The
Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of Jennifer O’Connor
to the position of Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The position leads initiatives, programs, and reporting related to
student learning outcomes assessment and the instructional
development of faculty and online learning. Additionally, the AVP of
Academic Affairs oversees the Library and Tutoring.
O’Connor has previously held the position as Dean of Health Sciences
and Director of Nursing Programs. She has worked at Heartland
Community College since 2015. Her first position was as Nursing
Faculty.
Prior to her employment at Heartland, O’Connor worked as a nurse at
BroMenn, where she continued working part-time until 2018.
“Jen comes to the Associate Vice President position with a great
deal of skill and experience as an educator and practitioner,” said
Rick Pearce, Heartland Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs.
“She has led our Health Sciences area to a sustained position of
strength for the College and has been a true asset for our students.
We look forward to her bringing her knowledge and talent to this
position.”
O’Connor is also a 2007 graduate of Heartland’s Nursing Program and
was a Heartland Community College Presidential Scholarship
recipient. She enrolled in the Nursing program after completing a
liberal arts degree at Illinois State.
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“Without Heartland Community College, I would not have had a
pathway into Nursing. At that time, there were no other Nursing program options
other than the traditional undergrad route, which at that time of my life would
have been impossible,” said O’Connor. “HCC gave me the pathway and the financial
support that made it possible. Literally every part of my life today, my
children’s stability, my career, everything, is because of this community
college.”
With O’Connor moving into the AVP role Pearce also announced that Dr. Kelly Pyle
will step in as Interim Dean of Health Sciences and Susan Carl will serve as
Interim Associate Dean and Director of Nursing Programs.
[Steve Fast
Assistant to the President, Public Information and Communication
Heartland Community College]
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