Story: Betsy Compton
The University of West Alabama has announced an expansion of one of its academic units with plans for continued growth.
At its quarterly meeting held in December, the University Board of Trustees approved a change of name for the Ira D. Pruitt Division of Nursing to the Ira D. Pruitt College of Nursing, effective immediately. Dr. Mary Hanks, who has led the division as chairperson since 2017, becomes the inaugural dean of the Ira D. Pruitt College of Nursing.
The announcement from UWA President Ken Tucker and UWA Provost Tina N. Jones highlighted milestone achievements for the thriving academic unit.
“The advancement of this academic unit from division to college reflects the expansion the division has experienced over several consecutive years, as well as its positioning to continue this upward trajectory for years to come,” they explained.
“When Dr. Hanks assumed leadership of Nursing in 2017, we set lofty goals for strengthening what was then an associate degree-awarding program,” Tucker said. “These overarching goals included increasing enrollment, adding new degree programs, increasing the number of terminal degrees among Nursing faculty, and improving graduates’ licensure exam pass rates—all of which have been surpassed.”
In 2021, Nursing welcomed its first cohort of bachelor’s degree-seeking nurses when the RN to BSN post-licensure program launched online. In the fall 2024 semester, the campus-based pre-licensure BSN program launched. Now, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) has approved UWA’s application for a Master of Science in Nursing, which is awaiting approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
“This growth is made possible by exceptional leadership and unmatched excellence among the dedicated faculty—over half holding doctoral degrees in nursing—who have nurtured the programs,” Tucker said.
An ultimate indicator of the caliber of education provided to UWA nursing students is the exceptionally high first-time pass rate among our graduates taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Since 2021, the pass rate for first-time testing UWA graduates has increased nearly 20 percentage points with an annual average of 94.4% of students passing the NCLEX upon graduating. This exam is the gold standard for nurses, no matter where their degree is from, and this is absolutely the highest mark of achievement for our nurses as they become licensed to enter their profession.
According to Jones, the former Division—having celebrated its 50th anniversary this year—has a long history of producing top quality nurses—more than 1,400 to date—who consistently serve our clinical affiliates with professionalism and distinction.
“The work toward these goals proves UWA a leader in nursing education as we not only align with regional and national trends but also have enhanced our institutional identity to attract more students, faculty, and funding opportunities,” Jones said. Click here to learn more on the Ira D. Pruitt College of Nursing at the University of West Alabama.