Position: Assistant Professor; Director of Clinical Education
Department: College of Healthcare Professions
Phone: 610-282-1100, x2857
Office: 207 Wills Hall
Education
Dr. Jennifer Howanitz is an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at DeSales University and a board‑certified specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy (ABPTS). She is an experienced clinician‑educator with more than 30 years of clinical experience across multiple healthcare settings and currently practices in inpatient acute care.
Dr. Howanitz’s clinical expertise includes the rehabilitation of older adults with neurocognitive disorders and individuals with oncologic diagnoses, informing her contributions to clinical education and student professional development.
As Director of Clinical Education, Dr. Howanitz oversees the coordination and development of clinical education experiences within the DPT curriculum. She cultivates partnerships with healthcare organizations to expand and strengthen clinical placements and supports clinical instructors through ongoing professional development and educational resources.
She contributes to the curriculum through teaching in Clinical Reasoning IV and coordination of a Special Populations course and provides lectures across the curriculum in her areas of expertise. She also serves as a faculty mentor across all four research courses, supporting student development in evidence‑based practice and clinical inquiry.
Dr. Howanitz is actively engaged in professional leadership and service. She is a member of the APTA Academies of Geriatrics, Education, and Oncology, and serves as Co‑Chair of the APTA Academy of Education’s Education and Leadership Conference. Her prior roles include Program Chair for the APTA Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, Chair of the Global Health for Aging Adults Special Interest Group, and Research Liaison for the Cognitive and Mental Health Special Interest Group within the Academy of Geriatrics. She has also contributed to the profession as an item writer for the geriatric specialist certification examination and as a reviewer for national conferences, including APTA Combined Sections Meeting and the APTA Pennsylvania Annual Conference.
Dr. Howanitz contributes to professional development and scholarship through national presentations and continuing education courses focused on geriatric and oncologic rehabilitation. Her scholarly work includes authorship and co‑authorship of publications addressing the role of neurocognitive impairment in rehabilitation, with current research interests focused on factors influencing DPT student development in clinical education, including self‑efficacy.
Her contributions to clinical care and professional service have been recognized with the Great Minds Award for Excellence in Dementia Care (2016). She is also an APTA Leadership Scholar (2024) and currently serves as a mentor within the APTA Leadership Scholars program.
Beyond her professional work, Dr. Howanitz is actively engaged in community service through organizations including the Sanctuary at Haafsville, St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, the Northwestern Lehigh School District, and Girls on the Run.
Through her combined roles in clinical practice, education, and professional leadership, Dr. Howanitz advances the program’s commitment to clinical excellence, professional development, and service‑oriented physical therapy education.