May 30, 2024
Author: Lisa Lopez Snyder
The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) celebrates the end of the 2023-2024 school year with outstanding educational achievements and continued growth in research, enrollment and strategic planning.
Here are among the highlights:
HRS graduated its largest class in 2024 – 611 graduate and undergraduate students, which included 137 first-generation students and 353 who graduated with honors.
Thanks to a generous donation from committed alumni, the newly opened Student Resource Center was another exciting development (read more in this issue). Located in Atwell Hall, the center offers conveniently accessible non-perishable food and personal products at no cost to students who need such items.
The school also had a banner year in grant-funded research, with over $11 million in research awards, says HRS Director Amy Darragh, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. “Our faculty submitted more grants than ever before, so we’re very excited about the momentum in our research and scholarship in HRS,” she says.
Enrollment continues apace as well, with 4 percent growth in both graduate and undergraduate enrollment, she adds.
New directions in enrollment completion, strategic priorities
In an effort to meet the needs of the working professional, HRS has introduced online degree completion programs for specific undergraduate degree programs in fields experiencing some of the most critical workforce shortages and is expanding enrollment in the existing HRS professional programs to help meet workforce demand.
The fields most affected are radiological sciences, medical laboratory sciences, respiratory therapy sciences, says Marcia Nahikian-Nelms, PhD, RDN, LD, director of Academic Affairs and clinical professor in the school. “It is our hope that we can partner with the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center to increase enrollments and support their clinical experiences.
“An additional example of innovative programming includes programs like CARESTREAM, which places undergraduates from our health science program in critical areas of the hospital that are short staffed, such as the emergency department.”
HRS also launched a new Online Master of Science degree program. The program is aimed at working professionals who seek to advance their skills and knowledge in leadership and management.
Finally, to advance its strategic plan, HRS recently hired Derrick Wyman, EdD, in the newly created position of Director of Strategic Initiatives for the school. Wyman’s role will be to move HRS’ strategic priorities forward as the school completes a new, ambitious strategic plan that will launch in July 2024.
The strategic plan involves HRS engagement within the school, with the College of Medicine, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and the Central Ohio community.
“Derrick brings extensive experience and knowledge of strategic planning and implementation, so we are excited to have him on board,” Darragh says. “He has hit the ground running and already he has become invaluable.”
She says his top priorities for this year are centered around HRS Connects, a new initiative focusing on engagement within the professional and local, national and global communities as well as with Columbus partners to develop continuing education and external consultation programs, and partnerships to support increased enrollment in high demand health professions.