School of Health Professions and Education
230 Addison Miller White Hall
Phone: (315) 792-3075
Fax: (315) 792-3248
Dean Dale Scalise-Smith, Ph.D. Email: dscalis@utica.edu Administrative SecretaryJody Bianco Phone: (315) 792-3075 Email: jobianco@utica.edu | SecretariesHealth Professions and EducationAngela EliasPhone: (315) 792-3090 Email: aelias@utica.edu Institute for Excellence in EducationWendy Haller Phone: (315) 792-3815 Email: wahaller@utica.edu Physical Therapy ProgramLorraine Mayhew Phone: (315) 792-3159 Email: lmayhew@utica.edu Deborah Paciello Phone: (315) 792-3059 Email: dpaciello@utica.edu Occupational Therapy and NursingJody Bianco Phone: (315) 792-3075 Email: jobianco@utica.edu |
General Information About the School
The School of Health Professions and Education is home to undergraduate health related programs in nursing, psychology-child life, therapeutic recreation, and health studies, masters programs in occupational therapy (both traditional and in a weekend format), and two doctor of physical therapy programs. A minor and certificate program in gerontology and undergraduate and graduate programs in teacher education are also housed in this school.
Two institutes are also housed in the School of Health Professions and Education:
- The Institute of Gerontology, founded in 1980, is directed by Dr. K. Della Ferguson
- The Institute for Excellence in Education, founded in 2000, is directed by Dr. Lois Fisch
Highlights of the School
Award-winning faculty
The School of Health Professions and Education includes award-winning faculty. Three recipients of the prestigious Virgil Crisafulli Distinguished Teaching Award — the highest teaching honor at the College — come from this school. One faculty member taught the post-graduate child life curriculum at Kuwait University, another provided physical therapy to children in Albany with three students. One was selected as "Young Forensic Scientist" by the American Academy of Forensic Science, one was selected to receive the national award for service to the Acute Care section of the American Physical Therapy Association, and another was recognized as Outstanding Pediatric Physical Therapist by the national organization of the physical therapy profession.
Educational opportunity and accessibility
A priority for the programs in this school is to make education accessible to all students. Our recent grant activity reflects this focus. Programs in this school have received almost two million dollars in recent years to:
- assist underrepresented students in the nursing program,
- make Utica College courses more inclusive and more accessible to students with disabilities, and
- assist allied health faculty from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to infuse gerontological information into their curriculum.
- Provide geriatric education to practitioners.
Interdisciplinary and community learning opportunities
The faculty in this school provide many interdisciplinary and community opportunities for our students such as the Student Interdisciplinary Team Experience. Students from various health related programs present a team meeting to discuss the assessment and intervention plans for a client. Initially grant funded, the school provides an interdisciplinary experience for students to work with community groups to provide mental health services to elders.
Examples of community opportunities include:
- Our education students coordinate a breakfast reading club at an elementary school and are beginning an after school literacy program for the parents.
- Therapeutic Recreation students assist at Senior Olympics and have ongoing programs with a local facility for adolescents.
- Physical Therapy students work with elders at a local senior citizen center on balance and fall prevention.
- Our students in health related programs assist immigrant elders to use the health care system and to prepare for naturalization.
- Our occupational therapy faculty conduct handwriting workshops for children and adults.
Research opportunities
Faculty in the School of Health Professions and Education involve both graduate and undergraduate students in research. Students have presented their research at our student research day, at state, regional, and national professional meetings, and have published their work in professional journals and as a book chapter.
