Loyola University Chicago Names Patricia A. Findley as Dean of the School of Social Work

CHICAGO – March 12, 2024

Loyola University Chicago announced today that Patricia A. Findley, DrPH, MSW ’89, LCSW, has been appointed as Dean of the School of Social Work effective July 1, 2024. 

Findley is currently Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. Her research interests include chronic illness, physical disability, interprofessional health education, disaster preparedness and response, and cancer survivorship. She is a board member of Rutgers Health, co-chair of the Rutgers Health Council, and sits on the Interprofessional Education Faculty Advisory Committee for the university.

“As a graduate of the School of Social Work herself, Dean Findley has embodied the mission of Loyola throughout a life of devoted service, scholarship, clinical practice, and higher education leadership,” said Provost Margaret Callahan. “We look forward to welcoming her back to campus.”

As a research scholar in the Veterans Administration, Findley explored physical, mental health, and trauma issues within the veteran population. She has a long clinical history of working with those with disabilities in medical rehabilitation settings, and co-authored a book, The Cancer Survivor Handbook: The Essential Guide to Cancer Survivorship. She also researched the impact of Hurricane Sandy on both individuals in New Jersey, as well as the state’s behavioral health system response to the storm.

Findley said, “I’m honored to be named Dean of the School of Social Work. My experience at Loyola was formative and inspired me to become the person and professional I am today. School of Social Work students, faculty, and staff are woven into the fabric of Chicago doing incredible work. After nearly 20 years at Rutgers, I’m thrilled to return to the city and University where I began my academic and clinical practice.”

Findley’s research appears in peer-reviewed rehabilitation, public health, and medical journals including Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Women’s Health Issues, Preventive Medicine, and Journal of General Internal Medicine. She serves as senior associate and managing editor for the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation and is a fellow of both HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) and the Rutgers Leadership Academy.

She earned her BA in Human Services from the National College of Education, her MSW from Loyola University Chicago–where she was inducted into the honor society of Jesuit universities, Alpha Sigma Nu–and her DrPH from the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois Chicago. 

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About Loyola University Chicago 
Founded in 1870, Loyola University Chicago is one of the nation’s largest Jesuit, Catholic universities, with nearly 16,600 students. The University has four campuses: three in the greater Chicago area and one in Rome, Italy, as well as course locations in Vernon Hills, Illinois (Cuneo Mansion and Gardens), and a Retreat and Ecology Campus in Woodstock, Illinois. The University features 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. Ranked a leading national university by U.S. News & World Report, Loyola is also among a select group of universities recognized for community service and engagement by prestigious national organizations including AmeriCorps and the Carnegie Foundation. To learn more about Loyola, visit LUC.edu or follow us on Twitter via @LoyolaChicago. 

About the School of Social Work
Founded in 1914, Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work educates students to become leaders in the profession. Within a learning community dedicated to excellence in scholarship and service, students select a curriculum focused in clinical, organizational, community, and social justice issues. Through relationships with over 400 agencies, non-profit organizations, hospitals, and schools in the Chicagoland area, Loyola provides outstanding access to supervised internships and field experiences that have led to U.S. News & World Report ranking Loyola #28 on the list of Best Graduate Schools for Social Work.