As we step into the new year, there is a feeling of gratification and optimism because of the impact made by the College of Nursing in 2022. Let's reflect on our teaching, research, and practice of innovation as we serve our state, the nation, and the world. 

Rise in National Rankings 

• The College of Nursing was ranked No. 1 in graduate online nursing programs overall and No.1 for veterans and No. 9 in Nursing Administration by U.S. News & World Report 2022 Rankings.
• The College of Nursing recognized for its second Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.

Public-private partnership with Lexington Medical Center 

• 50,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility, doubling the college's footprint
• Clinical immersions for nurse practitioner students
• New simulation center
• First cohort Fall 2024
• Anticipate groundbreaking in February 2023
• Plan to grow pre-licensure nurses to 400 graduates/year

Student Success 

• BSN program remained in the top 1% in the country for NCLEX 
  First MEPN Cohort graduated.
• AGACNP and FNP programs remained at 97-100% first-time pass rates
• BlueCross BlueShield SC Foundation awarded a $1.2 million grant for a Faculty Pipeline Program to create a residency-like program for doctoral students who aspire to serve as faculty.
• ANEW Fellows program provides $2.4 million in HRSA funding to increase the number of nurse practitioner students trained in rural, underserved areas in South Carolina while increasing the diversity of the FNP student population and FNP workforce.
• Prisma Healthcare provides scholarships to support student learning, enhance the student experience and prepare our students for the nursing workforce.

Faculty Wins 

We celebrated our faculty's commitment to research and the recognition they received nationally from prestigious organizations. 

• 10 new faculty members were hired
• 8 Endowed Professorships
• 30% of faulty hold distinguished national fellowships 

Alumni Recognition 

• Lauren Booth and Xavier Pollard were selected as 2022 College of Nursing alumni awardees
• 13 new alumni council members
• Alumna is a top 25 Woman Finisher in the 2022 New York City Marathon

Milestones

• Verizon partnership - testing how 5G can enhance emergency response by enabling remote health monitoring and real-time analysis of patient vitals, as well as hospital connected asset management, to streamline asset retrieval and dispatch operations. 
• FIRST Program-  a partnership with Arnold School of Public Health, recruiting diverse faculty with $13.2 million NIH grant whose work focuses on health disparities and equity.
• Perinatal, Pediatrics, and Family Research Center (PPFRC) - a new center developed to improve health and wellbeing for families through collaborative research and innovation. It is the only center amongst peer institutions conducting this research.

We say hello to 2023 after a year of advancement and achievement at the College of Nursing as we come together in the pursuit of excellence.