Deborah Walker McCall is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Academic Foundations Center (AFC) and the Director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program at Rutgers University-Newark campus. She is the past Assistant Dean/Director for the College of Nursing EOF (CN-EOF) program and the past Director for the Rutgers College of Nursing Minority Nurse Leadership Institute. In her role as Associate Dean /Director of the Academic Foundations Center, she works to provide educational opportunities, resources, and academic support programs for underrepresented students in grade school through college to achieve success through education.
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Deborah Walker McCall graduated Magna Cum Laude from Rutgers College of Nursing, where she was the first African-American to receive the college’s Outstanding Senior Nursing Student Award. She went on to obtain a MBA in Marketing and Marketing Research from Rutgers Graduate School of Management, which she used to gain experience in corporate America. Dean Walker McCall has a background in critical care nursing, medical marketing research, hospital/nursing administration, and education. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, for her commitment to social justice and education, the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund Professional Association – Best Innovative Practice Recognition for the College of Nursing EOF program, the Rutgers Newark Campus – Office of Student Life and Leadership – Outstanding Commitment and Dedication Award and the Woman of Inspiration Award, the Rutgers University President’s Recognition Award, the Nurse of the Year Award, the New Jersey League for Nursing 2009 Nurse Recognition Award and the Outstanding Nurse Educator Award to name a few.
Dean Walker McCall has presented in various venues and has nearly three (3) million dollars in program grant funding. She is a member of several organizations and sits on numerous boards, steering committees and executive councils
Happily married for 25 years with three lovely daughters. Dean Walker McCall summarizes her philosophy on life as follows. “I come from a long line of short, spit-fire Baptist women who constantly instilled in me the belief that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens me. I had a loving and wise mother, a strong and supportive father, three wonderful brothers, a loving husband, and amazing step parents who have consistently believed in me. The grace and mercy of God along with the unwavering support and guidance from a host of mentors, family, and friends has kept me honest, grounded, humble and secure. I truly believe, with God, family, education, and determination, the sky is the limit and all we have to do is work hard and believe, the achievements will follow.”