Mercy College Appoints Vincent L. Salyers as First Dean of Joyce E. Lillis School of nursing
Des Moines, IA – Mercy College of Health Sciences has named Vincent L. Salyers as the inaugural dean of the Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing, the college announced today. Salyers brings over 30 years of combined academic and clinical experience to the role, arriving as Mercy College prepares to break ground on a new nursing school facility.The appointment comes as Iowa and the nation face a critical nursing shortage,and Mercy College aims to expand its capacity to train qualified healthcare professionals. In February, the college launched a $15 million capital campaign to fund the construction of the new school, named in honor of Joyce E.Lillis, a nurse with nearly four decades of experience. Salyers will be responsible for overseeing enrollment growth, curriculum growth, faculty recruitment, clinical partnerships, and student success initiatives.
Salyers most recently served as the founding dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Siena Heights University in Michigan. He has also held senior leadership positions at Gonzaga University, Cardinal Stritch University, and MacEwan University. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a master of Science in Nursing from San Francisco State University, and a Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction from the University of San francisco.
“The Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing is poised to make a profound impact on health care in Iowa and beyond,” Salyers said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to working alongside faculty, students, and community partners to shape the next generation of nurse leaders.”
