LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2005) - Mary Bear, Ph.D., R.N., has been appointed chair of the Department of Nursing at Florida Southern College, effective Jan. 1. She has been with FSC since fall 2004. 

Bear received her doctorate in sociology at the University of Florida where she also received a graduate certificate in gerontology. She holds an M.S.N. from the University of Colorado and a B.S.N. from Vanderbilt University. A registered nurse in the state of Florida, she most recently worked as a health impairment evaluator for the State Attorney's Office in Sanford and as a gerontology researcher and expert witness through her business, Bear Research and Evaluation Group, located in Winter Park. Previously, she was the gerontology research coordinator for the College of Health and Public Affairs at the University of Central Florida. She has published and presented extensively on such issues as long-term, home, and residential health care, focusing particularly on the elderly. She has taught at the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. 

"I am honored to be chosen to chair the nursing department at Florida Southern College," said Bear. "The college's nursing department optimizes excellence -- in faculty, students, practice and research. We have a dynamic RN-BSN program on both our Lakeland and Orlando campuses. I am particularly excited about providing leadership for our new Master of Science in Nursing Program." 


About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 24 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.