David Szymanski is stepping down as president of the University of North Florida to lead the school’s new healthcare training program, UNF MedNexus, which means the public university in Jacksonville will need to find a new leader.
Szymanski will become the first full-time CEO and Executive Director of UNF MedNexus on September 17. Through the new initiative, UNF will partner with other schools and healthcare providers across the state to provide hands-on medical training.
“UNF MedNexus is about students. It’s about jobs. It’s about meeting the healthcare needs of our community, our state and our healthcare providers,” said Szymanski. “UNF MedNexus will become a leader and catalyst in preparing high-quality healthcare professionals in Northeast Florida and throughout the state in a way that is innovative and uniquely UNF.”
First proposed by Szymanski in 2019, UNF MedNexus received an initial $6 million in funding through the state’s 2020-2021 budget.
As part of its initial phase, UNF MedNexus is building a new nurse training and healthcare simulation center at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Deerwood Center and is expanding the medical technology innovation lab on UNF’s campus.
Through a partnership with the city of Palm Coast and AdventHealth, UNF MedNexus will also be expanding UNF’s nursing programs and partnering on a second simulation lab in Palm Coast. UNF MedNexus will start offering courses to the first Palm Coast cohort this Fall.
UNF MedNexus has also created new undergraduate and graduate scholarships for students in the UNF Brooks College of Health and School of Nursing. The first scholarships were awarded this spring and there are plans to expand the program in the Fall 2021/Spring 2022 academic year.
“We are thrilled to have President Szymanski lead this vital initiative,” said State University System of Florida Chancellor Marshall M. Criser III. “Under President Szymanski’s leadership, UNF has reached new heights of excellence, and I am confident that his leadership of UNF MedNexus will bring together the brightest educators, administrators and researchers to address healthcare challenges throughout Northeast Florida and the state. MedNexus also establishes UNF as a university of distinction in healthcare education, thought leadership and innovation.”
During Szymanski’s tenure, which began in May 2018, UNF was recognized as a nationally ranked public university by the U.S. News and World Report for the first time in its nearly 50-year history. UNF’s four-year graduation rates have increased by nearly 14% while retention rates are now over 81%. The university said employment rates have increased to nearly 73%, while starting salaries for graduates are now up to $41,000 and the average total cost of education per student has dropped by more than 50%.
Also under Symanski’s leadership, UNF has raised nearly $50 million, achieved a record endowment of more than $147.6 million and increased the number of underrepresented minority freshmen by 40%. President Szymanski also led UNF through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are tremendously grateful for President Szymanski’s leadership,” said UNF Board of Trustees Chair Kevin Hyde. “Under his direction, the University has built an exceptionally strong foundation for future success, and his many positive contributions as president will be felt for many years to come. On behalf of UNF and the Jacksonville community, we are delighted President Szymanski and First Lady Maria will remain members of the Osprey family here in Jacksonville. We are especially pleased that President Szymanski will continue to meaningfully impact UNF and Northeast Florida as CEO and Executive Director of UNF MedNexus. This rare opportunity provided by President Szymanski will be instrumental to further advancing our mission of educating the healthcare leaders of tomorrow.”
The UNF Board of Trustees will meet to discuss an interim president later this month. Details on the search to permanently replace Szymanski are expected to be announced soon.
Brendan Rivers can be reached at brivers@wjct.org, 904-358-6396 or on Twitter at @BrendanRivers.
