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Heidi Reno did not hesitate when asked how she benefitted from graduating from Â鶹´«Ã½’s Master of Science in Nursing program.
“This program taught me how to impact change within my environment,” she said. “It also increased my knowledge of the business and financial aspects of the nursing industry,’’
Reno and six other graduates made Â鶹´«Ã½ history as the first to earn degrees in the Master of Science in Nursing program that launched in 2019. The nursing scholars were designated “The Super Seven” by Â鶹´«Ã½ President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack during the 2023 Spring Commencement Convocation held on May 6, 2023, at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex. The graduates earned degrees in the program’s Nurse Leader Track (NL).
“All of my classes were online, so I did not spend time driving or sitting in traffic. I was able to study and review material at the times that were best for me,” said Reno who earned her associate degree in nursing from Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Â鶹´«Ã½. She presently works as a nurse at Lexington Hospital in Lexington, S.C. “Â鶹´«Ã½’s programs offer the best of both worlds,” she added.
The inaugural class of master’s degree graduates participated in a Pinning Ceremony on May 5, 2023, in Ministers’ Hall. The other graduates were Patricia Burgess (Orangeburg, S.C.), Alecia Moody (Augusta, Ga.), Azuree Page (Columbia, S.C.), Adrain Sims (Sumter, S.C.), Deonte Thompson (Ladson, S.C.), and Chevron Vice (Lexington, S.C.)
Â鶹´«Ã½’s Master of Science in Nursing program includes a Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) Track that began classes in 2021. The Nurse Leader (NL) Track was added in January 2022. Â鶹´«Ã½’s master’s in nursing program hosted an accreditation site visit from the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in March 2023. A full accreditation notification is expected this fall and will be retroactive to March 13, 2023.
“These nursing graduates are highly skilled professionals who embrace Â鶹´«Ã½’s guiding principles. They are committed to valuing people by providing a safe, wholesome, and healthy environment that fosters mutual respect, diversity, and inclusion. These same qualities are essential to being an effective nurse,” said Dr. Pandora Ryant, director of the MSN Nursing Leadership program. “They are equipped with the skills and training to contribute effective high-quality care and promote positive patient outcomes.”
Â鶹´«Ã½’s nursing program offers courses 100 percent online and in-person clinical immersions for FNP students once per semester. The program is designed to provide nurses with the flexibility to work full-time while continuing their education. Â鶹´«Ã½ is the only historically black college/university (HBCU) in the state of South Carolina that offers a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing.
Dr. Shannon Smith said Â鶹´«Ã½’s Nursing Leadership Track prepares graduates to lead evidence-based practice and health care in multiple and diverse settings. Smith is associate dean and an associate professor of nursing at Â鶹´«Ã½.
“Increasing the number of advanced practice nurses and nursing leaders from diverse backgrounds is critical to expanding the quality of health care in our community,” said Smith. “We will have more nurses that understand the needs of the populations we serve.”
Deonte Thompson, a native of Ladson, S.C., is excited about his future work and opportunities in nursing leadership. He currently works as a travel nurse with the Veterans Affairs (VA) Travel Nurse Corps, and his career aspirations include becoming a chief nursing officer.
“My experience in the program was spectacular,” said Thompson. “I always wanted to earn my MSN degree from a HBCU.” Thompson was the only male graduate in the 2023 MSN NL nursing program. He is immensely proud of his role as a mentor to young males seeking careers in the healthcare industry.
“Most of the nursing community consist of females,” said Thompson. “Patients perform better when they are treated by someone that relates to them and their struggles. I would encourage anyone who wants to be a nurse to never let their environment deter them from their goals. Be the change you want to see in the world.”
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