Stonehill College Appoints Interim Dean of Nursing

As a measure demonstrating Stonehill College’s commitment to establishing a nursing education program in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the institution has appointed Susan Taylor, Ph.D., R.N., as interim dean of nursing. She will develop curricula focused on offering future nurses the knowledge, skills, mentorship and clinical experience needed to become compassionate caregivers.

“Offering robust career opportunities that enable graduates to contribute to the common good by serving others, nursing is a vital and evolving profession with strong student interest,” said Rev. John Denning, C.S.C., president of Stonehill College. “I am confident Susan is the right leader to spearhead our expansion into this field, which aligns with Stonehill’s mission and strategy for the years ahead.” 

Taylor’s new role builds upon her work as a nursing education consultant at Stonehill during the 2024-2025 academic year. She was initially hired to help the College invest resources to develop a high-quality nursing education program, which is intended to address the nation’s nursing shortage.  

“In collaborating with Susan over the past several months, I’ve witnessed firsthand the expertise and passion that she brings to the table,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Peter Ubertaccio. “Under her guidance, Stonehill College is well-equipped to become a respected name in nursing education.”  

Throughout her decades-long career as a nurse educator, clinician and administrator, Taylor has remained passionate about community engagement and teaching. She began working in medicine in the late 1970s, at which time she served as an assistant professor of nursing at Mobile College in Alabama, followed by Westbrook College in Maine. 

Taylor later worked as a nurse manager with the Southern Maine Division of American Red Cross Blood Services, through which she managed a permanent blood donor and pheresis center site. She then taught at Saint Joseph College of Maine as both an associate and assistant professor with that institution’s B.S.N. and M.S.N. programs. There, she co-founded the Nursing and Wellness Center at the Bath (Maine) Housing Authority Congregate Housing Complex. This program received a recognition award by the Maine Public Health Association.

Most recently, Taylor held roles with Signature Healthcare/Brockton Hospital School of Nursing, including academic administrator and dean. Under the direction of the Chief Nurse Officer of Signature Healthcare, she was responsible for the planning, operation, control, and evaluation of all school programming and activities. She also co-founded the organization’s Homeward Bound Program, through which chronically ill patients at home receive visits from students and faculty, as well as telehealth contact from an R.N. Since its inception, the program has resulted in hospital readmission rates at Signature Healthcare that are lower than the national average. 

Taylor received an R.N. Diploma in Nursing with honors from Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford, Massachusetts, in 1975. She later earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from University of South Alabama in 1978 and a Master of Science in Nursing from University of Alabama Birmingham in 1980. She completed a Ph.D. in Nursing Science from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2018, graduating summa cum laude.

Taylor’s scholarship has been featured in numerous publications, including Nursing Education Perspectives, Advance for Nurses and American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, among others. Taylor has also offered her professional services to various organizations over the years, including, but not limited to, the Silver Lake Regional High School Health Careers Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, the Fisher College RN to BSN Advisory Board, and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island League of Nursing. 

“As the first person to serve the Stonehill community in this capacity, I recognize the unique opportunity that I have to help shape the future of nursing at the College,” Taylor said. “I am excited to create programming and develop resources that complement the institution’s compassion-focused approach to education.”