Dr. James M. MacLaren, president of Lebanon Valley College, announced that Colleen Marshall, Ph.D., FNP-C, was selected as the first-ever chair of the College’s new nursing program, which welcomes its first class this fall. Dr. Marshall is the director of graduate programs, The Stabler Department of Nursing, at York College of Pennsylvania.

“I am honored and excited to lead Lebanon Valley College’s new nursing program from the ground up and beyond,” said Marshall. “I look forward to creating a suite of nursing programs, including accelerated options, so we can graduate nurses at all levels to help meet the region’s and country’s nursing shortage, and to make an impact throughout their communities.”

Marshall brings extensive academic, clinical, and research experience to her new role after three decades in nursing education and clinical practice. After earning her RN, BSN, and MSN degrees, she received her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, and served a two-year post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Courtland Center for Transitions and Health T32. 

Dr. Monica Cowart, LVC’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, led the nursing program’s development. “We are excited Dr. Marshall is joining us at LVC,” Cowart said. “Her disciplinary expertise in curricular innovation, her years of experience in the field, and her commitment to student success uniquely position her to not only effectively lead our nursing program, but to mentor our students so that they graduate prepared to address the specific workforce needs of our region.”

Before she joined the faculty at York College, Marshall taught at several colleges and universities including the Pennsylvania State University College of Nursing in Hershey. She began her professional career in critical care, primarily working in women’s health, labor and delivery, and high-risk maternity at Women & Babies Hospital in Lancaster. She has continued working in clinical practice throughout her academic career including a current role with UPMC Children’s Express Care, Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh in its Hummelstown practice.

Marshall received several research grants including from the University of Pennsylvania (The Prevalence of Insomnia in Perimenopausal Women Progressing to Menopause) and the Pennsylvania State University (The Insomnia Trajectory in Perimenopausal Women) and participated in the National Institutes of Health’s Big Data Methodologies Boot Camp. Her research has led to numerous national presentations, refereed journal publications, refereed poster presentations, and authoring a book chapter (The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology).

When not at work, Marshall enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, cooking, exercising, and traveling to beach locations. 

Lebanon Valley College broke ground on its new Nursing & Interdisciplinary Health Education Facility last week, with the building’s opening anticipated in summer 2023. 

Fundraising continues for the project with the College receiving federal and state support to help meet the region’s growing need for nurses. LVC was approved for $2.7 million in PA Department of Community and Economic Development RACP funding and $1 million in Community Project Funding from the Federal Government.