Meet Dr. Ebere Ume, New Nursing Dean Dr. Ebere Ume’s contagious smile
hopes to keep building her already
says it all when it comes to the
strong and supportive team.
future of USF’s nursing program.
Ume, a trained nurse with a focus
grant funding to add new and
in psychiatric/mental health and
innovative programming in the
geriatrics, was recently named
college. Some initiatives she’s
dean of the Cecily & John Leach
anticipating are expanded
College of Nursing (LCON). She
relationships with USF’s community
comes enthusiastically to the USF
college partners, so students can
from the Mervyn M. Dymally
obtain their ADN from their
School of Nursing at Charles R.
community college, while earning
Drew University of Medicine and
a BSN at University of St. Francis.
Science in Los Angeles, California.
USF’s mission and values were
Illinois with more BSN-educated
what “sold” Ume on making the
nurses, which are hugely lacking
long distance transition.
right now,” she said.
“The mission of USF was in
She also hopes to secure more
“That would help provide
Finally, Ume, from Nigeria,
alignment with my personal
Africa, hopes to enhance LCON’s
mission to serve the underserved.
curricula with more international
Nursing and teaching is a call to
and global health programming.
ministry, and every day, I want to
work with students and faculty to
heading to Uganda, Africa, with the
support people who may not have
Diocese of Joliet’s Office of Human
advocates,” she said.
Dignity to explore relationships
with a Catholic-based hospital and
Ume says she has started out
“Over fall break, we will be
jumping. She walked into this
nursing school there. We want to
academic year as preparations for
expose our students and faculty to
LCON’s spring re-accreditation
global health experiences. Perhaps
with the Commission on Collegiate
as early as next year, we will be
Nursing Education (CCNE) were
able to do a faculty-supervised
getting underway. She says her
students’ clinical mission trip as
primary goal right now is to ensure
part of our clinical courses, in both
that the college has a successful
our undergraduate and graduate
re-accreditation.
nursing programs.”
Her second goal is to be sure
In the meantime, Ume plans to
all nursing courses continue to be
keep her bright and sunny L.A.
staffed with great faculty “in order
attitude, even though she admits
to give students the quality
she’s slightly fearing her first
education they came here for.”
Midwestern winter. Welcome to
Ume already feels LCON is staffed
USF, Dr. Ume!
by a committed, dedicated faculty members who are highly experienced in their fields, so she
At right: Dr. Ebere Ume, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., PHN, new dean of the Leach College of Nursing.
Celebrating Our Centennial in 2019–2020
9
