Advisory board Members
Dr. Gloria Donnelly, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FCPP
Dr. Donnelly, a national leader in nursing, is Dean Emerita, Professor Emerita and founding Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University (1999 to 2016). Dr. Donnelly earned a BSN from Villanova University, an MSN from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in Human Development from Bryn Mawr College. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Philadelphia College of Physicians, the oldest medical society in the United States.
Dr. Donnelly has held teaching positions at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing; The College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State; and Villanova University, College of Nursing. She led the development the School of Nursing at La Salle University; first dean of a newly configured School of Nursing at MCP Hahnemann University, then Allegheny, then MCP Hahnemann. Founding Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University a result of the merger of MCPHU into Drexel in 2002. At Drexel, the College grew from 1200 students in 2000 to 5,000 in 2016 with 2500 online students. Dr. Donnelly has been teaching online since 1999 in the Drexel University, Masters’, and Doctoral Nursing Programs and in the Behavioral Health Counseling Program.
Dr. Donnelly is the author of seven books and the winner of two American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year awards. She has published more than three hundred editorials and articles in leading nursing journals.
Dr. Donnelly has received numerous awards including the Alumni Achievement Medallion of Villanova University, College of Nursing; the March of Dimes, Lifetime Achievement Award; the Pennsylvania Student Academy of Nursing and College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Finally, Dr. Donnelly is also a Stand-Up Comedian who has used her comedic talents for fund raising purposes and stress management for health care professionals.
Dr. Susan C. Aldridge PhD.
Dr. Aldridge is an Executive Higher Education Consultant to university presidents and ministers of education regarding higher education business models and technology-enhanced education. She has over 25 years of higher education administration experience and carries the academic rank of Collegiate Professor.
Dr. Aldridge recently retired from Drexel University after serving five years as Senior Vice President and President of Drexel University Online where she oversaw more than 125 online programs, including premier graduate programs in the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Professions.
Before joining Drexel, she served as a Senior Fellow at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and served for 6 years as the President of University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).
Dr. Aldridge is an author and frequent keynote speaker at national and international conferences and consultant to university presidents and foreign ministers of education, government officials and business leaders.
