College of Health Sciences Welcomes Founding Dean Mary C. Schutten

Less than a year after its establishment, Mary C. Schutten will be the founding dean of Lawrence Technological University’s College of Health Sciences! Schutten was previously the vice president and provost at Central Michigan University and, before that, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at San Jose State University in California.

The College of Health Sciences currently has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Healthcare Administration, a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, and a Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion. The college is looking to expand its healthcare degrees in the fields of occupational therapy and physical therapy, as well as doctoral programs in physician assistant studies and nursing and two-year associate degree programs in surgical technician, radiology technician, and respiratory therapist.

Schutten learned about LTU’s expansion into the health sciences and was energized by the potential it held for LTU to address Michigan’s healthcare needs. To The University’s vision to be a transformative STEM and design institution, its commitment to developing entrepreneurial, technologically-savvy leaders, and now its engagement in healthcare education directly aligned with Schutten’s aspirations for healthcare education. Schutten describes LTU as a “place that is actually magic. Students will come away with marketable skills [in areas outside of] doctors and nurses, and help students get the necessary future-forward skills.”

Schutten recognized the impact of digital learning before COVID-19 and sees its significance in telehealth to expand healthcare systems’ reach and bring resources to individuals in geographically dense areas. She is excited about the future of AI and its developments in telehealth to expand access. Schutten is aware of healthcare’s current transition from outcome-based medicine to patient-based care—a theory already adopted within the college. LTU nursing and PA students are taught relationship-based care from the beginning of their programs. The University’s partnership with Ascension allows students to learn the philosophy of the hospital and be trained by the system. Schutten hopes to expand use of this model with other healthcare systems.

Schutten views health sciences as the foundation for the overall health of individuals. “20 years ago, when somebody mentioned wellness, they would say mind, body, and soul; however, now, depending on which wellness wheel you look at, there are 14 or 15 different components that are involved in an individual. This is where health sciences allow us to find the research and theory needed to creatively find solutions,” she explains.

The founding dean is “very excited about the potential of the use of technology within healthcare.” She enjoys working with students the most in academia: “I'm looking forward to interacting with and helping students, meeting their needs and expectations, and helping students come to Lawrence Tech.” During her time as dean at San Jose State University, she met a nursing student at a scholarship event who collaborated with a biomedical engineering student to develop a 360-degree augmented reality software for use in the simulation lab. This software was designed to provide individuals with a realistic experience of case studies in a clinical setting. Their first version was admirable, and they were at the scholarship event to gain feedback. Schutten helped him with a variety of resources, and he ended up presenting his software, which was more affordable and portable than current offerings, nationally. He has made it his goal to help reduce the nursing shortage and continue to develop such tools to encourage individuals to join the nursing profession. This experience moved Schutten, who is still in contact with him, and says, “This student got a spark on his own, and with an engineering student on a project, brought this vision to life with an entrepreneurial finish.”

Schutten, being a former coach, is a risk-taker. “Every time you choose an offensive, defensive, or timeout to work on strategies in real-time, you make choices and take informed risks. Every choice you make has an impact.” For the future of LTU’s College of Health Sciences, Schutten sees the college fitting with the University's tagline, “Be curious. Make magic.” She envisions the college being poised to create magic in healthcare by filling in current gaps. She is “always excited to create and bring people together,” but wants to “do something different.” “Our first idea about growing the department is focusing on programs that have local and state-wide needs,” Schutten states. For example, Ascension Hospital currently needs respiratory therapists, an upcoming program within the college. Additional goals for Schutten for the first few months as founding dean are:

• Listening, meeting, and collaborating to expand programs within the college.
• Developing a college culture to create a sense of connection, especially with the interdisciplinary nature of the University.
• Focusing on the bilingual and multilingual needs within healthcare.
• Finding the college's individualized niche and bridging healthcare gaps that are not being filled.
• Setting the college to be successful and thrive through collaboration, communication, and taking informed risks.

Schutten officially began her responsibilities as the founding dean on May 1, 2024. Her experience in academia and passion for helping students succeed will help the College of Health Sciences not only expand but also create future healthcare workers who are at the heart of patient advocacy and high-quality care.

By Nurzahan Rahman