Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University's new president, David Bellar, PhD, will begin his tenure on July 14. FranU’s Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Bellar as the fifth President of the University after a national search in February of this year.
Bellar stated that he will prioritize building strong relationships and fostering a sense of community by engaging directly with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and clinical partners.
“I will work to ensure that a FranU education delivers meaningful value, promoting social mobility and preparing students for lives of purpose. Above all, I will cultivate a mission-aligned culture where every member of the FranU community is welcomed, challenged and supported in living out the University’s values,” said Bellar.
Bellar joins FranU from the University of West Florida where he served as the Dean of Usha Kundu, MD, College of Health. During his tenure, he received a $6.68 million grant to enhance health education facilities, secured scholarship funding and gifts of space for immersive learning experiences at two hospitals, aided in implementing strategies to improve NCLEX pass rates to 98% for the School of Nursing, created the first Staff Council on campus, helped secure a partnership with two major hospital systems to support clinical space for nursing programs, and developed a virtual cadaver lab to enhance Anatomy and Physiology education.
Bellar holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from Kent State University, a MEd in Secondary Education from John Carroll University, and a BS in Biology and Life Science Chemistry from John Carroll University,