Springfield College Physician Assistant Studies Program Celebrating 30th Anniversary

By: Damon Markiewicz

For 30 years, the Springfield College Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program has been educating compassionate, skilled, and dedicated healthcare professionals who continue to make meaningful differences in the lives of countless patients and communities. The PA program will officially celebrate its special anniversary on Friday, October 16, 2026 as part of Homecoming Weekend.

What makes the Springfield College PA program truly special is the fact that it is being led by its own dedicated alumni, creating a deeply personal and supportive culture of mentorship. Having experienced the exact academic rigors and clinical challenges themselves, faculty and staff who have graduated from the program bring an authentic, firsthand understanding of what students need to thrive.

Alumna and chair of the PA program, Meghan Migeon, G'05, DMSc, MS, PA-C, has been a faculty member at the College since 2008, and she understands the importance of connecting the history of the PA program with its most recent graduates.

“One of the many things that makes our PA program truly special is the strong tradition of alumni returning to give back to the program that helped shape their own careers,” explained Migeon. “Our alumni serve as faculty and staff, bringing their firsthand experiences, clinical expertise, and deep understanding of the Springfield College community to the next generation of PA students.”

Serving not only as educators, but as living examples of the PA program's success, PA alumni foster strong professional connections, guiding clinical placements, and instilling the College's core Humanics philosophy of serving humanity in spirit, mind, and body. This unique full-circle leadership ensures students receive hands-on instruction grounded in practical expertise, personal empathy, and a shared commitment to excellence in patient care.

“What makes the program so special to me is its close-knit community that is built on trust, empathy, and genuine care for our students and one another,” explained faculty member Sara McGowan ’14, G’15. “As an alumna, former clinical preceptor, and now faculty member, I have had the unique opportunity to experience this program from many perspectives, and I have seen the guaranteed outcome of compassionate PA providers. The program has given me so much more than an education. It has given me lifelong family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and relationships that I will always cherish.”

Developed by Dr. Joel Coen through a partnership with Baystate Medical Center in the early 1990s, John Hangasky was appointed the first PA program director in 1993, which eventually led to the first graduating class in 1996. Over the last three decades, the PA program has successfully achieved continued accreditation at every re-accreditation cycle and maintained an excellent national board pass rate.

“Springfield College is one of my favorite places and I will find any reason to make my way back,” explained faculty member Micaela Lavoie ’20, G’22, PhD’25. “When I think about the PA program, I think about the friendships that shaped me, the challenges that pushed me, and the Humanics philosophy that guides me every day in my personal and professional life. The PA program’s emphasis on leadership, compassion, and academic excellence is unlike any other PA program in the country, and I am so proud to represent them.”

By maintaining and strengthening alumni connections as they enter the workforce, Springfield College PA graduates are even better prepared to serve and improve their communities.

“What the Springfield College PA program does well is it maintains a strong alumni network that is very supportive,” explained Christine Niedbala ’09, G’10, DMSc, MS PA-C. “After PA school, one of my first interviews for a PA position was with a local primary care office. Our connection was Springfield College. My would-be future attending physician and I had the same chemistry professor. He knew the Springfield College reputation and the type of person who attended the institution. The Springfield College connection is also evident in the exceptional PAs we develop, who care for the whole person. It's in the way we ask questions, look people in the eye, thoroughly examine, and care for our patients and their families. The program sets high, yet attainable, standards with the future patient in mind.”

As the PA program prepares to host its 30th anniversary celebration on Friday, October 16, from 5-7 PM, at the Brown Cooper Health Sciences Center, there is an excitement building to recognize the impact our PA program has had on our communities. The celebration will allow for alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the program to come together and celebrate three decades of excellence, cherished memories, and lasting connections.

“As a graduate of Springfield College, returning to work in an administrative role is an opportunity to give back to the same community that played an important role in my own educational and professional journey,” explained Sara Zukowski Waterman ’15. “Being a part of a department with such a strong alumni presence speaks volumes about the faculty and staff’s commitment to supporting students, maintaining high academic standards, and preparing future healthcare professionals to serve their communities.”

The PA faculty and staff indeed play a huge role in building and maintaining such a strong program, especially as they celebrate 30 years of PA education on Alden Street.

"Springfield College is where I learned that great medicine begins with seeing each patient as an individual, not a statistic, a value rooted in our Humanics philosophy,” said Loni Kearney ’07, G’08. “Returning as a faculty member, I'm honored to help carry forward the robust history and exemplary reputation that have defined this program for three decades."

That dedication to community and collaboration is guided by alumni, and shared with long-tenured faculty, community partners, clinical preceptors, guest speakers, and local health systems. Together, everyone plays a massive role in keeping the PA program strong.

Joining Migeon, Niedbala, McGowan, Lavoie, Waterman, and Kearney as PA faculty and staff leading the charge are: Colin Robinson ’19, G’21; Elizabeth White ’14, G’15; Jennifer Alix ’12, G’13; Christy Russo ’21, G’23; Sara Delisle ’08, G’09; Melissa Miles ’05; Phoebe Elmendorf ’20, G’22; Rebecca Rosenstein, MD; and Roxanne Sprague, MCMSc, PA-C.

“What makes the Springfield College PA program special to me is its true sense of family,” concluded Migeon. “Our faculty and staff work with uncommon dedication, driven by a real love for this institution and a shared commitment to graduating clinicians of the highest caliber. The PA faculty and staff’s passion for teaching and commitment to the profession create a powerful connection between past and present, allowing students to learn not only from experienced educators, but from those who have walked the same halls, faced the same challenges, and understood what it means to be part of the Springfield College PA family.”