Pre-Health Dean Says Farewell, Accepts Position at Russell Sage

By GIRISH SWAMINATH

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Donna Heald, Associate Dean for Science Education and Director of Pre-Health Professions Advising, will be stepping down from her position at Fordham to accept an employment position as Dean of Russell Sage College in Troy, NY.

She has contributed to the growth and development of the Pre-Health Professions program at Fordham since 2006.

“The decision to accept a position at another institution was not easy for me,” Heald said. “While I look forward to new responsibilities and challenges in my new position, I will always remember Fordham and the many great people I met here.”

Heald felt that her time working at Fordham was extremely fulfilling on a professional and personal level and enjoyed interacting with members of the Fordham community.

“My work at Fordham has been extremely rewarding and I feel privileged to be part of this community,” Heald said. “I am grateful to so many — students, faculty, staff, and alumni — for their kindness, support, and dedication over these past six-and-a-half years. During this time, I have greatly enjoyed working with Fordham students and have been enriched from my interactions with them.”

Ellen Watts, assistant dean for Pre-Health Professions Advising, commended Heald for her numerous efforts throughout her time at Fordham.

“Dean Heald has done a tremendous job leading the Fordham pre-health program, as evidenced by Fordham’s high acceptance rate to professional schools,” Watts said. “Fordham has had a five year average acceptance rate of 83 percent compared to the national acceptance rate of 45 percent.”

Watts believes that the increased acceptance rates as well as Heald’s relationship with the student body and alumni highlight Heald’s contributions to Fordham.

“The student body and alumni who have worked one-on-one with her to identify and pursue their individual academic goals also show that [Heald] has done an amazing job leading the program,” Watts said.

Besides significantly advancing the Pre-Health Professions program at Fordham, Heald developed majors in environmental science and integrative neuroscience and a minor in bioinformatics.

These new fields have helped attract prospective students to new scientific fields and concentrations.

“A strong leader is one who builds a program that can sustain itself in her absence and that is what [Heald] has done,” Watts said. “Suffice to say we will all miss her presence but the Office of Pre-Health Professions advising will continue to support and promote all of our fantastic students who seek to pursue careers in the health professions.”

Watts will be overseeing the health professions application process for the upcoming application cycle.

“The Committee on Health Professions is completing our 2013 season as wrap up interviews and the writing of committee letters of recommendation,” Watts said. “I will be overseeing the process this summer, as I did in conjunction with [Heald] last year in my role as Assistant Dean for Pre-Health Professions Advising.”

Heald and Watts have been holding a series of meetings with students in the application process this year “to explain the transition and answer any questions.” She also reached out to students who cannot attend meeting times to speak to her individually.

“Our pre-health program will continue to thrive,” Watts said. “[Heald] and I have worked together with an eye towards improving the program every year and that goal will not change.”

Watts said that she plans on continuing many of the things that Heald worked hard to establish at Fordham.

“I will continue to work closely with the pre-health students at Fordham to provide information and guidance about careers in the health professions, to develop and promote exciting opportunities outside the classroom like the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Resident Assistant Program, shadowing and clinical research opportunities at St. Barnabas Hospital and our early assurance programs in Physical Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology at New York Medical College and to support student groups such as the Laennec Society and the Pre-Dental Club,” Watts said.

Watts assured students interested in pursuing a career in pre-health professions that the program will remain solid.

“I know everyone joins me in wishing Heald well as she begins an exciting new phase in her career,” Watts said. “But please rest assured — any student seeking advice or involvement in pre-health activities remains in very good hands. Our pre-health program is solid, and it will be business as usual in our office. If anyone has questions or concerns now or in the future, they should feel free to contact me or stop by in person at Keating 207.”

Students were disappointed to see Heald leave the Fordham community but wished her the best as she moves on to a different stage in her career.

“Dean Heald has greatly supported the students at Fordham and we will be very sad to see her go,” Katie Oberhelman, FCRH ’14, said. “I trust that Fordham will be able to fill her position but the Fordham students will greatly miss [Dean Heald’s] warm smile and positive encouragement.”

“I was saddened to hear that an esteemed member of the Fordham community was leaving us,” Erika Sanchez, FCRH ’14, said. “She will be missed by many students but I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.”