July Deans Message

Dear CHP alumni and friends,

We bring CHP’s 57th year to a close with many accolades to celebrate. We welcomed new students and now have the largest group of students enrolled in our history, nearly 1,100. We bid farewell to two beloved and accomplished leaders through retirement - Dr. Karen Wager retired in May after 38 years of service to MUSC, and Dr. Jack Thomas retired in June after 34 years. Their collective service has made an indelible impact on the college.

Our accomplishments this past year include successful alumni outreach and receptions in Columbia, Jacksonville, and Greenville. We established our first endowed scholarships in Cardiovascular Perfusion and in the Ph.D. Health and Rehabilitation Science program. Further, we increased the number of scholarships awarded to students in the Department of Healthcare Leadership & Management from five to 11.

Our faculty continue to distinguish themselves and raise the bar of achievement for their respective programs and MUSC:

• Congratulations to Stephanie Aghamoosa, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Research, who was recently awarded a South Carolina Translational Research (SCTR) Discovery Pilot Grant.
• Congratulations to Ken Miller, PT, DPT, MA, assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Division of Physical Therapy, who has been recognized with two distinguished research awards for his outstanding work on the study “Trauma, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Grit, Resilience, and Burnout in Early Career Physical Therapists Licensed for Five Years or Less.”
• Congratulations to Dave Fitzgerald, DHA, MHA, CCP, who received the Commitment to Excellence in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Award during the IP Fellowship Recognition Program in May.

Our students continue to make an impact in the classroom and beyond. I’m particularly proud of these students for representing the college and their professions so well:

• Joshua Brown, occupational therapy (OT) student, was awarded a Center for Global Health Student & Trainee Travel Grant in the fall of 2022 to pursue a project with Child Family Health International (CHHI) in La Paz, Bolivia.
• Kathryn Griffin, OT student, was also awarded a Center for Global Health Student & Trainee Travel Grant in the spring of 2023 to pursue a project with FNE International in Leon, Nicaragua.
• Emily Meiring, OT student, traveled to Delhi, India, earlier this year as part of an MUSC Center for Global Health Student & Trainee Travel Grant.
• The MUSC Office of Student Engagement recognized student award winners Katelyn Feeny (OT), Katherine Childrey (OT), Mackenzie Walker (OT), and William Meyer (MHA) during their annual Leadership & Services Awards Reception, recognizing notable contributions to the university through their character, service and commitment to enhancing the university environment.

We’ve had a great year, and we look forward to pushing boundaries in the coming academic year!