CSULB's Dean for College of Health and Human Services
Among Nation’s ‘100 Most Awesome Deans of Public Health’

Kenneth Millar, dean of the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), has been named among the nation’s “100 Awesome Deans of Public Health” by MPHProgramsList.com.  Millar was No. 57 on the list.

The list is designed to give potential students a glimpse into what schools could be right for them. The criteria for the “100 Awesome Deans of Public Health” list was based on the reputation of the institution along with the personal achievements of each dean.  The list will be updated in 2013.

The website states: “Whether number one or number 100, these deans are all fantastic.”

“I am truly honored to be included in a group of deans that includes those from such institutions as Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Columbia and Berkeley, to name a few,” said Millar.  “The fact that Cal State Long Beach and I are included on this list is a testimony to the outstanding faculty we have in the allied health programs in the College of Health and Human Services.”

Some other institutions on the list include: Yale, Ohio State, Wisconsin – Madison, Brown, Purdue, Miami, Dartmouth, USC, Tufts, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, UCLA and Northwestern.

According to MPHProgramList.com website, “Public health experts and managers play an important role in maintaining the overall health and well-being of the community.  They work in a variety of settings including hospitals, community health centers, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.  Hundreds of universities and colleges offer undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate programs in public health.  As with any degree program, the credentials of faculty members and deans of the college are crucial for the success of the program.”

Millar became dean at CSULB two years ago after being dean of College of Professional Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, bringing with him 27 years of administrative experience in higher education.  Throughout his career, he has increased external funding in support of faculty research and scholarly activity, enhanced fund raising and community outreach and bolstered student enrollment.

Before joining Florida Gulf Coast University, Millar served as director of the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, dean of the School of Social Work at Louisiana State University, dean of George Williams College of Health and Human Services at Aurora University in Illinois and director of the School of Social Work at Aurora University.

Millar is recognized as a leader in the field of social work.  In 1991, he was selected as Social Worker of the Year by the Arkansas Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.  That same year, he developed a partnership with the state public child welfare agency.  The partnership was one of the first in the country and became a model for state public child welfare-university collaborations nationally.  He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and book chapters and co-authored two books. 

-- Ken Swisher