Barbara Broome began education at Kent State Trumbull
KENT
Barbara Broome, Ph.D., a native of Braceville, was appointed dean of Kent State University’s College of Nursing, effective March 17, 2014.
Broome succeeds Susan Stocker, Ph.D., who served as interim dean since Aug. 1, 2013. Stocker held the interim position as well as her duties as dean of Kent State University at Ashtabula while the search for a permanent dean was conducted. Stocker will return to her position as dean of Kent State at Ashtabula.
Broome attended Braceville schools and graduated from LaBrae High School in 1972.
Her father, John Shelton, was a factory worker, Braceville constable and a Trumbull County deputy sheriff. Her mother, Catherine, was a homemaker and domestic worker.
Broome, a registered nurse, attended the Hannah Mullins School of Practical Nursing in Salem. She received bachelor of science in nursing and master of science in nursing degrees from KSU, and her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.
At present, she is associate dean, professor and chairwoman of the Community-Mental Health Department at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing.
“As a graduate of Kent State’s College of Nursing, I know firsthand the exceptional quality of education there,” said Broome, who said she is honored to return to the Kent State family.
After receiving a master’s from Kent State, Broome, who began her education at Kent State at Trumbull in Champion, was an assistant professor of nursing, as well as a recruiter, adviser and mentor to nursing students at the university’s Kent and Trumbull campuses.
“The regional campus system impacts so many people,” said Broome, who has been with the University of South Alabama since 1999.
Her research and areas of interest include mental health, adult health, women’s health and minority issues and aging issues in urinary incontinence in men and women.
She developed the Broome Pelvic Muscle Self-Efficacy Scale, which has been translated into several languages and has been used in national and international studies. She has contributed to and edited numerous journal articles on topics such as bullying, incontinence, aging and mentoring; and has secured some $2.5 million for mental-health education, elderly-health screening and continence care.
Among her many honors, she was commencement speaker at Kent State at Trumbull in 2011 and received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Kent State’s College of Nursing in 2000.
She and her husband, Howard Broome, also from Braceville, have two adult children, Cassandra Broome and Howard Broome Jr.