FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Following a national search, Fairfield University has appointed Patricia Simino Boyce, PhD, RN, as the next dean of the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies, effective July 1, 2025.
Dr. Boyce brings extensive experience in healthcare leadership and higher education. Most recently, she has served as university dean for Health and Human Services at the City University of New York (CUNY), overseeing more than 350 undergraduate and graduate health and human services programs across 25 campuses. Under her leadership, CUNY expanded clinical training opportunities, built strong industry partnerships, and advanced innovative academic offerings. Dr. Boyce’s commitment to health equity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student success aligns closely with Fairfield’s mission and values.
In addition to her administrative leadership at CUNY, Dr. Boyce has a strong background in teaching and academic program development. She served as an adjunct assistant professor at Pace University, teaching graduate courses in healthcare leadership and nursing education. At New York University’s College of Nursing, she was the program director for Nursing Administration and Health Management joint degree programs, overseeing curriculum design, academic advisement, and practicum assignments for graduate students.
“In her new role as dean of the Egan School, Dr. Boyce will provide strategic leadership to strengthen the school’s undergraduate and graduate nursing and health studies programs, while enhancing its national reputation,” said Fairfield University Provost Christine Siegel, PhD. “She will focus on expanding graduate offerings, supporting research initiatives, and cultivating new clinical and interprofessional partnerships that provide real-world learning opportunities for students. Her collaborative leadership style, combined with a proven track record of securing philanthropic support, will be instrumental in advancing the school’s long-term success.”
Fairfield University also extends its appreciation to Meredith Kazer, PhD, APRN, FAAN, for more than a decade of exemplary leadership as dean of the Egan School. Since 2014, Dr. Kazer’s legacy has been defined by significant growth, innovation, and national recognition.
“I would also like to express our deepest thanks to Meredith Kazer for her extraordinary service as professor and dean of the Egan School,” said Dr. Siegel. “Her leadership has been transformational, and we are incredibly grateful for her dedication to Fairfield Egan’s growth and the many accomplishments achieved under her tenure.”
Among her many achievements, Dr. Kazer oversaw the establishment of the Kanarek Center for Palliative Care, thanks to the generosity of Fairfield trustee Robin Kanarek ’96, RN, BSN, and the Kanarek Family Foundation. In 2024, she led the development of a nursing internship program in partnership with Florence University of the Arts in Italy, strengthening the school’s international presence. In 2023, the Egan School also expanded nationally—and responded to critical nursing workforce shortages—by opening a new campus in Austin, Texas, offering an accelerated second-degree BSN program in partnership with leading clinical providers including Baylor Scott & White and Ascension Seton.
Dr. Kazer will continue to serve Fairfield University as a professor in the Egan School, where her expertise and passion for nursing education will remain an invaluable asset to the community.
As the University celebrates this important leadership transition, Fairfield remains committed to advancing the Egan School’s mission of preparing compassionate, highly skilled healthcare professionals.
Fairfield University is a modern, Jesuit Catholic University, rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 44 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 46 countries, are enrolled in the University’s five schools. In the spirit of rigorous and sympathetic inquiry into all dimensions of human experience, Fairfield welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and engage in open conversations. The University is located in the heart of a region where the future takes shape, on a stunning campus on the Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.