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Associate Dean for Academic Affairs - Wellstar College of Health and Human Services

Kennesaw State University is now accepting applications for a twelve-month, administrative faculty position as a tenured Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services with a preferred start of January 2023.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs serves as a member of the College’s leadership team. In collaboration with the Chairs/Directors, the Dean, and the faculty the Associate Dean advances the undergraduate and graduate mission of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services (WCHHS), oversees its academic programs, and manages its enrollment.

Primary Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Curriculum
  • Oversees curricular and program innovation
  • Promotes and expands Double Owl pathways
  • Works collaboratively to address low-enrollment programs

Enrollment

  • Develops a vision and strategic plan for undergraduate and graduate enrollment management, including RPG, and degrees awarded
  • Oversees undergraduate and graduate scheduling (including EMS and Ad Astra)
  • Oversees strategic initiatives specific to low- and under- enrolled programs

Advising

  • Works collaboratively with the WCHHS Advising Center and Academic Affairs to ensure advising efficacy, efficiency, and support strategic initiatives
  • Collaborates with all student success partners

Assessment

  • Coordinates college assessment efforts
  • Facilitates academic program review and accreditation
  • Serves as the liaison for the Quality Enhancement Plan
  • Facilitates online learning and serves as the liaison to Digital Learning Innovations

Faculty Development

  • Develops faculty development series based on faculty rank
  • Coordinates orientation of new faculty
  • Develops workshops to support faculty development in teaching, curriculum development, and assessment
  • Other duties as assigned

Teaching assignments will be based on earned degrees and SACSCOC Faculty Credentials Guidelines.

An earned Ph.D., or its foreign equivalent, with an academic background and appropriate credentials to be a tenured professor in an academic department/school in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services at KSU is required.

Preferred Qualifications Include

  • Has served as an Associate Dean, Department Chair, and/or Undergraduate/Graduate Program Director/Coordinator
  • A record of curricular and program innovation
  • Experience with scheduling, data analytics, schedule decision making, and enrollment management
  • Experience in the area of High Impact Practices and QEP
  • A record of working with diverse constituencies, and promoting inclusive excellence in curricular innovation
  • Demonstrated record of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • A record of success in curriculum and course development
  • Demonstrated experiences fostering interdisciplinary collaborations

For a full description of this position, application deadlines, and application procedures, visit https://hr.kennesaw.edu/careers.php. Search for Job ID 249972.


KENNESAW, Ga. (Nov 9, 2021) — Kennesaw State University researchers have earned a $1 million federal grant to train students to provide suicide and drug abuse prevention services among youth in five counties across rural northwest Georgia.

Professor emerita of social work Irene McClatchey, professor of social work Monica Nandan, and1M Grant two other co-investigators will use the four-year grant to prepare 74 behavioral health paraprofessionals to work in rural areas. The ultimate goal of the project is to prevent suicide and non-prescribed drug use among marginalized youth by increasing the number of behavioral health professionals particularly in Bartow, Floyd, Gordon, Paulding and Polk counties. The grant is the first of its kind at KSU from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“There is a shortage of behavioral health workers in rural Georgia,” said Nandan, who also serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Social Impact in the Wellstar College. “As we conduct research, engage communities and offer courses, we hope to improve lifestyle outcomes in these areas. This is especially pertinent with the current steep escalation in the availability in counterfeit prescription pills.”

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Kennesaw State researchers to explore exercise interventions in treating Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 15, 2021) — Two Kennesaw State University researchers in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services have created a novel approach that may help slow the progression of Type 2 diabetes with just 40 minutes a week of exercise.

Brian Kliszczewicz, associate professor of exercise science, and Robert Buresh, professor ofexercise science, have received a three-year, $380,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effectiveness of a novel high-intensity bodyweight circuit training regimen that offers a more time-conscious path to treat and manage Type 2 diabetes.

