Butcher named acting dean of new College of Health Sciences

CHARLESTON, SC – Charleston Southern University has named Dr. Melissa Butcher acting dean of the newly created College of Health Sciences.

Created to house the athletic training, health promotion and kinesiology programs, the College of Health Sciences will prepare quality healthcare professionals to lead and serve in improving the health and well-being of the community.

Butcher formerly taught in and directed the health promotion program in the College of Nursing. “I feel very strongly about supporting the health of our community and desire to be a catalyst in positive change, enabling members of the Charleston community and surrounding areas to develop and excel in their personal health and well-being,” she said.

Active in health promotion efforts throughout the community, Butcher serves as co-chair of the Education and Training Committee for Eat Smart Move More Charleston Tricounty, is active in the Society for Public Health Education and is Charleston Southern’s campus liaison for the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

Butcher’s first job out of college, as a community diabetes educator, helped her realize she did not want to be on the treatment side of healthcare but on the prevention side. “I believe in the power of prevention and am a strong advocate for increasing awareness, knowledge and resources for individuals and communities to adopt and practice healthy behaviors that can prevent or deter the progression of preventable chronic diseases,” she said.

In her role as acting dean of the College of Health Science, Butcher will focus on:

• Developing and continuing to expand community partnerships for the College of Health Sciences
• Fostering the creation of distinguished health science programs and developing future community health and healthcare workers
• Emphasizing and integrating community outreach initiatives into each health science program, enabling students to excel in fulfilling CSU’s mission to lead and serve as participatory, proactive and supportive community healthcare resources
• Emphasizing standards in each program curriculum that foster academic, personal and professional growth for each student
• Increasing professional opportunities for graduates by advocating and increasing community awareness on the unique skills possessed by graduates from each of the health science programs
• Continually assessing and monitoring the healthcare needs of our community and considering these needs in guiding future strategic decisions to develop additional programs in the College of Health Sciences that will support the healthcare needs of our community

Butcher holds a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern, a master of science in health, exercise and sports science from The Citadel, a bachelor of science in health science with a focus in health education and promotion from Clemson University and is a master’s certified health education specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.