Dr. Maria Krol has been named interim executive director of healthcare programs in the College of Health and Human Services. Her work at Southern has focused on academic leadership, nursing education, workforce development, and initiatives related to access and equity.
Since joining Southern, Krol has served on more than 25 university committees, including her most recent role as co-chair of the Council of Academic Chairpersons and Faculty Leaders. During Connecticut’s statewide nursing shortage, she worked with university and external partners to secure more than $6 million in grant funding to support academic and career readiness, provide scholarships, and develop new programs, including a part-time evening and weekend nursing track and a second cohort of the Accelerated BSN program.
Krol has also led experiential learning opportunities for students, including service trips to Peru, study abroad programs in Chile, and community healthcare initiatives in Bridgeport and New Haven. Her work has included efforts related to holistic admissions, mentoring, student organizations, and scholarship support for nursing students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Krol holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in leadership and education from Oakland University and a Master of Science degree in nursing in patient services administration from Sacred Heart University, where she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
