As we close out 2025, it is a time to reflect on the growth, resilience, and accomplishments that have defined our year at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University College of Nursing. Our students embraced challenges and seized opportunities with curiosity and compassion. Our faculty continued to innovate, inspire, and guide students to make meaningful contributions to healthcare. I am deeply grateful for the dedication of our students, faculty, staff, and supporters. May this holiday season bring joy and rest, and may the New Year bring continued growth, discovery, and shared success.
Student Success
Our nursing students achieved remarkable milestones this year. We celebrate 199 Honors College students who are balancing two rigorous programs with skill and dedication. Additionally, 48 students were inducted into the Delta Xi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the only international honor society for nurses. These students’ achievements reflect both scholarship and dedication to the profession.
Students expanded their perspectives through three global and cultural experiences this past year. Twelve students traveled to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, with Senior Lecturer and Campus Coordinator Lorene Martin, MSN, RN, CRNP, and Associate Lecturer Krista Hawkins, MSN, RN, engaging in community-focused health initiatives. Five graduate students and 15 undergraduate students studied abroad in London, England, with Dr. Curtis Good and Lecturer Taryn Burhanna, MSN, RN, gaining insights into international healthcare systems. Nineteen students, guided by Lecturer Jennifer Biggs, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CHSE, participated in a one-month interprofessional summer experience at the Florence Health Institute, where they toured health facilities and learned from experts.
Twenty-five students collaborated with faculty on research projects, applying evidence-based practice and contributing new knowledge to the nursing field. These experiences are laying a strong foundation for our students’ future contributions to healthcare.
Investing in Our Students
Supporting these transformative opportunities requires the commitment of our entire community. We are grateful to our generous donors whose support enhances our facilities and provides essential resources for students. This year, your contributions helped us raise $X,XXX through our Giving Tuesday campaign for the simulation lab, a testament to your investment in our students and programs.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate our first full year in the newly relocated Academic Advising Suite, which has created a welcoming and accessible space for students and advisors on the first floor of Henderson Hall. Looking ahead, we are in the planning stage of expanding our simulation facilities to better prepare students for clinical practice. The newly designed space will feature high-fidelity labs with lifelike manikins, dedicated nurse practitioner training areas, new debriefing and open lab spaces, and will double the number of simulation rooms from four to eight. These upgrades will support our growing student population and ensure graduates gain the hands-on experience required for modern healthcare while maintaining our high accreditation standards.
Expanding Access and Opportunity
Our commitment to student success extends to creating new pathways into nursing. Starting fall 2026, the new Foundational Entry Concentration will allow students without high school math, chemistry, or biology to pursue a BSN, completing these STEM prerequisites within the nursing program. This pathway is expected to add more than 125 first-year students annually and reflects our commitment to providing educational opportunities to students with varied backgrounds while maintaining our rigorous academic standards.
Faculty Excellence
The quality of our programs is built on the expertise and dedication of our faculty. We proudly recognize Jennifer Biggs, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CHSE, Kimberly Haag, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CCRN, and Laurie Robinson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, who recently earned their terminal degrees, strengthening the expertise and scholarship within our college and reflecting their personal dedication to professional growth and student success.
We are also proud to celebrate Tracy Dodson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CEN, associate professor and one of the inaugural recipients of the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award. Her compassionate, student-centered approach transforms complex course material into practical, engaging lessons, and her guidance continues to strengthen students' confidence and skills.
Lisa Davis, MSN, RN, lecturer, expanded student learning through the launch of her podcast Nursing Notes in a Flash, which provides quick, high-yield clinical insights that reinforce course content and support students wherever they are. Her approachable style, humor, and passion for nursing bring lessons to life in a relatable format.
Continuing this spirit of innovation, Janet Reed, Ph.D., RN, CMSRN, associate professor and five students participated in a groundbreaking interdisciplinary project using generative AI to explore the memories of older adults with chronic illnesses. The resulting exhibition, Transcending Barriers Beyond Time, showcased 42 AI-generated artworks and allowed the nursing students to gain hands-on research experience while deepening their empathy for older adults' unique needs.
Together, these accomplishments reflect the creativity, dedication, and compassion that define our college. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.
Best wishes of the season,
Dean Versie Johnson-Mallard, Ph.D., RN, APRN-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Dean and Professor, College of Nursing