Sandra Bulmer is dedicated to advancing Southern as a haven for access, opportunity, and transformation in the community, and she brings over 26 years at Southern as an administrator and faculty member to her role as interim president.
Dr. Sandra Minor Bulmer, Ph.D., interim president of Southern Connecticut State University, has extensive experience in higher education, including 26 years at Southern. She previously served as the dean of the university’s College of Health and Human Services and as a professor in Southern’s Department of Public Health.
In response to the evolving needs of Connecticut’s health and human services workforce, Bulmer served as lead academic administrator for the programming, design, and opening of Southern’s new 94,000-sq.-ft. College of Health and Human Services building in September 2022, providing leadership at every step in the 5-year journey to complete this transformational building. Together with her team she introduced several new innovative degree programs, including a doctorate in social work, a B.S. in healthcare studies, an M.S. in occupational therapy, an M.S. in athletic training, an executive MPH, and a BSRT in respiratory therapy. Bulmer also spearheaded the movement to convert programs to be more accessible to students through online classes.
As dean of Southern’s College of Health and Human Services, Bulmer also oversaw the opening of new departments and centers at the university to improve the health of the Southern and New Haven communities, including the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), Institute for Adapted Sport and Inclusive Recreation, the Connecticut Health and Mental Performance Center (CHAMP), and the Department of Healthcare Systems and Innovation. Her college has secured more than $20 million in external funding to expand workforce partnerships and advance health equity in Connecticut communities.
Bulmer received her Ph.D. in health education from Texas Woman’s University, an M.S. in physical education with a focus on exercise physiology from the University of Oregon, and a B.S. in physical education from California State University Hayward.
