News

Beginning June 1, 2026, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) welcomes Tanya M. Sudia, Ph.D., R.N., FNAP, FAAN, Tenured Professor of Nursing and the 10th Dean in the legacy of leadership. She succeeds Linda Plank, Ph.D., R.N., NEA-BC.

Every spring, the Baylor Family bids happy retirement to professors and staff who have dedicated their professional lives to the university and its students. It’s always a bittersweet mix — sadness in seeing them go, happiness for a well-deserved next step — but we wish them all well in the next phase of their lives. Here, we honor some of the longest-serving and most recognizable professors who are retiring this year — men and women whose faces will be missed, but whose impact will not be forgotten: Dr. Gary Carini, Tom Featherston, Dr. Ann McGlashan, Billie Peterson-Lugo, Dr. Linda Plank, Lori Wrzesinski and Dr. Joe Yelderman

The LHSON congratulates Annie Abraham, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, Clinical Associate Professor and DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner Track Coordinator, who was named Nurse Leader of the Year by the Indian American Nurses Association of North Texas (IANANT) and was previously featured in the IANANT Spotlight. 

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2026 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on May 15, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. 

In honor of National Nurses Week, LHSON is proud to recognize Dr. Sheron Wagner, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, for being selected by the Texas Nurses Association as one of 25 Outstanding Texas Nurses for 2026. The annual award recognizes the contributions of 25 outstanding Texas registered nurses. Honorees are nurses who create a culture of care, nurses who play a vital role in supporting health and wellness, nurse innovators, community contributors and frontline heroes. 

During National Nurses Week, the LHSON recognized Linda Marler, RN, BSN, who is a registered nurse and North Region Coordinator of Animal Assisted Therapy for Baylor Scott & White Health. She also brings her therapy dogs to the LHSON before final exams quarterly to provide comfort to the nursing students. On May 12, Marler made one final visit to the LHSON before her retirement from BSWH after 39 years and the LHSON presented her with a certificate of appreciation. 

In the spirit of National Nurses Week and Mother’s Day, Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing highlights mother-daughter DNPs who lean into a different kind of care model. Taylor Houser, D.N.P. ’18, B.S.N. ’12, CNM, and her mother Carla Morrow, D.N.P. ’10, always dreamed about practicing together as nurse-midwives, making it a reality with their first practice in 2013.

Thank you for your patience as we worked to complete a new exam schedule. Baylor University has restored access to the Canvas system.  Exams (both finals and HESI)  will resume on Monday, May 11, 2026, under a revised schedule. 

Faculty & Staff- We will work together to ensure that all testing procedures follow our exam policy, including proctoring exams and OALA accommodations for students. 

Students- Please review your Level pages and look for announcements for your new schedule that includes exam dates, times, and locations.   

Please review the notice sent from the Office of the Provost as it relates to Technical Instructions.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing will follow the directions from the Office of the Provost related to the Canvas outage and will postpone all exams, including HESI exams, tomorrow, Friday, May 8, 2026.  We will wait to receive an update from the University when Canvas is safe to access, and we will reschedule the Friday exams as soon as possible.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing proudly celebrates the 100th birthday of Marie Chiles, longtime supporter of the nursing school and Baylor University. She currently serves on the LHSON Board of Advocates and has a passion for supporting aspiring nursing students who are dedicated to follow their calling to Learn. Lead and Serve. and be the hands of feet of Christ for their future patients and their families.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is pleased to announce that Baylor University is participating in a national research project approved for funding by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study new approaches to improving sleep and reducing delirium in critically ill adults.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted over 250 attendees, April 18-19, 2026 for the Consortium of Texas Certified Nurse Midwives (CTCNM) Annual Summit, the Texas affiliate of the national organization, American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM). CTCNM supports the advancement of midwifery in Texas while connecting with Certified Nurse-Midwives, students, educators and healthcare leaders from across the state. 

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) congratulates Dr. Karen J. Foli, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, Louise Herrington Endowed Chair for Mental Health Nursing and Tenured Professor at the LHSON, on being selected as one of 26 nurse researchers inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society (Sigma) International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. 