Conventional guidelines call for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but Kliszczewicz said this time commitment often deters many people from engaging in exercise. He and Buresh devised this circuit to cut down the time required, make exercise more accessible to those who might benefit from it, and ultimately help prevent the advancement of Type 2 diabetes.

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Grant cuts costs for students in Kennesaw State’s inclusive learning program

academy grants KENNESAW, Ga. (Jul 20, 2021) — A new $25,000 grant from the Homer N. Allen Charitable Trust will provide scholarships for students in Kennesaw State University’s Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth. The trust has now awarded the academy a total of $100,000 over the past four years.

The academy provides an inclusive post-secondary college experience to students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Program participants audit one typical university course per semester, while also participating in social integration, career exploration internships and training through academy-based courses.

“The Homer N. Allen Trust has been phenomenal to work with,” said Neil Duchac, executive director of the Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth. “With their overall support of our mission and of our students, we’re really blessed to have a partnership with them.”

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Summer research experience inspires Kennesaw State biochemistry major

Ami Eho Summer Research Wellstar Story 2021
KENNESAW, Ga. (Jun 16, 2021)
— Diagnosed with hypertension at a young age, Ami Eho sought to educate herself about cardiometabolic health issues that afflicted her and her family.

Now she is immersing herself in research at Kennesaw State this summer, thanks to a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health. 

Eho is working in the exercise science laboratory of associate professor Katherine Ingram through the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney (NIDDK) diseases Short-Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) program, which offers summer research opportunities with a stipend. She is studying the effects of exercise and dietary changes on the hereditary nature of cardiometabolic conditions.

“This is a great opportunity to be involved in research full time during the summer,” the KSU senior said. “On top of the stipend that the NIDDK STEP-UP program offers, the most valuable part of the program is the mentorship that will be accessible to me, and the new knowledge that I will acquire from my mentors through this research experience.”

In December 2013, Eho and her family emigrated from the African nation of Togo. She graduated from Marietta High School, then earned an associate degree in interdisciplinary studies from Chattahoochee Technical College. She transferred to KSU for its biochemistry major, its emphasis on undergraduate research and its proximity to her home in Dallas.

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Active bodies, active minds

Kinesthetic Classroom Wellstar Story 2021
KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb 19, 2018)
— Some students are doing double-takes when they get their first look at a new classroom in Kennesaw State University’s Convocation Center.

Rather than the typical class setting, the room is equipped with chairs that wobble and desks that have pedals for striding, stepping or stationary biking.

“I was worried I wasn’t in the right place when I first walked in and I saw the equipment,” Kayci St. Clair, a junior majoring in digital animation, said with a laugh. “But I really like it.”

It is Kennesaw State’s first kinesthetic classroom, where students engage in motion activities during class. The idea, supported by an increasing amount of research, is that keeping the body active helps stimulate the mind and enhance learning.

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Kennesaw State Alum Makes His Mark

Zach Bazemore Wellstar College Alumni Story 2021
KENNESAW, Ga. (May 6, 2021)
— Every morning, Zach Bazemore’s commute takes him to the base of Allegiant Stadium, the NFL’s newest coliseum and state-of-the-art home to the Las Vegas Raiders.

An operations coordinator at the stadium, Bazemore secured his position in the highly competitive sports industry immediately after graduating from Kennesaw State University with a sport management degree last year. The job grants him a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the preparation for NFL games and other events hosted by stadiums nationwide. While it may seem routine, he said it tends to be anything but. 

“The cool thing about this job is that there’s not a typical day,” said Bazemore, who recalled being awestruck the first time he saw the stadium. “I could come in one day with a to-do list of things I want to get done, and one radio call makes everything go out the window. That’s just the nature of operations and that’s what makes this job attractive – that no two days are the same.”

Bazemore credits his successful job hunt to the skills he acquired at Kennesaw State, particularly his experience working with KSU’s Night Owl program, a student-led organization that provides hands-on experience in event service, maintenance and hospitality. His experience caught the eye of company executives who were interested to know how Night Owl exposed him to situations that could be useful working in operations.

