EUGENE, Ore. – Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, Bushnell University is launching a new, innovative College of Professional Studies, which houses some of its most popular degree offerings. The new College will be headed up by one of Bushnell’s own – Dr. Latrissa Lee Neiworth (pictured below), who brings a multidisciplinary background in education, leadership, technology, and business and was most recently the university’s Dean of the School of Business, Leadership, and Technology, as well as Professor of Leadership and Business.
Dr. Neiworth brings a unique blend of business savvy and educational experience to this new role. In addition to starting and operating five successful businesses over her career, she has also earned a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology and a master’s degree in education, with an emphasis on Teaching and Curriculum, from Fresno Pacific University’s School of Education.
As a long-time innovator in higher education, Dr. Neiworth was honored in 2021 as one of the top 100 Visionaries in Education in the U.S. at the Global Forum for Education & Learning. In the two years she has been a dean at Bushnell University, Dr. Neiworth has led a turnaround in the Business School that included doubling the enrollment of its accounting program and increasing the size of its Computer Science admissions, adding two accelerated dual degree offerings, creating the beginnings of a micro-degree pathway for its MBA, and spearheading several new undergraduate degrees, among other efforts.
“We are fortunate to have Dr. Neiworth’s energy, enthusiasm, and expertise in higher education innovation and her willingness to head up this new operation,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Reed Mueller. “Her ability to help drive collaboration and evidence-based improvements will provide our new College of Professional Studies and the students it serves a competitive edge — by delivering unique offerings based on data, improving student experiences and outcomes.”
The College of Professional Studies will house the School of Education and the School of Business, Leadership, and Technology, which provides additional opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, and effectiveness. The schools will continue to operate autonomously under their professional accreditation bodies but will share administrative efficiencies and governance while building alliances and furthering partnerships and ingenuity.
“Both schools have popular programs and have been recognized for being solid providers of quality offerings,” said Dean Neiworth. “We are blessed that both schools also have talented and experienced faculty members. It will be exciting to see how these two schools can help each other solve some of the challenges facing higher education today.”
The School of Education includes a bachelor’s degree in Teacher Education, graduate degrees in Education, Teaching and School Counseling, and Certificates in ESOL, Physical Education, Reading Intervention, School Counseling, and Special Education. It also offers pathways to special endorsements.
The School of Business, Leadership & Technology includes undergraduate degrees in accounting, business administration, digital marketing, digital media and graphic design, computer science/software engineering, and related business concentrations: general business, international business, sports and recreation management, digital marketing, and management and leadership. It also offers master’s degrees in leadership, Sports Management, and the MBA with concentrations in leadership and management, non-profit leadership, finance, and finance with CPA Review for up-and-coming accountants.
The new College kicks off its operations effective July 1, 2024.