Dr. Fevzi Akinci has been named dean of the John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences at Duquesne University effective July 1. He will succeed Interim Dean Dr. Paula Sammarone Turocy.
"Dr. Akinci brings to his new position a rich and varied background perfectly suited to taking Duquesne to the next level of excellence. He has worked at two Catholic institutions of different sizes, one of them a major research university," said Duquesne University President Ken Gormley. "His experience overseas will support our growing interest in international collaborations. His energy and enthusiasm will allow us to continue to transform an already top-notch program into one of the finest in the United States."
Akinci currently serves as associate dean of the William G. McGowan School of Business and director and professor of health care administration at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Duquesne family," said Akinci. "I look forward to working closely with outstanding faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to bring national and international recognition to existing and new degree programs offered by the Rangos School."
At King's College, Akinci has led the successful accreditation of the Master of Science in Health Care Administration Program by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International); created two concentrations (Public Health and Executive Leadership); developed graduate joint degree articulation agreements with international partners; and co-chaired the first International Health Care Management Conference.
Previously, Akinci held positions at academic institutions including Washington State University and Zirve University in Gaziantep, Turkey, where he served as the vice president for academic affairs and the founding dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences.
"Dr. Akinci understands the challenges of health sciences in today's world," said Dr. Timothy Austin, Duquesne's provost and vice president for academic affairs. "His background as a teacher and scholar lies in the area of healthcare management, a field that we hope to see expand under his leadership of the Rangos School."
Akinci has published widely on access to health care services, health promotion & disease management, and comparative health systems. His work has appeared in Health Policy, the Journal of Health Administration Education, and American Journal of Preventive Medicine, among others. He has delivered lectures on health care both nationally and internationally, including presentations in England, Turkey, and Mexico. He has garnered funding and various grants, including a $1.6 million grant from the World Bank as a co-principal investigator for A Study of National Burden of Disease and Cost-Effectiveness of Essential Health Services in Turkey. In addition, Akinci has served as a Fellow of the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
In the classroom, Akinci has taught graduate courses in health services research, health care economics, and comparative health care systems. He has also worked with students on their required capstone projects and received the Student's Choice Certificate of Excellence for Teaching Award four times at Washington State University.
In the community, Akinci is a board member for various organizations such as the Business and Health Administration Association in Chicago, the Ethics Institute of Northeast Pennsylvania, and the Washington State Healthcare Executive Forum in Spokane, Wash.
Akinci earned his Bachelor of Science in health administration from Hacettepe University in Turkey and both a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Ph.D. in health services research from Saint Louis University.
Duquesne University Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. Duquesne, a campus of nearly 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students, has been nationally recognized for its academic programs, community service and commitment to sustainability. Follow Duquesne University on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
