Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Following a nationwide search, Stephen F. Austin State University has appointed Dr. Elisabeth Ploran as the inaugural dean of the College of Health Professions. Ploran will begin her tenure in July, coinciding with the launch of the new college.
Announced in December, SFA’s College of Health Professions will unite programs in nursing, psychology, kinesiology, athletic training, public health, dietetics and nutritional sciences, counseling, social work, speech-language pathology and family sciences to create SFA’s largest and most interdisciplinary academic unit. The new college reflects SFA’s continued commitment to meeting the evolving needs of students, employers and the East Texas region.
“It is not often that a university reinvents its academic structure so dramatically — but it is clear that President (Dr. Neal) Weaver and Provost (Dr. Jordan) Barkley have a common goal in elevating SFA to even greater heights than it already holds,” Ploran said. “It is an incredible honor to be entrusted with the formation of the vision and initial launch of this new college.”
Ploran said she was impressed with the SFA community throughout the dean selection process.
“It is clear that this is a momentous occasion not just for me but for a large portion of SFA faculty and staff,” she said. “I look forward to shaping that energy into the high-impact center for rural health care innovation that I know the college can become over the coming years.”
A native of western Massachusetts with over a decade of experience in higher education, Ploran comes to Nacogdoches from Hofstra University, a private university in Nassau County, New York, where she currently serves as professor and associate dean for student success and belonging in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In her role, Ploran supports students throughout their academic journeys. Her responsibilities include student outreach and recruitment, orientation programming, and assistance with academic processes such as grade appeal and study abroad approvals. Ploran also developed modules for first-year students and pre-matriculation workshops for incoming nursing and medical students. In addition, she launched the Student Alliance for Innovation and Leadership advisory board to consult on belonging, traditions, branding and events.
“As someone centered in psychology and neuroscience, I have been constantly in search of a university that understands the strong connections between those sciences and the broader allied health disciplines,” Ploran said. “The addition of nursing and social work to the mix at SFA represents an opportunity to cross-train many of the individuals who are the first to meet someone in need of help with lessons in audiology, speech therapy, kinesiology, dietetics and so many other areas. In return, those allied health fields can receive cross-training in warning signs and causes for concern from their frontline partners. I see so many amazing opportunities to strengthen and streamline conversations between the fields that will ultimately support better health outcomes for those treated by our graduates.”
Prior to her appointment as associate dean, Ploran served as the chair of Hofstra’s Department of Psychology, where she supervised approximately 50 faculty and staff members and over 700 students between multiple degree programs; developed a new interdisciplinary major in human factors and usability studies with collaborators in the departments of Engineering, Writing Studies and Disability Studies; and led the revision of promotion and tenure standards to better promote faculty involvement in community engagement and service work, among many other accomplishments. Additionally, she was the university’s first faculty-in-residence from 2015 to 2019, and she served as president of the Hofstra chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
An accomplished scholar, Ploran has authored and coauthored numerous publications, been affiliated with grants totaling over $1.5 million and been involved in accreditation and other service work throughout her career.
Ploran earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and political science from Drew University and a doctoral degree in psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh. She also served as a postdoctoral fellow researching human factors and applied cognition at George Mason University.
“Dr. Ploran is an accomplished administrator who has maintained her faculty identity while serving as a campus leader,” said Dr. Jordan Barkley, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at SFA. “She is skilled in balancing teaching, scholarly activity and service alongside meeting the needs of students. Her background in neuropsychology along with her leadership experiences and demonstrated focus on student success position her well to lead our new college. I look forward to working alongside Dr. Ploran as she and her colleagues cement SFA’s position as a key health professions resource for East Texas.”