Founded in 1917, Providence College (PC) is a premier Catholic
liberal arts institution steadfastly committed to academic
excellence through a dynamic core curriculum, a distinctive
Development of Western Civilization Program, and abundant
experiential learning opportunities. The only U.S. higher education
institution administered by the Dominican Friars, PC is committed
to providing a variety of opportunities for intellectual, social,
moral, and spiritual growth in a supportive environment. Providence
College believes that cultural and intellectual pluralism is
essential to the excellence of its academic programs, and strives
to foster an academic culture and campus community reflecting the
global environment in which we live and work.
The approximately 105-acre campus is situated in Rhode Island’s
capital city and is close to the many cultural and educational
offerings of Rhode Island’s “renaissance city.” Additionally,
Providence is located an hour from Boston and just a few hours from
New York City.
For years, Providence College has been recognized in the
U.S.
News & World Report “Regional Universities – North
Category” and has been commended by several other ranking
publications.
Overview
Providence College (PC) seeks a strategic, innovative, and
collaborative leader to serve as dean of its School of Nursing and
Health Sciences (SNHS). The next dean will advance a bold vision
for the school's future, elevating its academic standing,
strengthening its impact, and guiding continued growth across its
programs. The dean will play a critical leadership role in
supporting the school's pursuit of excellence in teaching,
scholarship, clinical education, and community engagement.
The SNHS consists of two academic departments: the Department of
Nursing and the Department of Health Sciences. The school offers
three bachelor of science degrees—health policy and management,
health sciences, and nursing—and a minor in Spanish for the health
professions. A dynamic and growing community, the SNHS enrolls
nearly 800 undergraduate students across nursing and the health
sciences.
The school is home to 35 full-time tenure-track and
non-tenure-track faculty and continues to execute a hiring plan
aligned with enrollment growth and strategic priorities. Dedicated
staff support health professions advising, clinical and internship
management, simulation lab technology, and school operations.
Established in 2022, the baccalaureate nursing program is pursuing
initial accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education, with a review scheduled for 2026.
PC is a community for those who seek truth, celebrate the
relationship between faith and reason, and pursue both within a
welcoming and inclusive environment. The college has grown in
recent years to nearly 5,000 students taught by approximately 400
faculty members across four schools: Arts and Sciences; Business;
Education and Social Work; and Nursing and Health Sciences.
Rooted in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, PC is committed to
academic excellence anchored in the liberal arts. The college
promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, engaged learning,
undergraduate research, and the pursuit of truth through reasoned
inquiry and the pedagogy of disputed questions. The college
prepares students to lead meaningful personal and professional
lives in an increasingly global society and strives to foster a
community where all are welcomed, respected, and supported.
Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting directly to the provost and senior vice president for
academic affairs, the dean is the SNHS’ chief academic and
administrative officer. In addition, as a senior academic leader at
the college, the dean actively stewards the vibrant academic life
of PC. The dean's responsibilities include the following:
- Academic leadership and innovation : Lead the planning,
development, and oversight of academic programs and related
services, maintaining the highest standards of excellence and
alignment with strategic goals.
Faculty affairs and development : Support faculty
excellence and success. Recommend the allocation of new or
replacement faculty positions. Negotiate faculty appointments and
coordinate tenure and promotion reviews.
Mission integration and support: Ensure the school’s
programs and services support and advance PC’s Catholic, Dominican
mission.
Enrollment management : Support student recruitment
strategies and the achievement of enrollment goals.
Student engagement and success : Ensure a holistic array
of advising, career, faculty-mentored research, and other services
to enhance the student experience and support student success.
Staff development : Oversee growth and development of
programs to allow for the enrichment and professional development
of faculty and staff.
Fiscal stewardship : Manage a transparent and fiscally
prudent budgeting process for the school, including the allocation
of resources, in coordination with the provost and Office of
Finance and Business.
Accreditation, academic compliance, and institutional
effectiveness : Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements
and achievement of the school’s goals and student learning
objectives.
Inclusive Excellence : Actively foster an environment
where people of all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and
perspectives can flourish.
Advancement and alumni relations : Partner with the
Office of Institutional Advancement, alumni, donors, and others to
encourage engagement and philanthropic support for the SNHS and the
college.
Grow Faculty Research Opportunities: Support faculty
research through effective fundraising and grant proposal
development
Opportunities and Priorities
The next dean will have the opportunity to shape a young and
rapidly growing school at a pivotal moment in its development. Key
priorities include:
- Successfully securing initial nursing accreditation and
establishing a culture of continuous assessment and
improvement.
- Recruiting, supporting, and retaining outstanding faculty and
academic leaders, including filling the vacant associate dean
positions.
- Enhancing the school's reputation and visibility within nursing
and health sciences education, including the development of
graduate programs.
- Expanding strategic partnerships with healthcare systems,
industry leaders, and community organizations.
- Advancing research, scholarship, and interdisciplinary
collaboration.
- Realizing the school's vision for technology-enabled and
human-centered healthcare education.
- Strengthening philanthropic support and external engagement to
accelerate strategic priorities.
- Supporting enrollment growth while maintaining excellence in
teaching, advising, and student outcomes.
For the full position profile, please review the Dean,
School of Nursing and Health Sciences Position Profile by clicking
here .
Education and Experience
A successful candidate is a strategic, ethical, and collaborative
leader with the experience and interpersonal skills to engage
effectively with faculty, staff, students, senior administrators,
alumni, the Dominican community, healthcare partners, and other
external stakeholders. The candidate will demonstrate a commitment
to academic excellence, faculty development, student success, and
innovation in nursing and health sciences education.
Required Characteristics
- Leadership: E xperience leading complex academic units,
s trategic planning experience, and b udget management
- Academic Credentials: Ph.D. or terminal degree in a
related field, record of scholarship, and q ualifications for
tenure
- Personal Attributes: Collaborative, r elationship
builder, m ission-driven, and i nnovative
Supplemental Information
Procedure for Candidacy
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited.
Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV and letter
of interest addressing the themes in the position profile.
Application materials should be submitted using Providence
College’s online candidate portal and selecting the "Apply" green
button located on the top-right hand corner of the job posting.
Candidates will be considered until an appointment is made. For
priority consideration, applicant materials should be submitted by
October 9, 2026.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Thomas W. Smith,
Provost at
Provost@providence.edu .