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Kennesaw State exercise science professor wins mentor award

Wellstar-Katherine Ingram Story 2021
KENNESAW, Ga. (Apr 23, 2021)
 — The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has selected Kennesaw State University associate professor of exercise science Katherine Ingram as a 2021 CUR Faculty Mentor Awardee in Health Sciences.

“I’m truly humbled to receive this award, but the real reward is in helping students achieve their goals,” Ingram said. “Through their experiences in my laboratory and in my classroom, they’re bringing their energy and perspectives and moving the research forward. While I give of myself in teaching and research, it’s nowhere near what I get in return when I see these students succeed.”

Ingram has taught at Kennesaw State since 2012. She earned her B.S. in sport management from Tulane University, her M.S. in exercise physiology from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and her Ph.D. in exercise physiology with a nutrition minor from Georgia State. She also worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alabama-Birmingham before arriving at KSU.

Focusing on the impact of gestational obesity and inactivity on maternal metabolic health, Ingram has mentored 35 undergraduate researchers, fostering multi-mentor models, cross-disciplinary connections and participation in the entire research process that ranges from formulation of research questions and development of grant proposals to collection of data and communication of results.

Established in 2018, the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Mentor Awards honor exceptional mentoring and advising by higher education faculty across all subdivisions of health sciences. Ingram joins associate professor Charles Parrott (2020) of the Department of Theatre & Performance Studies as KSU’s most recent Mentor Award recipient.

– Dave Shelles


KSU and Wellstar Health System announce exclusive $5 million endowment for honors nursing students

KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb 2, 2021) — Kennesaw State University and Wellstar Health System announce the establishment of the Wellstar-Tom and Betty Phillips Elite Honors Nursing Scholarship, a new $5 million endowment that will create an opportunity for highly qualified undergraduate students to gain acceptance into the Wellstar School of Nursing as early as their freshman years.

This exclusive scholarship is a joint venture between Kennesaw State’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, KSU Journey Honors College, Wellstar Health System, the KSU Foundation, and KSU supporter and Emeritus member of the Wellstar Board of Trustees Tom Phillips. The multi-million-dollar gift also includes matching funds from a $10 million donation to the University’s Honors College from Rosemary and John Brown, which the University received in January 2020.

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Archived News

  • Kennesaw State selects renowned public health scholar to lead Wellstar College

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Dec 23, 2020) — Kennesaw State University President Pamela Whitten and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathy Schwaig have named Monica Swahn as dean of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, effective March 1.
    Read More!

     

    Grad student seeks winning fitness formula

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Dec 9, 2020) — Grace Alexander came to Kennesaw State to learn how her body works and to improve its efficiency. The competitive triathlete has proven an apt pupil in the laboratory, in the classroom and on the course.
    Read More!

     

    Fall 2020 Symposium of Student Scholars Live Blog

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Dec 3, 2020) — The Office of Undergraduate Research at Kennesaw State University hosted the first fall edition of the Symposium of Student Scholars on Dec. 3, 2020, a half-day university-wide conference in which undergraduate and graduate researchers presented their projects. The event, held virtually via Microsoft Teams, featured nearly 100 presentations taking place from 1-5 p.m. Just like the spring 2020 symposium, students were assigned unique access codes and timeslots for their virtual presentations.
    Read More!

     

    Competition offers hands-on experience for grant-writing students

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Nov 16, 2020) — Kennesaw State senior Kylie Burns decided to major in human services because she wanted a path into a career where she can make a difference.
    Read More!

     

    KSU alumna finds a spot on the team with Braves

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 7, 2020) — Sophia Bowers connected a personal passion for sports with her professional and academic goals during her time at Kennesaw State University.
    Read More!

