Mercy College of Health Sciences is proud to announce the appointment of Vincent L. Salyers, EdD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, FNAP, as the Inaugural Dean of the Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing. A nationally recognized leader in nursing education, Dr. Salyers brings more than 30 years of academic and clinical experience to one of Iowa’s largest and most respected nursing schools.
Dr. Salyers most recently served as the inaugural dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Siena Heights University in Michigan and previously held senior academic leadership roles at Gonzaga University, Cardinal Stritch University, and MacEwan University. His career is marked by a commitment to academic innovation, student-centered learning, and global health engagement. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Academy of Nursing Education, and a Distinguished Scholar Fellow of the National Academies of Practice – Nursing.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Vincent Salyers as the inaugural dean of the Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing,” said Tim Laurent, EdD, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Mercy College of Health Sciences. “His extraordinary career and national distinction in nursing education align perfectly with our bold vision to expand nursing enrollment and elevate academic excellence across our nursing programs.”
As dean, Dr. Salyers will oversee all facets of nursing education, including enrollment growth, curriculum development, faculty recruitment, clinical partnerships, and student success initiatives across the College’s pre-licensure, RN to BSN, and graduate nursing pathways. The Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing is at the center of a transformative expansion designed to address Iowa’s nursing shortage.
“I am honored to join Mercy College of Health Sciences at such an exciting and mission-driven moment in its history,” said Dr. Salyers. “The Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing is poised to make a profound impact on healthcare in Iowa and beyond. I look forward to working alongside faculty, students, and community partners to shape the next generation of nurse leaders.”
Dr. Salyers holds a Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Science in Nursing from San Francisco State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Francisco State University. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and has led international nursing education initiatives in Mexico, Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic, and Canada.
To learn more about the Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing and nursing programs at Mercy College, visit www.mchs.edu.
