March 1, 2022

Jennifer Keely, M Ed, RRT, RRT-ACCS, has been named director of MU respiratory therapy programs effective March 1. She served as interim director for the past year while a national search was conducted.

“Professor Keely has been a leader in the design and implementation of quality online instruction in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences,” said Kathy Moss, department chair and clinical professor. “I am confident that she is the right person to lead our respiratory therapy programs as we look to the future.”

An associate clinical professor, Keely has been teaching in the School of Health Professions since 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy and master’s degree in education from Mizzou. She is working toward her third Mizzou degree, a PhD in educational policy and leadership analysis with an emphasis in higher education.

She recently received a $10,000 scholarship from the Coalition for Baccalaureate and Graduate Respiratory Therapy Education. The scholarship is for respiratory therapists pursuing doctoral degrees.

“The vision paper I submitted for the scholarship addressed the fact that enrollment in respiratory therapy programs has been decreasing across the country for several years,” Keely said. “Since 92,000 of the 140,000 currently practicing clinicians are expected to leave by 2030, the need to find out what affects respiratory therapy program enrollment is critical.”