WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Rebecca Zolotor has known she wanted to spend her career in a health-related field since she was in high school.

“I earned a place in a program offered through the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) where I was partnered with a pharmaceutical company,” Zolotor said. “I was placed in the cardiovascular research division, where I had a patient and an encouraging mentor. I absolutely fell in love with research.”

Zolotor, who was appointed vice president and dean of Purdue Global’s School of Health Sciences in October 2023, is still in love with health sciences — and wants more students to have great experiences in the growing field.

Health experiences open worldwide doors

Following the NYAS program, Zolotor attended Emory University. She also co-authored her first research paper, which appeared in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. After some reflection, she realized through her cardiovascular research that nutrition played a significant role in health and quality of life and decided to focus her studies on nutrition.

Zolotor earned her Master of Science in nutritional science from the University of Connecticut, where she gained teaching experience, which only piqued her interest in academics.

Working on her nutrition degree provided Zolotor with opportunities to travel the world, gaining valuable experience that included learning and teaching at the Australian Institute of Sport, where she co-led supermarket tours and cooking nights and participated in teams working with athletes, among other things.

“It is remarkable how life can come full circle,” Zolotor said. “Early in my career, I gained valuable postgraduate work experience at the Australian Institute of Sport just before the 2000 Sydney Olympic Summer Games. And now Purdue Global is the preferred online university and degree provider of the Guild and Team USA Learning Network.”

Zolotor’s work in Australia led to an opportunity in New Zealand, followed by time in Mexico at a university where she was teaching biology, nutrition, business English and English for health care professionals.

“It was fun, and I guess I did a good job because I was promoted to a department head position,” Zolotor said.

After leaving Mexico, Zolotor wanted to explore the impact elite athletes experienced with medications in terms of performance and recovery, a study related to her previous research. While earning her Doctor of Pharmacy from Nova Southeastern University, she worked at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center managing a clinical trial, all while developing a passion for serving the military and veteran populations.

Finding the right fit

As a pharmacist, Zolotor held key management positions in the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy practice in hospitals, pharmacies and insurance companies. Despite all the success and valuable experience gained, Zolotor knew she still wasn’t quite fulfilled in her career aspirations.

“I missed that aspect of contributing positively to individuals’ lives and witnessing the transformative effect as they leverage their newfound knowledge within their diverse communities,” Zolotor said. “Their contributions to the health care sector significantly influence our collective future, shaping a better tomorrow for all.”

That desire led to an adjunct position with Purdue Global, which is Purdue’s online university for working adults. One thing that attracted Zolotor to Purdue Global was the commitment to the military population.

“My uncle is a veteran, and my aunt worked at a VA medical center,” Zolotor said. “Working at the VA is when I became passionate about supporting that population, just realizing the depth of their service and all their transferable skills.”

Zolotor believes Purdue Global’s mission — especially working with military-affiliated families, adult learners, caretakers and being flexible — is what makes the university so special.

“That mission inspires me every day,” Zolotor said. “One way we in the School of Health Sciences live our mission is that we have several military-only programs, which capitalize on the skills and knowledge acquired in the military, offering structured pathways to convert their training into academic credits.”

Zolotor’s other favorite part of her job is creative collaboration, both within her own department and across others as well.

“We are fortunate to have an exceptional team that really enjoys working together,” she said. “The dynamic nature of health care necessitates our continual adaptation and evolution. We excel in maintaining the currency and relevance of our content, ensuring it remains pertinent in today’s landscape. Additionally, we are committed to equipping students with the skills necessary to adeptly navigate the inevitable shifts within the industry.”

Zolotor began working at Purdue Global as an adjunct faculty member and course lead in 2008 before becoming a department chair and then an associate dean, a role she held for more than a decade. She was first named the school’s interim dean, then promoted to dean in October 2023.

Assuming progressive administrative positions in the School of Health Sciences was an opportunity to help make what was already a successful department even better.

“One of the exciting things about my promotion was leveraging my skill set and being able to provide a vision for the School of Health Sciences that aligns with the vision of our own niche in that university space, collaborating with my team, revising and creating programs that help shape the future of health care,” Zolotor said.

Zolotor’s area of expertise is new program development, integration of health industry trends and standards, and interdepartmental operations and project coordination.

In addition to her role as dean, she serves as a textbook and multimedia reviewer for several major publishing companies and is a peer reviewer for medical journals as well as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission. She also has a courtesy appointment in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus.

Transforming the future

Now that Zolotor has been in her role as dean for almost a year, her goals are becoming clearer, including integrating professional credentials and certifications along with specialty concentrations. She is looking for program growth through partnership and health care expansions.

“We have a holistic approach to support our students by leveraging our past successes and implementing enhancements in online education,” Zolotor said.

Zolotor understands the significance of staying ahead of the changes in higher education and continued technology transformations.

Purdue Global’s School of Health Sciences serves more than 6,000 students across its 16 degree programs. The school has 251 full-time and adjunct faculty members.

Zolotor says the constant communication and collaboration with faculty and students that she enjoys so much is key to success not only for the department but also especially to benefit students.

“We do everything, beginning with the research background I love, to analyze data career trends, employer data and future thinking, to creatively think about how we can foster students’ success, not just for those going to graduate this year, but also five years from now. How can we get ahead of the trend?” she said.

When it comes to student success, Zolotor said that helping students on their pathway to achieve whatever goals they have is paramount.

“For some students, it’s getting that military promotion; some it’s a chance to earn more money to support their family,” Zolotor said. “We’re proud to be a part of their comeback moments in helping them reach that goal and have success.”

Zolotor often shares her own comeback story with students to help inspire them to continue their own journey toward success, reminding them where they are now doesn’t have to hinder them from where they want to be.

“I tell them each shift I made in my career was a mini reinvention of myself,” Zolotor said. “I share with them that their current situation is a part of their lived experience and that it is going to help them on their path to success. I emphasize not letting where they are now define them, but embracing continuing to learn and grow as a person on their journey. And that path, while hard at times, will be worthwhile, leading to their own mini reinventions, their own comebacks.”

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://www.purdueglobal.edu.