Clearwater, Florida, Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a leader in allied healthcare education, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Shadel W. Hamilton as president of its campus, located in Clearwater, Florida. Hamilton returns to the Tampa Bay area after serving as vice president at Columbia College Global. He brings to his new role two decades of experience in higher education, specializing in multi-campus management, project and change management, and strategic partnerships.
“Students are at the forefront of every decision we make," said Hamilton. “UMA is a dynamic educational institution that is committed to equipping and empowering students to excel in healthcare careers. I begin there because it’s our mission. Everything we do is geared towards this guiding principle."
Hamilton's extensive background in higher education includes various leadership positions at Saint Leo University and Purdue Global. Most recently at Columbia College Global, he boosted student persistence by devising and implementing a retention and advising plan.
“My priorities are to ensure that we offer services to help support students both in and out of the classroom, that we're engaging learners and building a campus community,” said Hamilton. “I also want to ensure ongoing professional development opportunities are available to our staff and instructors, so they have what they need to continue to develop and grow their careers.”
While working in education, Hamilton has been dedicated to student success and community engagement. His commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in his certification and leadership roles in various organizations, including serving as a Board Member at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Tampa, Fla.
"We are thrilled to welcome Shadel to the UMA family as the Clearwater Campus President," said April Neumann, UMA’s executive vice president of workforce transformation. “As our institution enters the 30th year of equipping and empowering students to excel in healthcare careers and serve their local communities, our trajectory will continue to point upward because of leaders like Shadel and the valuable perspective he contributes.”
As UMA’s Clearwater campus president, Hamilton will focus on enhancing student support, community partnerships, and operational efficiency. He aims to continue to elevate UMA’s Clearwater campus and maintain it as a hub of academic excellence, student engagement, and community impact.
"His wealth of experience, strategic vision, and commitment to student success align with UMA's mission, and we look forward to achieving new heights under his leadership," said Neumann.
About Ultimate Medical Academy:
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the United States continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect students directly to job opportunities.
Based in Tampa, Florida, and operating for 30 years, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs through its online campus. The institution supports students through every step of their journey with access to academic support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance, technical support and more.
UMA has more than 85,000 alumni and more than 14,000 students nationwide. The institution also provides certified continuing medical education (CME) through ongoing training and professional development opportunities to physicians, nurses and other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES, www.ABHES.org). The continuing medical education programs are individually accredited and are not included within the institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES. Learn more by visiting www.ultimatemedical.edu
