After an eight-month national search, Barbara Kornblau was appointed the new dean for the School of Health Professions and Studies (SHPS). She will replace Interim Dean Betty Velthouse on July 15, 2009.
“I am confident that Dr. Kornblau will quickly become a valuable member of the University of Michigan–Flint academic leadership team,” said Provost Jack Kay, “and an important voice in
our local, regional and national health community.”
The SHPS Dean Search Advisory Committee played a large role in choosing the new dean. The committee, which comprised of seven SHPS faculty, associate provost Vahid Lotfi and one community member, narrowed almost 50 applicants down to three. In the end, soon to be leaving Provost Kay made the final decision.
Kornblau is coming from an extensive background that covers multiple areas of the health professions. Predominantly, she taught at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida since 1994, where she was a professor of ccupational therapy and public health.
In addition, Kornblau has served as a Government Relations and Disability Consultant to the Special Olympics International and as president and chair of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She has also served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow, the country’s most prestigious link between the health community and politics of Washington, D.C.
“She’s a true visionary and she has a national reputation,” said Lotfi. “She is well-connected in Washington, D.C. and the meaning of that for us is that when we apply for grant proposals and external funding with the federal government, not necessarily the state, she knows people and she knows the process. She knows the roles and has the connections that provide us with the competitive edge we need.”
“Uof M Flint is an exciting place to be right now because there are a lot of possibilities. I think that Flint can only go up and get better and I would like to be apart of that,” said Kornblau when asked why she wanted to come to UM-Flint.
To help Flint’s renovation, Kornblau is already talking about her wishes to expand the SHPS by implementing new programs for students. One program she is hoping for is a post-professional degree in occupational therapy. According to Kornblau, no school in the state of Michigan is offering this program right now.
Besides renovating the SHPS, Kornblau is looking forward to what Flint is already offering. In particular, she is excited to see the Chihuly Exhibition at the Flint Institute of Arts, as well as the many festivals that are scheduled this summer.
“I first came to Michigan when I was 13, on a bicycle trip, and I fell in love with Michigan,” said Kornblau. “People in the Midwest are just very nice and are willing to include you and make you apart of the community, so I’m excited to be coming to Michigan.”
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