Shannon Deal has been named director of student health at the University of Tennessee at Martin, said Dr. Phillip Watkins, vice chancellor for student affairs at the school.
As the director of student health, Deal-s responsibility is to ensure that students receive adequate, appropriate health care services.
-I want to interact with the university as a whole by providing more services to students, faculty and staff and increase the visibility of the student health center.- Deal said.
The UT Martin Student Health Center provides a morning clinic at which time a family nurse practitioner is available to see students. The center also provides basic immunizations and health screenings. The staff at the center includes Deal, the family nurse practitioner, and two nurses.
Deal, a Martin resident since 1997, is the founder and director of Camp Celebration, a non profit organization providing respite services and a summer camp for children and adults with mental retardation.
Before accepting the directorship of student health at UT Martin, Deal worked as a home health nurse at University Home Health. She worked for five years at St. Jude Children-s Hospital, Memphis in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Clinic. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Memphis in 1992 with a bachelor-s of science degree in nursing.
Deal, who assumed her new responsibilities Jan. 5, replaces Barbara Moore who served in the center for 18 years.
-We are fortunate to have someone with Shannon-s qualities and knowledge serving as the director of our student health center,- said Dr. Phillip Watkins, vice chancellor for student affairs. -Shannon will be a tremendous asset to UT Martin and our students.-
The student health center is open from 8-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.