Samra to Lead USDs School of Health Sciences
Samra’s service to USD began in 2014 when she accepted the position as associate chair of research for nursing. In 2016, she was appointed chair of the nursing department.
In addition to her USD leadership roles, Samra has held leadership positions in the United States and abroad, including on the editorial board of “The Journal for Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing,” section editor for “Advances in Neonatal Care,” member of the Mother Child Expert panel for the American Academy of Nursing, and as a member of the national Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council’s Cybersecurity Task Force, where she works closely with the federal government’s departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services.
Samra has led community and research projects, has more than 40 publications and has been awarded more than $2 million in funding. She has received state and national recognition for her scholarly and service activities. In 2017, she was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
Samra earned a B.S. degree in nursing from the American University of Beirut. Her graduate degrees include an M.S. of Nursing Science, M.S. of Management, and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from South Dakota State University. In 2017, she completed the Leadership for Executives program from the Harvard Business School.
“I am very excited and honored to lead a fine team of faculty and staff who do great work here at the School of Health Sciences and who are committed to its longstanding tradition of academic excellence,” Samra said. “I am also very fortunate to be working with outstanding departmental leadership and university administrators.”
“We are fortunate to have Dr. Samra in this important position,” said Dr. Mary Nettleman, vice president of health affairs and dean of the medical school at USD. “Not only is she highly qualified, she is dedicated to the success of the School of Health Sciences and to the wonderful people who work and study there.”
