As the fields of healthcare and education continue to evolve, Butler is reimagining and expanding its academic offerings to meet the needs of the community and to ensure students graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in these dynamic industries. Reflecting this commitment, effective June 1, the College of Education will be renamed the College of Education and Human Development, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences will become the College of Health Professions.
“The renaming isn’t a change in direction,” says Brooke Kandel, Dean of College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). “It’s an alignment with the work we are already doing and the future of the disciplines represented in our college. Our students are entering a professional world in which education, human development, wellness, and community-based services intersect and require broad and interdisciplinary expertise and enduring skills. Whether a student is studying the physiological basis of movement in Kinesiology or support systems in Youth and Community Development, they are all working toward the same goal: thriving communities.”
The CEHD now spans Kinesiology, Sport Coaching, Youth and Community Development, Higher Education, Student Affairs, and Mental Health Counseling, alongside historical strengths in excellent K-12 educator preparation. The new name also reflects growing student interest in professions tied to community well-being and personal development. As always, with new programs come new ways for alumni to mentor.
“We are leaning further into the vision of our founder, Eliza Blaker,” says Kandel. “She didn’t just train educators; she sought to improve the conditions that allow every individual to reach their full potential.”
The newly named College of Health Professions (CHP) reflects a growth in health professions programs but also a new vision, direction, and structure for how Butler educates and prepares future healthcare professionals. It includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that launched last fall and Respiratory Therapy that will launch Fall 2027. Other programs under consideration include Social Work, Nutrition, and Patient Care Manager and Healing Arts. The strategy and outcomes behind the renaming include:
- Extending reach into new health professions programs by building upon the strengths and reputation of the College’s legacy programs
- Educating and providing experiences for graduates to become skilled practitioners and health advocates for patients and the community, leading to more meaningful careers
- Transforming the approach to healthcare through partnerships willing to think differently and approach the real problems in health.
“Ultimately,” says Dr. Robert Soltis, Dean of CHP, “we are building more healthcare offerings to meet workforce demands and improve health across our communities. These additional programs will strengthen our legacy programs in Pharmacy and Physician Assistant Studies through shared resources and interprofessional activities.”
President James Danko adds, “We look to the future, with gratitude for the strong legacy of excellence that has defined Butler’s education and healthcare programs. We are building on that foundation to offer programs that reflect the evolving needs of our communities, our students, and the industries they will serve.”