Welcome from the Dean

I am delighted to welcome faculty, staff, and students back to campus for this 2023-2024 academic year. It is so hard to believe that we are heading into the fall 2023 semester. I hope you all had a safe and happy summer and found time to rest and enjoy family and friends. As we embark on this new academic year, I am eager to engage with you in meaningful ways and as always am honored to have the opportunity to champion all our faculty, staff, and students. 

A commitment to community is at the heart of our college. Whether your interests lie in the health sciences, social work, kinesiology, occupational therapy, or nursing, as a student at the SVSU you will enjoy a rewarding educational experience enriched by collaboration with peers and mentors from an extraordinary range of personal and professional backgrounds. As you gain the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience that prepare you for a career that makes a real difference to the health and well-being of people within the region, state, and beyond, you will also form a lifelong network of friends and colleagues. Our students, faculty, and staff provide tremendous services, deliver care, and translate new discoveries for the many populations we serve. Research and service learning are embedded within our academic programs to ensure that students have an opportunity to experience evidence-based practice across the lifespan. 

What differentiates our programs from other schools are the extensive clinical and practical opportunities available for our students, and the belief that you learn best by doing.  Our programs use state-of-the-art simulation laboratory centers to allow students to experience real-life scenarios.  The collaboration of our programs allows for an interdisciplinary approach to learning that promotes the development and application of what has been taught and learned in new and different ways, thus preparing graduates for careers in new and emerging fields.  In order to prepare our students for the 21st century with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to be leaders in the workplace and engaged citizens, the college of Health and Human Services at SVSU has focused on hiring outstanding faculty and staff who have developed widely respected programs.   

For those of you joining SVSU for the first time, we are so excited to celebrate you becoming part of our SVSU family. As I move into my third academic year, I too will continue to embark on my journey with all of you.  We accomplished a great deal in FY22-23 year and look forward to another productive year. It is an exciting time to be a higher education provider for the health professions.  Advancements in health technology, improvements in standards of practice, and expanding health care roles continue to create new opportunities for graduates of the health professions. We pride ourselves on the ability to produce highly qualified and competitive candidates that are sought out by health profession employers.  

We invite you to visit us and experience all or college has to offer. We are interested in creating partnerships that can ensure the health and wellbeing of the many communities we serve. 

We believe that together we can be better! 

Dr. Marcia Mastracci Ditmyer
Dean, College of Health & Human Services