The University of Nebraska Board of Regents Thursday approved the appointment of Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., as founding dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Allied Health Professions. Dr. Meyer was nominated for the position by UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
Growth and achievement
Dr. Meyer led the growth of UNMC’s allied health programs and the school’s ascension to college status. In recent years, the now college:
- Achieved the second highest enrollment among UNMC colleges behind only the College of Nursing.
- Has increased its research funding by 64 percent from 2009 to 2014.
- Has added six new endowed faculty positions since 2010.
- Has added a full-scale, health professions program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus with the first class enrolled for this fall.
UNMC allied health faculty also are frequent holders of national posts and contributors to leading research in areas such as curriculum design, rural medicine, hospital safety, and chronic disease management.
Dr. Meyer has led UNMC’s allied health programs since 2006, serving as associate dean and then later as senior associate dean. The allied health programs were part of the UNMC College of Medicine.
<When UNMC's School of Allied Health Professions became an independent college on July 1, Dr. Meyer was the clear choice to serve as founding dean, Dr. Gold said.
"Dr. Meyer is highly deserving of this honor," Dr. Gold said. "The role of the founding dean is not only a great honor, but it also is a great responsibility. Our community expects even more of the same from our new College of Allied Health Professions, as its successes continue to contribute to our mission to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future."
"I am immensely grateful to the chancellor and so many wonderful colleagues at the university who have supported the allied health programs over many years," Dr. Meyer said. "It is my great privilege to lead our talented faculty, staff and students into a new era of allied health education, research and service."
A 1979 graduate of UNMC, the Lincoln native became the first pediatric physical therapist to serve the then new Children's Hospital in Omaha in 1983. Over the ensuing eight years, his work led to the development of the hospital's first physical therapy department.
Dr. Meyer joined the UNMC faculty in 1991 as director of clinical education for the division of physical therapy education. In this role, he chaired the American Physical Therapy Association's Clinical Instructor Education Board and helped write curriculum for a national clinical instructor training program.
Previously under the auspices of the College of Medicine, the former school became UNMC's sixth college, joining medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and public health. UNMC also offers graduate studies as part of the university-wide Graduate College.
Dr. Meyer is a proud product of the University of Nebraska educational system, having earned a doctorate and master's degrees from UNO and a master's and B.S. from UNMC.
Congratulations! You have led the "College" to new heights!
Carol Russell
Congrats to Kyle — one of the true class acts on this campus!
Congratulations, Dr. Meyer, and we look forward to an exciting future under your leadership.
You da man, Kyle. Congratulation and all the best for continued success.
My congratulations to Dean Kyle Meyer as he has been a visionary leader for Allied Health and instrumental in promoting strategic clinical, educational, research, and service initiatives across campus. This is a great honor for the new college and its many talented faculty and students. On a personal level, I have greatly enjoyed Kyle's thoughtful style on intentional leadership development and change management. An honor well deserved!
Congratulations, Dean Meyer! Very well deserved, indeed!
Congrats … well deserved … Connie and Bob Kully
Congratulations, Dean Meyer! wishing you the best in all your future endeavors!