Dr. Stanton McNeely, President of the University of Holy Cross, has a lifelong connection to the school. As children, he and his brothers often visited the campus to see his aunt, a Marianite nun. He helped out by delivering mail and washing dishes. After high school, he attended the university for his undergraduate education, then later worked as a recruiter. He worked at two other institutions following Hurricane Katrina, and he had the opportunity to serve as President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges & Universities. When his predecessor announced his retirement in 2019, Dr. McNeely obtained the position of president. He has since made great strides in expanding the university’s healthcare education programs.
True to the spirit of the Marianite sisters, the University of Holy Cross focuses on training students to enter caring professions. Since its founding over 100 years ago, the University has focused heavily on teacher training and education curricula, and these remain some of the largest programs.
Nursing classes entered the university a little over 40 years ago, and they remain a key component of the university’s programs to this day. As Dr. McNeely explained, the nursing shortage is a nationwide problem, and it is likely to continue for many years to come. He stresses the need to educate new frontline healthcare professionals to meet the needs of an aging population demographic.
In addition to its nursing programs, the school now offers a strong diversity of health science programs. In addition to nursing, students may earn a degree in health sciences, radiologic technology, or neurodiagnostic technology. Unique to this area, the neurodiagnostic technology program focuses on EEG and brain scanning, and it is part of the NeuroNOLA initiative. Other universities such as Tulane and LSU do research in cooperation with local hospitals, while the University of Holy Cross provides workforce in that space via their neurodiagnostic technicians.
Gaining these skills is part of the university’s holistic approach to education. “At Holy Cross, we say we educate the mind, not at the expense of the heart. So, we educate the heart and mind together,” said Dr. McNeely. “For us and our healthcare programs, we want to make sure students respect the patient and really focus on them.” The University of Holy Cross team wants to ensure their graduates are proficient in all of the professional skills and technologies associated with their healthcare education, while remaining attuned to the person they are treating.
As Dr. McNeely explained, the vast majority of their students are first generation from the local New Orleans area. Many of those in the healthcare programs, including nursing, pre-med, and allied health, have to work in order to meet practical needs for their households. In this case, these students are able to gain additional income and practical experience by choosing to work in a healthcare setting while students. It makes them stronger professionals when they graduate, especially when combined with their formal education.
In addition, students in pre-med tend to choose coursework such as the neurodiagnostic technology program, and they are able to gain both work and clinical experience before going on to medical school. In contrast to a traditional, theoretical pre-med track, they get a practical component along with that.
Dr. McNeely also noted that the increase in healthcare programs addresses another need: students who are searching for jobs that are not likely to be eliminated by artificial intelligence. He sees these programs as a way to help meet the needs of the community while ensuring students secure well-paying jobs that will remain viable as time goes on.
Dr. McNeely acknowledges that the University of Holy Cross has something of a reputation as the best-kept secret on the Westbank: a hidden gem. But he does not fully agree with this assessment. “I want people to know we are a gem, but we are not hidden,” said Dr. McNeely. “We are a gem for students, we are a gem for the community, and we are a gem for the Greater New Orleans area, including its workforce.”
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At this time, the University of Holy Cross needs more community exposure to continue transforming their students’ lives, as well as the community overall. Anyone interested in making an investment can help them fulfill that purpose as well, and further information about giving to the university is available on their website.
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