     

    KSU professor awarded research grant to explore diversity and inclusion

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 19, 2020) — Kennesaw State University professor Jennifer Wade-Berg has been named the inaugural recipient of an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Research Foundation grant promoting the study of diversity, equity and inclusion among associations.
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    KSU professor awarded research grant to explore diversity and inclusion

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 19, 2020) — Kennesaw State University professor Jennifer Wade-Berg has been named the inaugural recipient of an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Research Foundation grant promoting the study of diversity, equity and inclusion among associations.
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    KSU researcher awarded NIH grant for project on gestational diabetes risk

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Sep 21, 2020) — Gestational diabetes affects nearly one in 10 pregnancies and is associated with children facing an increased risk of obesity and diabetes as adults. Kennesaw State University researcher Katherine Ingram is tackling these transgenerational health issues through a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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    KSU nursing professor earns career honor

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Sep 3, 2020) — Kennesaw State University nursing professor Doreen Wagner is among 230 distinguished nurse leaders to join the 2020 Class of Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) for her contributions to advancing public health.
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    KSU exercise science professor earns young researcher award

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Aug 5, 2020) — Kennesaw State University associate professor of exercise science Gerald Mangine has earned the Terry J. Housh Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
    Read More!

     

    Grant for KSU academy will help create job opportunities

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Jul 15, 2020) — The Office of Diversity and Inclusion has been awarded a grant from the Administration for Community Living which will allow Kennesaw State’s Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth to create more work opportunities within the university for individuals with disabilities.
    Read More!

     

    KSU researcher publishes study on flexible children’s prosthetics

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Jun 3, 2020) — Adults with prosthetic legs live full lives thanks to prostheses that flex at the knee. Children, however, have traditionally received stiff prostheses with no knee bend because conventional wisdom promoted that stiff legs were better at developing neuromuscular stability.
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    WellStar Health System contributes nearly $9 million to expand KSU nursing program

    Partnership includes $2.5 million for student scholarships and a $6.2 million grant for new faculty and staff

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb 14, 2020) — Building on their longstanding relationship, Kennesaw State and WellStar Health System are partnering to address Georgia’s nursing shortage.

    In support of the University’s goal of doubling enrollment in its nursing program, WellStar will provide a $2.5 million gift to create an endowment that will fund annual nursing scholarships in perpetuity, and a grant worth $6.2 million over five years to fund the hiring of new nursing faculty and support staff.
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  • Addressing adolescent mental health

    Interdisciplinary team working to develop support systems

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 29, 2019) — Addressing the social and emotional health issues that middle and high school students face might not sound like a typical project for a student pursuing his master’s degree in information technology, but Jake Sciotto embraced the opportunity to help local children.
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    Prosthetics and orthotics graduate degree approved for Kennesaw State

    Program will be one of 13 nationwide

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Oct 16, 2019) — The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved a Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics at Kennesaw State University, making it the only university in Georgia and one of just 13 institutions nationwide to offer the degree program.
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    Doing a World of Good

    KSU graduate traveling abroad to study public health

    KENNESAW, Ga. (May 16, 2019) — Maria Mata plans to dedicate her career to addressing global health issues. She’s off to a good start, already traveling the world to gain experience in her chosen field.
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    Kennesaw State to offer new degree

    Board of Regents approves Bachelor of Science in Integrated Health Science

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Apr 14, 2020) — The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Health Science for Kennesaw State University’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services.
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    KSU Social Science Professors Awarded NIH Grant for Health Disparities Research

    Project to focus on chronic disease self-management for low-income African-American men

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb 28, 2019) — Three Kennesaw State University researchers studying health disparities among various rural and urban populations in Georgia have recently been awarded a National Institutes of Health grant.
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    170 KSU nursing graduates earn 100 percent pass rate

    WellStar School BSN grads are helping meet the need for nurses

    KENNESAW, Ga. (Jan 9, 2019) — All 170 of the WellStar School of Nursing’s 2018 bachelor’s degree graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on their first attempt.
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