SFU School of Health Sciences & Education

08/25/2025

SHSE would like to welcome back students, faculty, and staff as the Fall 2025 semester has officially begun! Have a great first day 😄🎒

07/09/2025

Congratulations to our incredibly talented Graduate Assistant, Anna!

Anna is pursuing her Masters in Strategic Leadership here at SFU while fulfilling her duties as the Graduate Assistant for the School of Health Sciences and Education.
She also works two jobs and continues to play volleyball on two summer league teams. Her accomplishments both academically and athletically continue to impress us all. We’re so proud to have her on our team and can’t wait to see all she’ll achieve next!

07/08/2025

🎉 Congratulations to a special member of our faculty, Dr. Nikki Davis who recently earned her PhD in Translational Health Sciences from George Washington University. Here, she focused on bridging the gap between research and real-world healthcare practice. Translational health research transforms scientific discoveries into practical solutions that improve individual and population health through evidence-based interventions, clinical practices, and policies. Through a three-phase national study, Dr. Davis and her research team developed implementation strategies to integrate physical therapy services into emergency departments (EDs) across the United States. This innovative approach has been shown to reduce opioid prescriptions, unnecessary imaging, and hospital admissions/readmissions, while improving patient outcomes in the ED. Dr. Davis is board-certified in geriatric physical therapy and recently achieved board certification in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. She looks forward to expanding her research agenda in the emergency department and cardiopulmonary physical therapy. This is an awesome achievement, congratulations!

06/27/2025

Congratulations :) We will you all the best!

Please join us in congratulating Brenda Guzic, Director of the Experiential Learning Commons (ELC), on her upcoming retirement, effective June 30, 2025.
Brenda has been a valued member of the Saint Francis University community for 19 years, during which she held several key roles. She began her journey as a Telehealth Research Specialist, advanced to Assistant Director of Telehealth for the Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Underserved Areas (CERMUSA), and has most recently served as Director of the ELC.
Before joining SFU, Brenda dedicated 25 years to the healthcare field, contributing as both a clinician and administrator. Her commitment to improving healthcare access and experiential learning has left a lasting impact on the university and the broader community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Brenda for her years of service and dedication, and we wish her all the best in this exciting new chapter.

06/27/2025

Congratulations!

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Megan Winslow, BSN, RN, will be stepping into the role of Director of the Saint Francis University Experiential Learning Commons. Please join us in welcoming Megan.

06/19/2025

Congratulations, Rita! We wish you all the best with your retirement.

Effective July 7, 2025, we celebrate the retirement of a remarkable leader, educator, and advocate for excellence in nursing.

Dr. Rita Trofino, DNP, MNEd, RN began her academic journey at St. Francis College in 1981. She served as Dean at Mount Aloysuis College prior to returning full-time to Saint Francis University in 2011. Since then, she has played a pivotal role in advancing nursing education, helping to lead the development of seven nursing programs at SFU. Through her service as Department Chair and Associate Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Education, Rita has guided the BSN program to exceptional success, including a 100% first-time NCLEX pass rate for six consecutive years and maintaining a pass rate above 95%.
Rita’s contributions extend well beyond the university. With hands-on experience at West Penn Hospital’s Pediatric and Burn Units as both a clinician and administrator, she has brought invaluable real-world insight to her academic work. Her expertise has also shaped the broader field through the publication of a book and numerous book chapters on the care of burn-injured patients.

We wish you all the best for a joyful and fulfilling retirement!

06/05/2025

Congratulations!

777 of our students achieved the honor of being named on our Spring 2025 President’s and Dean’s Lists. Congratulations!! 📚

View each list on our blog: https://www.francis.edu/blog/spring-2025-presidents-deans-lists-announced

05/29/2025

Dr. Kimberly Forst, DNP, MSN, RN has been appointed Chair of the Department of Nursing, effective July 7, 2025. Dr. Forst has been a dedicated and valued member of the SFU nursing faculty for over 15 years. She began her tenure as a full-time nursing and clinical instructor, where she played a pivotal role in the development and instruction of the university’s first NCLEX preparation course. Thanks to her contributions and the collaborative efforts of the department, the program has consistently maintained an NCLEX pass rate of over 95%.
In 2017, Dr. Forst was appointed Director of the BSN program. Her tenure in this role was marked by strong leadership, innovation, and a continued commitment to student success. She now brings that same vision and dedication to her new role as Chair.
Dr. Forst’s blend of clinical expertise, educational leadership, and unwavering support for her students makes her an exceptional role model and leader. The university looks forward to the continued growth and success of the Department of Nursing under her guidance.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Forst on this well-deserved appointment.

05/22/2025

🤩 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT! Congratulations to one of our newly promoted Associate Professors, Dr. Robyn Redline, for completing her PhD in Health Science. Your hard work and commitment inspires us all!

05/08/2025

Happy SFU Anniversary to the following School of Health Sciences and Education faculty and staff! ⚡️♥️

05/08/2025

At the President’s Awards Convocation on Tuesday, April 29, Dr. Donald Walkovich was recognized as Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Occupational Therapy, having retired in January 2025 after 28 years of distinguished service to Saint Francis University. Dr. Rita Trofino was also honored as Professor Emerita of Nursing; she will be retiring in July 2025 after 21 years of dedicated service to the University. Congrats, Don and Rita!

05/07/2025