UW College of Health Sciences Names Associate Deans

Two longtime faculty members of the University of Wyoming’s College of Health Sciences have been appointed to serve as associate deans of the college.

Michelle Blakely, an associate professor with the School of Pharmacy, will now serve as the associate dean for student affairs and Derek Smith, an associate professor with the Division of Kinesiology and Health, will serve as interim senior associate dean.

Both positions will serve in supporting the overall academic mission of the college as directed by Patrick Hardigan, dean and professor at the College of Health Sciences.

Blakely’s role will focus on enhancing student experience, being responsible for overseeing all student affairs activities in the college. She also will address student discipline and accountability issues regarding academic standing, professional conduct and implementation of student life-related institutional policies.

“I look forward to working closely with Dean Hardigan to improve program development, student engagement and to enhance student retention and success across all College of Health Sciences programs,” Blakely says.

Smith’s background in educational leadership will play a pivotal role in advancing academic initiatives within the college, ensuring that programs remain innovative, relevant and aligned with the highest standards of excellence set forth by UW.

About the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.