Villanova Nursing Names Dr. Patricia K. Bradley as Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence

Associate Professor Patricia K. Bradley, PhD, RN, FAAN has been appointed the inaugural Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence at the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN), announced Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor on September 14. Dr. Bradley brings decades of experience as an educator, scientist, advocate and communicator to this new position, and will serve as the FCN’s lead diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, reporting directly to the dean. She has served on the FCN faculty since 1997 as an expert in psychiatric-mental health nursing and healthcare issues of the underserved, and developed several courses on culture, health and illness. This role aligns well with her experience and national recognition in this area.

In June, Dr. Bradley was appointed to the national Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to explore innovative approaches to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic nursing and the nursing workforce. Recognized by her peers in this field, she was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2011 and this fall will become the chair of the Academy’s Expert Panel on Cultural Competence and Health Equity.

“Inclusive Excellence is a key priority in the new FCN strategic plan, the origins of which go back to 2018. I am delighted that Dr. Bradley has accepted the position of associate dean for Inclusive Excellence. She is an exceptional person and an experienced, insightful colleague to be at the helm, bringing us to our next level,” notes Dean Havens.

As associate dean for Inclusive Excellence, Dr. Bradley will be focused on inclusive excellence among all administrators, faculty, staff and students and will be responsible for planning, educating, and assessing all diversity, equity, and inclusion activities in the College. Working closely with all members of the FCN community to advance an environment where all experience respect, equity and inclusiveness, she will also collaborate with offices across the University and in particular with the vice president, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and chief diversity officer at Villanova.  

“My commitment to Villanova University, the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, and the community is strong. I am excited about our future as we continue this important work. I welcome the interaction with both my nursing and campus colleagues as well as our students and external partners as we move our mission of Inclusive Excellence forward,” says Dr. Bradley.

Dr. Bradley has a particular expertise in the psycho-social aspects of breast cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship among African American women, and has developed training programs and culturally relevant, literacy appropriate educational materials focusing on the needs of the African American community. She has been lauded for her work and received numerous awards. She also has a strong interest in diversity and developing cultural humility in healthcare providers and eliminating disparities in the health problems of the underserved. She has been a national and regional volunteer with the American Cancer Society and has chaired their National Board’s Subcommittee on Diversity as well as co-chairing the Northeast Regional Network of the Intercultural Cancer Council (ICC). Dr. Bradley has served as a faculty member for the Oncology Nursing Society’s Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Workshop for Nurse Educators in Minority-Serving Institutions and a Special Populations Investigator at Thomas Jefferson University’s Department of Behavioral Epidemiology.

Dr. Bradley is actively involved with the University’s program on Intergroup Relations (IGR), facilitating a senior seminar on cross-cultural communication in the FCN. She has chaired FCN’s Recruitment and Admissions Committee for several years and was instrumental in the co-founding of the FCN undergraduate chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. in 2006, serving as faculty advisor. She was inducted as an honorary member of this national nursing sorority in 2015 in recognition of her service to humanity, reflecting the sorority’s motto.

Dr. Bradley earned her BSN from Temple University and her MSN and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

An Inclusive Excellence Advisory Committee composed of faculty, staff, students and alumni representing various underrepresented communities will support and advise the work of the associate dean for Inclusive Excellence so that all voices across the FCN community are represented as FCN moves forward “to become who we are not yet.” This Advisory Committee will be formed in the near future, explains Dean Havens.