UWF announces formation of College of Health

“The formation of a College of Health at UWF provides the final piece of the academic college reorganization,” said Dr. Martha Saunders, executive vice president and provost. “Healthcare is an important issue facing our country. I believe UWF can be a big player in the development of innovative solutions to major challenges.”

The College of Health will be led by inaugural dean Dr. Ermalynn Kiehl, who previously served as associate dean of health for the College of Science, Engineering and Health, as well as chair and associate professor in the Department of Nursing. Dr. Michael Huggins will continue in his role as dean of the College of Science and Engineering.

“I am honored to serve as the inaugural dean of the College of Health,” said Kiehl. “I am looking forward to working with the local healthcare community in strengthening interprofessional collaborative relationships, and ultimately improving health of the public.”

The new College will include the following programs: athletic training, clinical laboratory sciences, exercise science, health promotion, health science, nursing, physical education, physical therapy, psychology and public health. The College of Health will also coordinate UWF’s doctoral partnerships with the University of Florida in nursing practice and with the University of South Florida in physical therapy.

The academic reorganization process was completed to reenergize the Division of Academic Affairs and better align the University’s college structure with the UWF Academic Master Plan. The goal of the reorganization was to increase visibility, agility and responsiveness and create and sustain financial stability of the colleges; increase operational efficiencies; and create external impacts by engaging the community and fulfilling core needs through natural alliances.

The reorganization began in 2014 with the formation of the College of Science, Engineering and Health; the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities; and the College of Education and Professional Studies. The University now features six colleges, including the College of Business and University College.

For more information, visit the academic reorganization page on UWF.edu.

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About the University of West Florida: Founded in 1963, the University of West Florida is a vibrant, distinctive institution of higher learning with undergraduate, graduate and targeted research programs. With multiple locations in Northwest Florida, the University serves a student population of more than 12,000. Dedicated to helping students realize their full potential, UWF favors small class sizes with quality teacher-scholars who deliver personalized, innovative, hands-on learning and leadership opportunities.