WesternU
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Office of the Provost
Office of the Provost
Message from the Provost Honoring Our Graduates and Their Journey to Success
Commencement at WesternU is more than just a ceremony – it is a powerful moment of celebration, reflection, and transition. It marks the culmination of years of rigorous study, clinical training, and personal growth. This event brings together our university community to honor the incredible achievements of our students and the collective commitment that made their journeys possible.
As Provost, I take immense pride in watching our students walk across the stage, knowing they will make a lasting impact on the communities they serve. They have demonstrated resilience, focus, and a steadfast commitment to learning and growth throughout their journey. They carry with them the humanistic values of WesternU and are now entering their chosen professions at a time when the world needs their knowledge, empathy, and leadership more than ever.
A graduate’s accomplishment is achieved not just through their own dedication, but also by the collective support of a university committed to their success. This accomplishment is shared equally by our exceptional faculty, whose tireless mentorship, scholarship, and passion for teaching guide each student toward personal and professional growth. Our faculty’s commitment to academic excellence serves as the foundation for our programs and the success of our graduates.
This success reflects the visionary leadership of our deans, who ensure that our programs are innovative, collaborative, and impactful. They consistently promote excellence and student success by working closely with staff and institutional partners.
Thank you to our WesternU community for your continued belief in our mission and the remarkable students we serve. As our graduates join the ranks of alumni serving communities across the globe, they do so with our complete confidence and pride, ready to serve, heal, and lead in communities nationwide.
Congratulations, Class of 2025! You are the future of health and healing, and we are honored to be part of your journey.
Paula M. Crone, DO
Provost and Chief Academic Officer
As Provost, I take immense pride in watching our students walk across the stage, knowing they will make a lasting impact on the communities they serve. They have demonstrated resilience, focus, and a steadfast commitment to learning and growth throughout their journey. They carry with them the humanistic values of WesternU and are now entering their chosen professions at a time when the world needs their knowledge, empathy, and leadership more than ever.
A graduate’s accomplishment is achieved not just through their own dedication, but also by the collective support of a university committed to their success. This accomplishment is shared equally by our exceptional faculty, whose tireless mentorship, scholarship, and passion for teaching guide each student toward personal and professional growth. Our faculty’s commitment to academic excellence serves as the foundation for our programs and the success of our graduates.
This success reflects the visionary leadership of our deans, who ensure that our programs are innovative, collaborative, and impactful. They consistently promote excellence and student success by working closely with staff and institutional partners.
Thank you to our WesternU community for your continued belief in our mission and the remarkable students we serve. As our graduates join the ranks of alumni serving communities across the globe, they do so with our complete confidence and pride, ready to serve, heal, and lead in communities nationwide.
Congratulations, Class of 2025! You are the future of health and healing, and we are honored to be part of your journey.
Paula M. Crone, DO
Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Office of the Provost
Western University of Health Sciences holds great pride in its vision of academic excellence and values of science, caring and humanism. Fostering and empowering these tenets is the cardinal charge of the Office of the Provost. The Provost for the university provides senior leadership for academic affairs, faculty affairs, student affairs, research, as well as academic operations for faculty, students, and staff.
The Provost works collaboratively across WesternU colleges and departments to corroborate access, quality, and outcomes of all academic programs and curricula. The Provost aligns resources for co-curricular and academic programming through targeted budgetary planning and priorities. Leadership of faculty affairs, including faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure is a critical provostial responsibility.
The Provost reports to the President of the university and, in his absence, acts on behalf of the President. The Provost serves as the spokesperson for academic matters at the University.
The Provost works collaboratively across WesternU colleges and departments to corroborate access, quality, and outcomes of all academic programs and curricula. The Provost aligns resources for co-curricular and academic programming through targeted budgetary planning and priorities. Leadership of faculty affairs, including faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure is a critical provostial responsibility.
The Provost reports to the President of the university and, in his absence, acts on behalf of the President. The Provost serves as the spokesperson for academic matters at the University.
America’s Shortage of Veterinarians Veterinary Medicine Students Profiled in L.A. Times Article
California faces a shortage of professional veterinarians, partly due to high turnover rate in the field and a surge in pet ownership spurred by the pandemic. More than 344,000 shelter animals in California do not have adequate access to veterinary care staff. Across the state, about 60% of shelters say they have unfilled veterinarian positions. Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Veterinary Medicine is one of only two accredited veterinary colleges in California.
WesternU Among Best Medical Schools Makes U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Rankings
For the second consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) and COMP-Northwest as a Tier 1 institution for primary care training. WesternU could not be more proud of its faculty, administration, staff and students for this incredible achievement. This is affirmation of our commitment to creating healthy communities. Notable rankings:
• Tier 1 – Best Medical Schools: Primary Care
• #6 – Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care
• Tier 1 – Best Medical Schools: Primary Care
• #6 – Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care
WesternU Oregon Students and Faculty Host Inaugural Rural Health Care Equity Fair
WesternU plans to continue offering this free community resource each spring. Dr. Gina Miller, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and faculty event organizer, is enthusiastic about the event’s potential to grow in the coming years as a way to help address the national health care shortage.
New Innovative PharmD-MBA Pathway Program WesternU Partners With Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona’s Singelyn Graduate School of Business (CPP SGSB) and the College of Pharmacy (COP) at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) are proud to announce an exciting new partnership to launch the dual assurance PharmD-MBA Program.
Welcome Dean Evans Grayson College of Health Sciences
“The College of Health Sciences is well-positioned to build on its success through interprofessional education, program innovation, and community partnership,” said WesternU Provost and Chief Academic Officer Paula M. Crone, DO ’92. “We are excited about what lies ahead and confident that Dr. Evans Grayson’s leadership will continue to elevate CHS and WesternU as a whole.”
Medical Student Simulation Training Life Flight Partners with COMP-Northwest
This activity was hosted by the COMP-Northwest SIM interest group. Founded by second-year students Mikayla Bradley and Daniel Damron, the SIM interest group aims to provide students with hands-on learning experiences outside of the classroom.
