Founding Program Director, Physician Assistant Program

National Louis University is seeking a visionary leader to establish and maintain a high-quality Physician Assistant program at its Chicago campus.

National Louis University is embarking on an ambitious journey to build a cutting-edge healthcare professions portfolio, addressing critical healthcare disparities and the growing shortage of healthcare professionals. A key part of this mission is the launch of its Physician Assistant (PA) Program, a priority area given the PA's vital role in providing accessible, high-quality patient care. NLU recognizes that Physician Assistants are crucial in meeting the evolving needs of the healthcare system. Their ability to practice medicine across various specialties, coupled with a growing demand for healthcare services, makes the PA profession essential in bridging gaps in care, particularly in underserved communities. NLU is seeking an enterprising and visionary leader to serve as the Founding Program Director for this program. This is an extraordinary opportunity to build a transformative program from the ground up, develop an innovative curriculum, form strategic clinical partnerships, and attract a diverse student body. If you are passionate about shaping healthcare education and want to create a program that will have a lasting impact, we invite you to join NLU in this inspiring mission.

The Founding Program Director will assume the responsibility for the entirety of the developing Physician Assistant program. Duties include, but are not limited to, planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the PA curriculum, policies, and procedures; working collaboratively with clinical partners to ensure ample and optimum clinical learning experiences for students; student advising and monitoring student progress and retention throughout the program; participating in program- and college-level committees; and ensuring that accreditation standards are met at all times. The Program Director will also lead the efforts in hiring, training, mentoring, and evaluating a dynamic team of faculty dedicated to ensuring the success of their students.

This role involves comprehensive program oversight, including student recruitment, curriculum development, faculty evaluation, and strategic planning. The Founding Program Director will work closely with faculty, academic affairs, and external healthcare entities to ensure the program meets accreditation standards and prepares students for successful careers as Physician Assistants. This position reports to the Provost and collaborates with various departments to support student and program success.

Full Founding Director Job Profile

Develop and implement the Physician Assistant program.
• Ensure the program meets accreditation standards and maintains accreditation status.
• Design and manage the curriculum, including clinical rotations.
• Assess and plan program improvements.
• Lead academic quality and continuous improvement efforts, including evaluating and analyzing student and program outcomes data to inform strategic priorities and prepare self-study reports.
• Recruit academically prepared students.
• Recruit and hire student-centered faculty.
• Evaluate faculty performance.
• Support students in a rigorous graduate program.
• Foster a collaborative academic environment.
• Facilitate collaboration with other departments and external healthcare entities.
• Promote interprofessional education.
• Ensure effective day-to-day communication within the program.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Admissions to enhance the program's visibility and attract prospective students.
• Oversee the program's budget and resources.
• Build partnerships within the healthcare community and the college.

• A minimum Master's degree in physician assistant studies from an ARC/PA accredited program with current NCCPA certification.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional clinical practice as a Physician Assistant.
• Three (3) years of full-time experience in higher education at the time of appointment.
• Management experience in a college, university, or academic post-secondary institution is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of the accreditation process for Physician Assistant programs.
• Visionary leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Ability to build partnerships within and outside the program.
• A strong commitment to serving the community and fostering student success.

This is a full-time, year-round appointment and all applicants must be available to report in person at NLU's Chicago Campus.

About National Louis University:

National Louis University (NLU) is looking to honor its past while defining a bold new future as a contemporary comprehensive university dedicated to preparing diverse students for sustained professional success. NLU is keen on providing a career-building, life-changing education that is accessible to all students. The University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six academic units: the Undergraduate College, Kendall College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, the National College of Education, the School of Business and Information Technology, and the School of Nursing. NLU is one of the most diverse universities in the Midwest, helping students of all ages and backgrounds achieve their personal and professional goals.

NLU is a teaching-focused and student-centered university committed to providing access to a far-reaching exceptional education that is market-aligned and cost-effective. The University offers programs at multiple locations and through various modalities including face-to-face, online, synchronous and remote learning in which courses can be supplemented with well-planned and meaningful on-campus experiences. The University has experienced unprecedented growth and currently serves approximately 12,000 students at four locations in Illinois and Florida.

Founded in 1886, National Louis University is a private not-for-profit university offering programs through the doctoral level. NLU is an HSI (Hispanic-Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority-Serving Institution) and is classified as an Engaged Institution by the Carnegie Foundation and has been named as a top ten institution by Money Magazine where its alumni believe they are making the world "a better place." The University has had more Golden Apple Award winners among its graduates in teacher preparation than any institution across the state. Students completing an undergraduate degree from NLU enter the workforce earning an estimated $43,000 per year after graduation, ranking NLU among the top five of all Illinois post-secondary schools. The University has received more than $65 million in funding for applied research projects in urban development, childhood development, school improvement, and teacher preparation. Recently, NLU was ranked in the top 20 in Washington Monthly for Universities that are working to make the world a better place. National Louis, accompanied by the major ivy leagues, was number four for social mobility and number two for best bang for your buck in the Midwest. NLU is recognized as a national leader in closing the post-secondary completion gap through its innovative approach to undergraduate education.

Located in the center of Chicago's downtown loop, across the street from the Art Institute, NLU is in an area that has been recognized as America's largest campus with over 25 institutions and 50,000 students attending a college across the city. To learn more about National Louis University visit http://www.nl.edu.

Leadership

President Nivine Megahed became the eleventh president of National Louis University in March 2010. Dr. Megahed has over 30 years of experience making higher education more accessible for students of all backgrounds.

Under her leadership, the University has undergone a major transformation. Building on the success of the past decade, NLU recently completed its 2030 strategic plan. The plan continues to take the University on a bold path of innovation on behalf of its students and is built around five pillars with a central focus on advancing a diverse and equitable community with a culture of inclusion.

In the last 10 years, the University has undergone a significant transition, becoming increasingly data-informed, and efficient in its delivery of programming and services. New programs in high demand fields have been developed that have fueled enrollment growth. The University has re-envisioned undergraduate education and is committed to leading the effort to close the bachelor's degree attainment gap and serve all students affordably with quality programming. Blended and online modalities have been built to better serve adult students' needs for flexibility. The University completed the acquisition of Kendall College expanding its program offerings to include culinary and hospitality education and added new programs in the field of psychology and behavioral sciences over the last few years. It is now positioned to expand its impact with practitioner-focused programs.

Progress has been made in diversifying its faculty and staff. The University has also served as a catalyst for community transformation through its students and alumni focused on addressing some of the most pressing social issues such as violence prevention and prevention of human trafficking. The University set aggressive goals in improving student success, continuing enrollment growth, improving career readiness and employment outcomes, expanding its program portfolio, nurturing and retaining talent, and promoting positive community change and educational equity.

Today, NLU is viewed as one of the most innovative institutions in the country and has been dubbed as a model of the "new urban university" by the Gates Foundation. Committed to improving social mobility and economic opportunity, the University utilizes technology and innovation to continuously improve learning and outcomes for its students.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.