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DCHS Welcomes New Dean

The Saint Louis University (SLU) Doisy College of Health Sciences (DCHS) welcomed Bernard Rousseau, Ph.D., MMHC, FASHA, as its new dean at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year. Dr. Rousseau came to SLU from the University of Pittsburgh where he had been the Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Chairperson of the Department of Communication Science and Disorders.

Dr. Bernard Rousseau
The Doisy College of Health Sciences welcomed new dean Dr. Bernard Rousseau with the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year.

As associate dean in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Rousseau established the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement. The office provides leadership and oversight of school-wide initiatives in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and community engagement. In this role, Rousseau was responsible for working with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Diversity and Diversity Deans Leadership team to develop best practices in all areas of faculty and staff recruitment and retention.

As department chairperson, Dr. Rousseau successfully recruited 13 new faculty since 2018, improved the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology U.S. News and World Report rankings to #3 and #7 respectively, increased interprofessional collaboration, and substantially increased department research funding and gift revenue for the department. 

Dr. Rousseau expressed gratitude for being selected to guide DCHS into the future and is eager to continue the college’s work both in the university and the community.

“I would like to thank President Pestello and Provost Lewis for this incredible opportunity to lead the Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University,” Dr. Rousseau said. “This is an exciting time at the university with expanding enrollment, a healthy endowment, and major institutional investments in the community.”

Dr. Rousseau also appreciated the university’s and college’s mission-centered approach to education.

“SLU has been faithfully delivering on its mission of educating the whole person for over 200 years. Doisy College of Health Sciences certainly lives up to its mission in the training of compassionate health care professionals that provide the highest-quality care to communities,” Dr. Rousseau said. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students, and alumni in leading a college that is central to SLU’s mission.”

Learn more about Dr. Rousseau

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of nearly 13,000 students on two campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.