Fort Valley State University is accepting applications for the inaugural class of its new nursing program, which has been approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing.
The four-year pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program will start in August 2023 and will include a cohort of 40 students, according to director of nursing Lawanda Greene. “We plan to increase that by 20 for the second cohort which would be in 2024,” she told WMAZ.
FVSU is only the second HBCU in Georgia to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing degree.
According to the university, the program aims to address the critical need for nurses in rural Georgia.
“I am excited that we have reached this milestone, and we are ready to empower future scholars to serve,” said Inaugural Program Director of Nursing Lawanda Greene, DNP. “FVSU’s program will focus on decreasing health disparities in rural and underserved areas.”
FVSU’s Nursing department will be housed in Meyers Hall. The newly renovated facility will include simulation rooms, nursing skills labs, conference and computer rooms, a student lounge, and office space.
Greene and a team of four other faculty and staff members will serve as instructors and support staff for the program.
“The nursing program at FVSU prepares students to enter this very much-needed, challenging profession with critical-thinking skills, knowledge, theory, and evidence-based practice to deliver health care for individuals, families, and communities,” said Fares Howari, Ph.D., dean of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences. “This is an exciting time to join Fort Valley State University.”
The school is taking applications for the program’s first class now through March 1.
