New Associate College of Health Professions Dean Eyes Clinical, Strategic Partnerships

Jordan Schweidenback brings experience in practice, administration and academic leadership to new SHU position

Key highlights

• Jordan Schweidenback appointed as the College of Health Professions’ first associate dean for clinical and strategic partnerships, leading efforts to strengthen relationships between Sacred Heart and health care organizations
• With experience as a clinician, health care executive and academic leader, he brings a unique perspective that bridges industry practice with higher education
• Schweidenback is focused on aligning academic programs with real-world workforce needs, building sustainable talent pipelines for health care partners and ensuring graduates are career-ready

Sacred Heart University recently welcomed Jordan Schweidenback as the College of Health Professions’ (CHP) inaugural associate dean for clinical and strategic partnerships.

Schweidenback brings a dynamic blend of experience spanning clinical practice, health care administration and academic leadership. He earned his Doctor of Health Science in educational leadership and master’s degree in health care administration from the University of New Haven, and his Bachelor of Science in medical imaging from Rhode Island College.

Most recently, Schweidenback served as program director for the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program at the University of New Haven, where he provided strategic and operational leadership for a Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Management Education program, overseeing 16 faculty members. During his tenure, he expanded experiential learning opportunities by securing partnerships with leading health care organizations, including Bristol Health, Gaylord Health and Yale Cancer Center. He also established a partnership with KLAS Research, giving students access to global health care market data and performance insights.

Committed to professional development, Schweidenback strengthened student pathways through a partnership with the Healthcare Financial Management Association, resulting in sponsored memberships, conference opportunities and scholarship access. He also founded and coordinated a School of Health Sciences alumni event and launched professional networks for the MHA and Doctor of Health Sciences graduates, building a community of more than 240 engaged members.

His leadership was highlighted in 2025 when he received the Recognition for Teaching Excellence award from the University of New Haven’s Center for Teaching Excellence.

Dean of Sacred Heart’s CHP, Karl Minges, shared his excitement about the appointment. “I am thrilled to welcome Jordan to our leadership team as the college’s inaugural associate dean for clinical and strategic partnerships. His unique blend of experience as a health care executive, nuclear medicine clinician and academic leader brings invaluable perspective and strategic insight to our college. I am confident that Jordan’s vision for strengthening clinical and community partnerships, along with his alignment with our philanthropic goals, will help propel the College of Health Professions into its next phase of growth—enhancing our strategic operations and advancing specialized program development.”

In a question-and-answer style interview, Schweidenback shared his vision and goals for the CHP.

What drew you to Sacred Heart University and to the role of associate dean in the College of Health Professions?

Professionally, my career has been shaped by three core areas: clinical practice, academic leadership and health care strategy. This role sits at the intersection of all three, enabling me to bridge these spaces and create meaningful impact for students, faculty and the broader health care community.

Personally, I strongly connect with Sacred Heart’s mission and commitment to the Catholic intellectual tradition. My own mission centers on compassion, inquiry and education, so joining SHU felt like a natural fit. From my first campus visit, the culture was evident—in the people, the thoughtfully designed spaces and the details throughout campus. I was also inspired by the University’s entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to innovate, which aligns closely with my own mindset.

What excites you most about stepping into the role of associate dean for the College of Health Professions?

I’m excited to build strategic partnerships that create meaningful, shared value. My focus is on aligning external collaborations with SHU’s priorities while helping health care partners solve real challenges.

This role enables me to work across the entire ecosystem—faculty, students, University leadership and industry executives—to shape the college’s future in workforce development. By bridging academia and industry, we can enhance the student experience, strengthen talent pipelines and expand opportunities for faculty research, ensuring our graduates are workforce-ready from day one.

What inspired you to pursue a career in health sciences and health care leadership?

Health care, at its core, is about service to others. A desire to make a meaningful difference for patients, families and communities first drew me to the field as a frontline clinician.

As my career progressed, I saw the opportunity to create a broader impact through leadership, focusing on strategy and performance improvement. I remained committed to my clinical roots, ensuring that administrative decisions stayed grounded in patient care realities.

Transitioning into academia felt like a natural next step, enabling me to mentor future professionals and contribute through teaching and research. Stepping into the associate dean role now feels full circle, as I work to align industry needs, academic excellence and a shared commitment to patient service.

How do you hope to support student success and professional development across the college?

I define student success by the quality of the academic experience and the strength of professional outcomes. To support both, I use a tiered approach with our industry partners.

At the foundation, we engage partners to bring the real world into the classroom through guest lectures, panels, simulations and immersion trips. As we move up that pyramid, we deepen the connection through mentorship, sponsored clinicals, collaborative research and practice projects. At the peak, we look for high-level integration: partners who are hiring our graduates, championing our programs and investing in our future through corporate philanthropy. My goal is to meet our partners at their current level of engagement and authentically help them elevate to the next tier, ensuring we are constantly expanding the ecosystem of opportunities available to our students.

How do you plan to integrate real-world clinical experience into your classroom instruction?

I see the classroom as a real-world lab, using a practitioner-academic model that goes beyond theory. By incorporating current industry challenges, case studies and clinical simulations, I help students connect textbook concepts to real practice—bridging the gap between how health care should work and how it actually works.

What advice would you give to students pursuing careers in the health sciences?

I encourage students to ground their careers in three principles: purpose, collaboration and adaptability.

Always keep the patient, their family and the community at the center of your work—that’s your North Star. Lead with communication and humility; asking questions and seeking support strengthens teamwork and improves patient care. Finally, stay flexible. Health care is constantly evolving, so be open to learning, adapting and trying new approaches.

If you anchor these values in what you learn at the CHP and SHU, you won’t just be competent—you’ll be transformational.

What skills do you believe today’s health science students must develop to succeed in an evolving health care landscape?

Building on adaptability and communication, today’s health science students need strong digital fluency and critical thinking skills.

As health care increasingly integrates data analytics, telehealth and AI, students must learn to use these tools to enhance—not replace—human care. Equally important is the ability to analyze problems at their root and develop effective, professional solutions that drive continuous improvement.

What’s one fun or surprising fact about you that students might not know?

I am a CrossFitter, and, to the surprise of some, I start every morning with a cold plunge. For me, that daily routine is about more than just health. It’s a practice in mental resilience and discipline. Learning to be comfortable with discomfort, whether in a workout or freezing water, directly translates to the health sciences. It keeps me sharp, energetic and fully aligned with active, health-conscious values.