Port St. Lucie resident Dr. Lorna C. Shepherd is the new Chair for the Master of Arts Online Program Health & Wellness and Bachelor of Science Maternal & Child Health Program.
Her passion for the fields of Health Promotion, Wellness and Nutrition brought Dr. Shepherd to Union. “My passion for adult education aligns with the mission of Union Institute & University,” said Shepherd. “I have spent my career empowering adult learners to achieve their dreams and create lifestyles of excellence.”
Dr. Shepherd has acquired over 20 years of combined experience in academia as an Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator and Associate Professor. She is also experienced and skilled in Academic Program Development and the Self-Study and Accreditation Process. She has been directly involved in the development and successful initial accreditation processes of the new Baccalaureate Program in Dietetics and Nutrition at Keiser University’s Port St. Lucie campus. Dr. Shepherd’s professional experiences include serving in the capacity of Program Director for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program in the state of New York and also as a Private Practitioner of Nutrition.
The UI&U Health & Wellness major accommodates a wide variety of interests and scholarly pursuits by combining a strong foundation in theory and research methods with evidence-based practice, health promotion, and public health. The major also provides a comprehensive understanding of the health-related issues our society faces. The coursework is primarily online allowing flexibility for the working adult.
Prior to joining Union, Dr. Shepherd served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at Life University in Marietta, Georgia. In her role as Associate Professor, she taught a variety of graduate level and undergraduate courses, served as Faculty Advisor to graduate students who had chosen the Special Projects Option, and coordinated the Graduate Comprehensive Examination.
Dr. Shepherd earned her B.A in Nutrition from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. She later earned her M.S degree in Public Health and Nutrition with a concentration in Epidemiology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She earned both an Ed.M. degree in Nutrition Education and an Ed.D. degree specializing in Public Health and Nutrition from Columbia University Teachers College in New York. She is also a nationally Registered Dietitian (R.D) and a Licensed Dietitian (L.D).
About Union Institute & University
Union Institute & University is a non-profit, regionally accredited university specializing in providing quality higher education degrees for adults nationwide. Founded in 1964, Union’s academic programs and services are the result of more than five decades of identifying and refining ways to structure and deliver education to meet the needs of adults. Distinguished as the pioneer in adult education, Union perfected the concepts now common in higher education such as the hybrid model, a blend of online and traditional classroom instruction, interdisciplinary studies, and student centered education with socially relevant and applicable learning outcomes in its undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs. The university is guided by its core mission to educate highly motivated adults who seek academic programs to engage, enlighten, and empower them to pursue professional goals and a lifetime of learning, service, and social responsibility.
