A Message from the Executive Director of Nursing
Dr. Chelsia Harris |
Dear Alumni and Friends,
As I reflect on this past year at our beloved School of Nursing, I am filled with gratitude and pride. Serving as your Executive Director is a profound honor, and I remain inspired by the spirit of excellence that defines our community of students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Our students continue to set an extraordinary standard. I’m thrilled to share that our December 2024 and May 2025 graduates achieved a 100% overall NCLEX-RN pass rate, with 97.1% passing on their very first attempt. This achievement reflects the remarkable diligence of our students and the unwavering commitment of our faculty to high-quality preparation and student support.
I’m equally proud that several of our graduates have been nominated for and received the prestigious Daisy Award—recognition that aligns beautifully with our mission and our core nursing value of compassion. Seeing our alumni honored for “extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care” affirms that we are sending forth nurses who embody both excellence and heart.
We were also blessed to receive two consecutive rural health investments: a $220,000 grant in 2025 and a $225,000 grant in 2026 from the TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Together, these grants strengthen our rural workforce development efforts and provide scholarships for future nurses called to serve in rural healthcare.
This year we also launched the LUSON Mobile Community Community Store, led by Dr. Roletha Pillow, expanding our outreach to neighbors in need and deepening students’ opportunities for service-based learning.
This spring, we also celebrated a new tradition: the inaugural Alumnus of the Year Award, presented during the May 2026 pinning ceremony. Because of the exceptional caliber of our nominees, we honored two remarkable recipients—Drs. Lacey Cross and Nhan Dinh—whose leadership, compassion, and professional excellence exemplify the very best of our mission. Please join me in congratulating them! I encourage you to nominate fellow alumni for next year’s award so we can continue recognizing those who inspire us all.
Beyond the accolades and statistics, I remain in awe of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni that God brings to our program. He is in complete control, and I continue to be humbled by His goodness and mercy in every season of our work together. To our alumni—your legacy is reaching far beyond our campus, shaping healthcare across the nation and around the world. Your impact in clinics, hospitals, classrooms, research centers, ministries, and mission fields is a powerful testimony to the calling we share.
Thank you for all the ways you champion this mission—through your service, mentorship, prayers, and the outstanding care you provide in your communities. Your accomplishments remain one of the clearest reflections of our program’s success. Please keep in touch and share your milestones with us; we love celebrating you. And please consider submitting nominations for next year’s Alumnus of the Year—let’s shine a light on the faithful, compassionate work of our community.
Never forget . . . God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
In Christ,
Dr. Harris