SHU Appoints New Dean for Davis & Henley College of Nursing
Experienced nurse and educator ready to propel school into the future
Karen Daley, Sacred Heart University’s new dean of the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing (DHCON), brings a varied background to the role. Daley’s previous positions include registered nurse, educator, editor and project director.
Daley was dean of the College of Health Professions at Davenport University in Grand Rapids, MI, for the last decade. She was selected for the SHU post after a comprehensive national search that attracted many highly qualified candidates. Her experience at Davenport positions her to enhance interactions with other colleges and schools at SHU, develop entrepreneurial networks and take the calculated risks necessary to continue to propel the DHCON toward national recognition.
Daley said she is excited to come to Connecticut, where she has two grandchildren and a daughter who is a SHU alumna. She said she looks forward to sharing her expertise in nursing and education at Sacred Heart.
“Spending the last 10 years as the dean of a college of health professions has been an amazing experience,” Daley said. “It has given me a clearer picture of the ecosystem in which nursing exists and the unique role of the profession and nursing education. After a challenging year navigating a pandemic, I am so proud of the role nurses have played in saving lives, educating the public and ensuring the health and safety of all. My academic life’s work has been to ensure excellence in nursing. At the Davis & Henley College of Nursing, I believe I can continue to carry out my personal and professional vision.”
She said she was drawn to Sacred Heart for many reasons, one of which is her familiarity with SHU as an alumna’s parent. “I witnessed the transformative journey of a SHU education in my own family,” she said. “I know the level of excellence and the commitment of this university to ensure success and growth in each student.”
As a nurse-educator, Daley said she also is familiar with SHU’s reputation for nursing excellence. She watched from a distance when the DHCON emerged as its own entity. She said she is excited to facilitate the college’s continued success, as well as the success of students, faculty and staff.
Daley, a Catholic, said she admires the University’s mission and vision, along with its Catholic intellectual tradition. “Faith and reason emerged during the pandemic—not as opposites, but as allies in the fight to conquer the virus. Our graduates, now more than ever, need to understand how social justice, critical and respectful discourse and concern for the well-being of all humanity is more important than ever. I hope to be a catalyst for imparting these values and skills to our community.”
The new dean intends to ensure DHCON maintains the highest level of quality and accreditation standards. She wants to create a collaborative growth plan while ensuring the faculty, staff and students have the resources to help them grow strategically. She will focus on maintaining excellence, listening to faculty members and students and expanding her understanding of DHCON’s foundation, which she believes underlies its success.
Among Daley’s many achievements at Davenport University were an increase in retention by 14% over five years, a 6% improvement in the employment rate over the last five years and a 16% increase in the rate of students graduating with a bachelor’s degree over four years. She also has overseen development of new programs, successful accreditation visits and grant acquisitions.
While at Davenport, Daley also was director of the University’s bachelor of -science in nursing program for veterans, which the Health Resources and Services Administration-funds. Service members receive academic credit for relevant military training and matriculate into the bachelor’s degree program.
Before working at Davenport University, Daley served as master’s degree coordinator for the nursing department at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. She is a co-editor of the award-winning book, Simulation Scenarios for Nursing Educators: Making it Real.
A graduate of Villanova University with a bachelor of science degree in nursing, Daley holds a master’s degree in nursing from Troy University in Alabama and a doctorate in nursing from Rutgers University.