For 45 years, The Chicago School has emphasized the value of its scholar-practitioner faculty model. The university’s faculty members, known for their expertise in their respective fields, bring real-world experience into the classroom, equipping graduates with the practical knowledge and solutions-oriented training they will need to address current challenges in integrated health.
“My work as a clinician makes me a better academic and my work as an academic makes me a better clinician,” says Teresa Collins-Jones, Ph.D., associate dean in The Chicago School’s College of Professional Psychology. “I understand the intersections of theory and action and love having the chance to pass on that insight to the next generation of healthcare change-makers.”
Faculty across The Chicago School’s academic programs ensure that students stay up to date with the latest innovations in their discipline, preparing them to provide impactful support to communities in need. This is incredibly important as gaps in community-based healthcare only continue to grow.
Says Dr. Collins-Jones, “As a clinician, I can maybe see 20 patients in a week, but as a teacher, if I help graduate just five new clinicians, each of them can now see 20 patients in a week. As a team, we’re supporting 100 more people than I could have on my own.”
While graduates of all The Chicago School’s programs go on to a diverse array of professional roles, all graduates are equipped with the skills to help address shortages in integrated care in under-resourced communities immediately following their studies.
For example, Julia Locklear, Ph.D., a graduate of The Chicago School’s Business Psychology program, founded The Locklear Group to coach women of color who are dealing with workplace crises.
“My fulfillment comes from helping people recognize their own power over their situation, to advocate for themselves, and to be able to get back in the driver’s seat of their career,” Dr. Locklear says.
Across the disciplines of psychology, business, counseling, health, and behavioral sciences, The Chicago School’s faculty provide students with the training and support they need to make life-changing impacts on individuals, organizations, and communities.