Dr. Linda Haddad named dean of Mennonite College of Nursing

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Ani Yazedjian, has named Dr. Linda Haddad as the dean of Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing, effective July 1, 2026. She will succeed Dr. Caroline Mallory, who has served as interim dean.  

"Dr. Haddad is a seasoned academic leader and global nursing executive with a distinguished record of driving institutional transformation, strengthening academic quality, and advancing student success across complex higher-education and healthcare environments", said Yazedjian. I also want to express my gratitude to Dr. Caroline Mallory for her service and dedication this past year to the Mennonite College of Nursing." 

"I am honored and humbled to serve as the new dean for the Mennonite College of Nursing, where the 100-year Mennonite heritage of nursing education, scholarship, and community outreach is strong and continually evolving," said Haddad.  

Haddad currently serves as a visiting provost's fellow at the University of Michigan-Flint, where she leads high-impact, campus-wide initiatives to optimize course scheduling, enhance student retention, and elevate the overall academic experience.

A strong advocate for community engagement and academic health system partnerships, Haddad emphasizes that effective teaching and the expansion of nursing programs depend on educators being deeply informed about the real-world challenges of patient care delivery and the ongoing nursing workforce shortages.

Haddad has secured competitive grant funding and produced an extensive body of peer-reviewed publications, books and book chapters. Her research focuses on tobacco cessation among minority and underserved populations, contributing to national and international discourse on public health and health equity.

Previously, she served as dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Memphis, where she advanced curricular and online innovation, improved student completion rates, tripled the college's total research and grant productivity, and introduced a robust student tutoring and faculty support program.

Throughout her career, Haddad has held multiple senior leadership roles, including director of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington; associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Florida College of Nursing; and dean of the faculty of nursing at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Her leadership also extends into major healthcare operations, having served as deputy director of the JUST-affiliated King Abdullah University Hospital, where she influenced strategic planning, nursing performance, and interprofessional workforce development.

Haddad holds a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Maryland, a Master of Science in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Jordan, her native country.