In recognition of American Heart Month and Go Red for Women, members of our campus community wore red to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death for women. It was a simple but visible way to show our collective support for heart health, prevention, and education.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped spark important conversations about cardiovascular health across campus.

At John Carroll University, the Nursing Department is committed to educating the whole person through a student-centered approach that extends beyond academic and clinical preparation. This commitment was recently recognized when Helen Tagliaferro, known to students as Professor Tag, received the President's Challenge Coin for her outstanding dedication to students.

Her work within the nursing program reflects a deep commitment to supporting students academically, personally, and professionally. Through mentorship, compassion, and meaningful connection, Professor Tag exemplifies the Nursing Department's mission to prepare graduates who lead with integrity, empathy, and purpose in the care of others.

The Exercise Science and Sport Leadership department was proud to host Mark Durcan, a physiotherapist and human performance specialist from Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland from January 29th - February 1st. For the past four years, Mark has been instrumental in assisting and delivering a 10-week paid internship in Ireland for three undergraduate students in the area of human performance, coaching, and rehabilitation professions. Mark's expertise and guidance have created a life changing opportunity for our students to gain valuable hands-on experience as well as grow professionally, personally, and culturally.

During his stay, Mark enjoyed classroom and lab observations and demonstrations with Dr. Jake Beiting and Dr. Carol Mack from the ESSL department. He toured various private health club facilities, saw intercollegiate practices, competitions, and off-season workouts from JCU Men's basketball team, and football program, met with members of Cleveland's Mayo society, and guest starred on local Irish Legend Gerry Quinn's radio show.

On Thursday, January 22, the College of Health and Counseling Department hosted a JCU Grand Rounds presentation featuring Dr. Martina Moore, Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Counseling.

Dr. Moore examined burnout across health professions and shared strategies to promote resilience and well-being. The session concluded with a live Q&A with JCU alumni working in medicine, health, and wellness fields, who offered real-world insights from their careers.

The event gave students an opportunity to learn from alumni and engage in discussions about sustainability and self-care in health-related professions.

The Pre-Health Professions (PHP) team recently traveled with sixteen students to visit the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine as part of the experiential learning component of the Survey of Health Professions course.

The group was welcomed by faculty and staff, including Dr. Mark Hardy, podiatrist and Assistant Dean of Clinical Education and Research, and JCU alum and podiatrist Dr. Marie Blazer.

Students viewed photos and videos of common podiatric surgeries, explored anatomical structures using HoloAnatomy technology, and learned how impressions are made for custom orthotics, offering an engaging introduction to podiatric medicine.

The visit reflects the PHP program's emphasis on exploring diverse health-professions pathways and caring for the whole person, including the role of the lower extremities in overall health.

JCU EMS is entering its February recruitment season and is seeking motivated first and second year pre-health students interested in the 2026 Summer Hybrid EMT-B course offered by University Hospitals EMS Training & Disaster Preparedness Institute.

The course is open to students of all backgrounds who want to become Emergency Medical Technicians. In partnership with JCU EMS, eligible John Carroll students may receive a scholarship to help offset course costs.

For questions, please contact jcuems@jcu.edu with the subject line Prospective EMS Student.

Link to JCU EMS Application: https://forms.gle/78L5L1i43Qz8tJkL9

EMS Informational Session: An informational session for prospective EMS students will be held on Wednesday, February 18, from 3:00–4:00 p.m. in the O'Dea Room. Attendees will learn about the course, tuition, and application process, and will have the opportunity to hear from recent graduates.

"I am honored and excited to serve as the AI Faculty Fellow representing the College of Health and look forward to collaborating with colleagues across campus." — Melissa Smith, PhD

John Carroll University has launched a new AI Faculty Fellow initiative to strengthen teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence. Over three semesters, faculty fellows will build institution-wide and program-specific capacity by sharing resources, fostering a community of practice, and supporting colleagues in exploring mission-aligned, discipline-specific uses of AI.

AI Faculty Fellows represent academic divisions across the university and serve as thought partners, working with program directors, departments, and chairs to support student learning while upholding JCU's Jesuit mission.

I will be sharing periodic updates as this work unfolds and welcome conversation along the way. Faculty and staff are encouraged to reach out with ideas or questions at: mAsmith@jcu.edu. Think A for AI.

Dr. Melissa Cole is excited to announce new open office hours, now available to book online. Whether you're a student, faculty or staff member, alumni, or community partner, you're invited to schedule a time to connect – to ask a question, share ideas, discuss collaboration opportunities, or simply have a conversation.

Do you work in healthcare or a healthcare-related field and are interested in mentoring current JCU College of Health Students? Please complete the survey form below to express your interest in providing networking, shadowing, or research opportunities for our students!

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