Koren Dixon, left, is joined by Maureen Sanders, lying in the center, and the class of 2025 nursing cohort at Penn State Schuylkill.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Penn State Schuylkill has announced the promotion of Koren Dixon to assistant teaching professor of nursing, recognizing her dedication to student learning, her nearly two decades of experience in women’s health, and her scholarly work on public health issues such as human trafficking.
Dixon, a board-certified nurse practitioner who has spent the past five years practicing in women’s health, brings nearly 20 years of clinical experience to her teaching. She currently provides care at Maternal and Family Health Services in Pottsville and Hazleton, while also serving as a valued instructor for nursing students on the Schuylkill campus.
Her interest in human trafficking awareness began in 2007 as a bachelor’s student at Kutztown University, where she took a course on the subject led by Donna Sabella. “I was shocked to learn how large of a public health concern human trafficking is, even locally,” Dixon said. “The course stuck with me, and over the years, I’ve encountered many victims through my work in women’s health.”
This concern became the foundation of her recent doctoral project at Wilkes University: "A Qualitative Study on Improving Fourth-Year Nursing Student Education and Victim Recognition of Human Trafficking Through Simulation in the Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum." Under the guidance of faculty mentor Maureen Sanders, Dixon developed and implemented a simulation experience for Penn State Schuylkill’s 2025 nursing cohort.
In fall 2024, the students participated in a realistic scenario involving a potential human trafficking victim in the emergency department. The exercise aimed to strengthen students’ ability to create a safe environment, communicate therapeutically, assess patients effectively, and connect them with appropriate resources.
“The students found great value in the educational simulation,” Dixon said. “They appreciated the opportunity to learn about this vulnerable population in a safe and supportive environment.” She added her heartfelt thanks to the 2025 nursing cohort for their support and participation: “It would not have happened without you all.”
“Koren’s promotion is a testament to her outstanding contributions to nursing education and her deep commitment to preparing students to recognize and respond to real-world public health issues,” said Cory Scherer, interim chancellor of Penn State Schuylkill. “She brings valuable clinical experience into the classroom and exemplifies what it means to be both a practitioner and an educator.”
Dixon lives in the Schuylkill County area with her husband, two daughters and two great danes.
