Fairmont State University names Dr. Deb Struth as Dean of the College of Nursing
Dr. Deborah “Deb” Struth has been appointed Dean of Fairmont State University’s College of Nursing. She has served as interim dean since April 2024 and will now assume the role on a permanent basis.
“Deb Struth has demonstrated steady leadership, sound judgment, and a clear ability to lead through periods of transition and growth,” said President Mike Davis. “She has earned the respect of the faculty and colleagues through her work, her experience, and her commitment to academic excellence. I have every confidence in her ability to continue strengthening the College of Nursing and advancing its role within the University and the state.”
The Dean of the College of Nursing serves as the chief academic and administrative leader for the College and provides strategic direction for all nursing education initiatives. The Dean oversees all nursing degree and certificate programs, while ensuring compliance with State Board of Nursing requirements and maintaining programmatic accreditation with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The Dean guides curriculum development, program assessment and student success efforts, and builds strong clinical partnerships with regional healthcare systems and community agencies to support high-quality experiential learning. The incumbent also recruits, mentors, and evaluates faculty and staff to foster excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship; manages the College’s fiscal resources and external funding efforts; and serves as the primary ambassador for the College of Nursing at the local, state, and national levels in support of Fairmont State University’s mission to serve West Virginia.
One of the Dean’s newest and most significant responsibilities will be overseeing the opening of a $3.6 million, state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab. This advanced facility will feature the latest technology, including artificial intelligence and other innovative tools, designed to replicate real-world hospital settings. The lab will provide nursing students with hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom, better preparing them for clinical practice and supporting West Virginia’s ongoing need for highly skilled healthcare professionals.
“With her now in full capacity as Dean, and with her deep experience and expertise, I am confident that Dean Struth and the College of Nursing team will elevate the standing of Fairmont State University’s nursing education programs in West Virginia,” said Provost Allen Bedford.
Dr. Struth brings more than four decades of progressive leadership in nursing education, academic administration, and healthcare quality improvement. While serving as Interim Dean of the Fairmont State College of Nursing, she led the successful launch and full implementation of the university’s first pre‑licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, growing enrollment to more than 80 students across all levels. Her leadership includes faculty recruitment and development, curriculum design, accreditation oversight, and major grant management, including serving as principal investigator on multiple multimillion‑dollar nursing expansion and faculty investment grants. Under her guidance, the College earned full CCNE accreditation approval with no recommendations, expanded simulation capacity, and strengthened statewide collaboration through competency‑based education initiatives.
Dr. Struth’s background also includes extensive experience as a nurse scientist and national subject matter expert in quality and safety education, evidence‑based practice, and outcomes measurement. She has held faculty and administrative roles across associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and accelerated nursing programs and previously served in senior healthcare leadership positions overseeing inpatient and service line operations.
Her scholarly work spans curriculum innovation, mindfulness and situation awareness, quality measurement, and nursing workforce development, with publications in peer‑reviewed journals and leadership in national collaboratives such as QSEN (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses), TCAB (Transforming Care at the Bedside), and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid) Services quality initiatives. This blend of executive leadership, academic expertise, and applied research positions her as a highly experienced and strategic leader in nursing education.
To learn more about Fairmont State University’s College of Nursing, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/nursing.
