Shawnee State University continues its commitment to expanding healthcare and educational partnerships in our region with the development of the new Rural Health Innovation Center. The RHIC will work to remove barriers to building our regional healthcare workforce, lead research, and work to create new approaches to expanding healthcare access to underserved rural communities.
“The Rural Health Innovation Center is the next step in Shawnee State University’s mission to lead our region in developing quality candidates for the healthcare needs of our community,” said SSU President Eric Andrew Braun. “By working together with our healthcare partners, we can develop new solutions for improving care in our region.”
Dr. Christine Raber will lead the new program, serving as Associate Provost for Rural Health Innovation.
"I am honored and very excited to serve in this new role and look forward to working collaboratively with our community partners,” said Dr. Raber. “Together we can drive innovation that advances health care access, addresses regional workforce needs, and positively impacts the health and well-being of our community."
Dr. Raber started her career at Shawnee State University in 1994 as a Professor of Occupational Therapy. She has played a central role in the development of the University’s three Occupational Therapy programs and has led program accreditation and campus accessibility during her career.
As Dean of the College of Health & Human Services, Dr. Raber advanced several programs to increase capacity and led fundraising efforts to support a comprehensive Health Science Labs renovation that will begin this fall.