University names Mark Tillman as Dean of Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences

Strengthening its position as a leader in quality healthcare education and training in Northeast Florida, Jacksonville University today named Dr. Mark Tillman the new Dean of the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences.

“Dr. Tillman brings impressive skills in an advanced healthcare field, experience as dean at two well-respected colleges, and recognized success as a teacher and researcher to our Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences,” said Jacksonville University President Tim Cost. “Dr. Tillman is the right leader to build upon the immense success we’ve seen, and he will continue pushing us to reach new heights of excellence.”

Specializing in biomechanics and exercise science, Dr. Tillman taught more than 10,000 students during approximately 20 years in higher education. He currently serves as Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Prior to that, he served as Dean at Troy University’s College of Health and Human Services, and he taught for 13 years at the University of Florida, where he was named Teacher of the Year twice.

When he joins Jacksonville University on July 1, 2020, Dr. Tillman will lead a College that includes the Keigwin School of Nursing, School of Applied Health Sciences, and School of Orthodontics. Since its founding in 2014, the College has:

• Created more than a dozen new undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, including in communications sciences and disorders, kinesiology, health informatics, clinical mental health counseling, occupational therapy, sports management, nursing practice, and healthcare quality and safety.
• Established the Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN) Institute Regional Center and the annual QSEN Patient Safety Forum Conference.
• Established more than 450 partnerships with industry leaders and community providers, including Brooks Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Florida Blue, Baptist Health and Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville, to name a few.

Dr. Tillman holds three degrees from the University of Florida, including a B.S. in engineering sciences, an M.S. in engineering mechanics, and a Ph.D. in health and human performance.

A highly respected researcher and sought-after lecturer, Dr. Tillman attracted important grant funding in innovative areas of medical study and published more than 80 studies throughout his career. His work is featured in dozens of respected journals, including the Journal of Applied Biomechanics, the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, and the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation.

“Dr. Tillman not only has extensive research and teaching experience, he is also passionate about mentoring students, which is why the University of Florida honored him 12 years in a row for being a positive influence on undergraduate students,” said Jacksonville University Provost Dr. Christine Sapienza. “His commitment to facilitating the success of others — whether students or faculty members — will serve our campus community well as we look to expand undergraduate and graduate research and experiential learning opportunities.”

Dr. Sapienza also commented on Dr. Tillman’s impressive success creating important partnerships with large healthcare organizations and developing new programs.

The Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences has established a stellar reputation of rapid growth and success, with 93 percent of its students landing jobs or attending graduate school upon graduation. This spring, the College moved into a new, state-of-the-art, 104,000-square-foot academic building on the north end of campus as it continues to expand programs and graduate exceptional, job-ready students.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Cheryl Bergman, who has served as interim dean of the College, demonstrating her strong commitment to forward progress,” said Provost Sapienza. “I would also like to thank the dedicated members of the search committee, led by Dr. Mary Gipson, who conducted an exhaustive search of the nation’s best healthcare educators and academic leaders for more than a year.”