Safiya George

{{Short description|U.S. Virgin Islands nurse practitioner and academic administrator}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Safiya George

| office = 6th President of University of the Virgin Islands

| term_start = August 1, 2024

| predecessor = David Hall

| education = University of the Virgin Islands
Emory University

}}

Safiya George (formerly Dalmida) is a U.S. Virgin Islands nurse practitioner and academic administrator specialized in holistic health, spirituality, and HIV. She is the president of the University of the Virgin Islands. George served as the dean of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University from 2019 to 2024. {{cite web | url=https://newsfeed.wtjx.org/podcast/wtjx-newsfeed/2024-06-24/incoming-uvi-president-safiya-george-plans-to-elevate-student-experience-build-faculty-capacity | title=Incoming UVI president Safiya George plans to elevate student experience, build faculty capacity }}

Life

George earned an A.S. (1997) and B.S. (1999) in nursing from the University of the Virgin Islands.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Johnny |date=2024-02-09 |title=George Named Virgin Islands' Sixth President |url=https://www.diverseeducation.com/faculty-staff/article/15663927/george-named-virgin-islands-sixth-president |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Diverse: Issues In Higher Education |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=George |first=Safiya |title=CV |url=https://cydi.ua.edu/uploads/4/6/5/1/46510435/safiya_cv.pdf |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=University of Alabama}} She completed a M.S. (2001) in nursing with a concentration in HIV/AIDS and oncology, a Ph.D. (2006) in nursing research, and a certificate (2006) in women's studies from Emory University.{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2024 |title=Dr. Safiya George Named UVI's Sixth President |url=https://www.uvi.edu/news/2024/24_031_dr_safiya_george_named_uvi_sixth_president.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.uvi.edu |language=en}} Her dissertation was titled, Relationships Among Spirituality, Depression, Immune Status, and Health-related Quality of Life in Women with HIV.{{Cite thesis |last=George |first=Safiya |title=Relationships Among Spirituality, Depression, Immune Status, and Health-related Quality of Life in Women with HIV |date=2006 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Emory University}} Marcia McDonnell Holstad was her doctoral advisor. George conducted a postdoctoral fellowship in religion and health at the Duke University in 2007.

George is a nurse practitioner specialized in the areas of holistic health, spirituality, and HIV.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=Dr. Safiya George, Dean of Nursing at FAU, Joins Boca Helping Hands Board of Directors |url=https://www.bocaratontribune.com/bocaratonnews/2023/02/dr-safiya-george-dean-of-nursing-at-fau-joins-boca-helping-hands-board-of-directors/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=The Boca Raton Tribune |language=en-US}} From 2008 to 2015, she was an assistant professor at Emory University. In August 2015, she joined the University of Alabama as an associate professor and an assistant dean for research and director of scholarly affairs at the Capstone College of Nursing.{{Cite web |title=FAU Appoints Safiya George, Ph.D., as Dean of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report |url=https://southfloridahospitalnews.com/fau-appoints-safiya-george-ph-d-as-dean-of-the-christine-e-lynn-college-of-nursing-2/?print=print |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=southfloridahospitalnews.com}} George was inducted as a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in 2018. On July 8, 2018, she became the Holli Rockwell Trubinsky Eminent dean and professor of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University.{{Cite web |title=Safiya George, Ph.D., Named Dean of the College of Nursing |url=http://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/nursing-dean-appointment.php |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.fau.edu |language=en}} In 2020, she was inducted as a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice and as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2022. In February 2023, she joined the board of directors of the nonprofit, Boca Helping Hands. In February 2024, she was named as sixth president of the University of the Virgin Islands. She succeeded David Hall on August 1, 2024.{{cite web | url=https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/July-2024-Newsletter-.html?soid=1139636804939&aid=4KuwAhbSyTE | title=July 2024 Newsletter | work=Florida Atlantic University }}