ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR SHARES HER JOURNEY
Nitha Mathew Joseph, PhD, RN, CNE, joined Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston in 2014 and was promoted to associate professor in 2021. She advises Doctor of Nursing Practice students while teaching undergraduate health assessment clinical care courses and a research evaluation and application course in the master’s program.
Working at Cizik School of Nursing is extremely rewarding, motivating, and encouraging. My outstanding faculty colleagues and mentors have helped me achieve my career goals every step of the way.
As I began my career progression, I met with my senior faculty mentor,Sandra Hanneman, PhD, RN, FAAN, regularly to establish timelines to keep myself on track toward achieving goals and meeting the criteria for promotion. Going through this process was both exciting and motivating – even when it meant learning from manuscript or grant submission rejections. My department chairs also guided me to find resources and avenues to meet my career objectives while working in the clinical track with full-time workloads and even taking two maternity leaves while serving as an assistant professor.
I also gained valuable insights from my students. Systematically gathered student course evaluations provide constructive feedback on my teaching effectiveness. I consistently use them to evaluate my teaching methods and make appropriate course improvements, continuously striving to provide a positive learning experience and good outcomes for all students.
I encourage my colleagues at the assistant professor level to find a faculty mentor early in their careers while working toward their promotion. Learn from them, and explore all faculty research collaboration opportunities and development incentives available to you. With determination and focused goals, you can progress to the next level of your career.
Thank you to all of the Cizik School Nursing faculty and staff members for your support and your continued commitment as we work together to carry out our mission and vision.
