Dr. Crystal Harris has been named dean of the College of Science and Health. She has served as interim dean since the college was created one year ago.

“Dr. Harris has served Missouri Western with distinction for more than 20 years,” said

Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, Missouri Western’s president. “Most recently, in addition to her duties as interim dean, Dr. Harris has provided invaluable leadership as coordinator of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She deserves much of the credit for helping our campus successfully navigate through unprecedented challenges.”

Harris came to Missouri Western in 1999, beginning as a nursing faculty member. In 2013, she became coordinator of Missouri Western’s RN-to-BSN program. In the summer of 2016, she began serving as interim director of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health, then became associate dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. As interim dean, she helped establish two new undergraduate programs: cybersecurity and respiratory therapy.

Prior to coming to Missouri Western, Harris worked in the St. Luke’s Health System for 13 years, starting as a nurse and finishing as director of St. Luke’s Northland Home Care and Wright Memorial Home Care.

Dr. Crystal Harris