50th anniversary, it is clear that there is a new mission for the friends of the program as we enter the start of our capital campaign. While a lofty goal of $10 million has been set, this goal is directly linked to the creation of more opportunities for our students, along with the faculty and staff, to have a direct impact upon the healthcare profession. The purpose of the capital fund drive is to bring to life the strategic initiatives which include scholarships for students, faculty development funds as well as Centers for Health Informatics and for Health Care Management Ethics. These will help launch the program well into the 21st Century. All of us, faculty, chair, and Dean, will ask alumni for their support particularly for scholarships and to help identify foundations and vendors to support the Centers.

Thank you again for your continued support.