In the U.S. News Best Nursing Schools rankings, the Doctor of Nursing Practice program in Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas continued its rankings move, jumping another six places into the Top 40 nationally at No. 37.

She’s been called the “Mother Teresa of Bangalore,” and her lifetime of service is the subject of two books — a biography published in 2008, and a children’s book published in 2021.

But before the books, before the recognition, before the lifetime of service, Rebekah Ann Naylor (BA ’67) was a Baylor Bear. She graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1967, earning recognition as Baylor’s pre-med student of the year.

Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is honored to have two of its esteemed faculty members celebrated as D Magazine’s 2025 Excellence in Nursing award winners featured in the Education/Research category, to include:  Dr. Katy Vogelaar and Dr. Courtney Brandt. 

Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is proud to have more than twenty-six nurses recognized over the years as DFW Great 100 Nurses. For 2026, we congratulate another outstanding nurse leader, Dr. Melissa Hollis.

I am pleased to announce that Tanya M. Sudia, Ph.D., R.N., FNAP, FAAN, has been selected as Dean of Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing, effective June 1. Dr. Sudia will succeed Linda Plank, Ph.D. R.N., NEA-BC, who will retire this summer.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2025 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, December 19, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. Graduating students were from the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Distance Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (DABSN), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program. 

Whooping cough cases in the United States reached levels in 2025 far higher than before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. But social media posts recommending hydrogen peroxide as a remedy are misguided; the illness can be prevented with vaccination and fought with antibiotics, experts said, while the liquid composed of hydrogen and oxygen is an unproven and potentially dangerous treatment. Learn more.

The Center for Global Engagement at Baylor University recently launched the inaugural GLOBE Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to global engagement. During International Education Week (Nov. 10–14, 2025), BU honored one faculty member, staff member, and student whose work exemplified Baylor’s mission of integrating faith, learning, and service globally. The LHSON congratulates Dr. Lyn Prater for being the faculty member highlighted. 

BU is well-represented again on a prestigious list compiling the top 2% most-cited researchers in the world. In a database compiled by Stanford University, 42 current or retired Baylor faculty members appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields according to the standard Science-Metrix classification. The LHSON is proud to have Karen J. Foli, Ph.D., R.N., Louise Herrington Endowed Chair for Mental Health Nursing and Professor of Nursing highlighted.

The LHSON joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Endowed Scholarship Celebration Dinner. Hosted on Thursday, November 06, 2025 at the LHSON Academic Building, over 100 guests gathered for a heartfelt evening as five new endowment plaques were presented. The LHSON presented five plaques for new scholarship endowments that included: Hill Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, Generously Given by Shari and Terry Hill; Rev. Dr. Connie Cole Jeske and Dr. Leroy Jeske Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, Generously Given by Connie and Leroy Jeske; Kathleen Keenan Keys and Dennis Keys Endowed Scholarship For First Generation College Students in Nursing, Generously Given by Dennis and Kathleen Keys; Lindsay and Sam Loughlin Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, Generously Given by Lindsay and Sam Loughlin and Martha Painter Sheeder Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, Generously Given by Martha Painter Sheeder Family 

As reported by the Baptist Standard, Mahala Griffin-Halvorson, nursing student at Baylor, gave birth to her son, Hudson, 13 weeks early, while her husband, Caleb, was in the hospital from serious injuries fighting a fire.

On June 20 and again on September 3, 2025, a nursing student at the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) faced two life-changing medical miracles related to her newborn son and husband both fighting for their lives.  Mahala Griffin-Halvorson, who is in her final semester of nursing school at the LHSON in the Distance Accelerated Bachelor of Science (DABSN) program track, delivered her son, Hudson, 13 weeks early. While he was in the NICU at THR Alliance Hospital, her husband Caleb, a Fort Worth firefighter, was severely injured when a garage roof collapsed during a house fire. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries for burns and a serious knee injury, Caleb’s determination to recover was fueled by the hope of finally holding his newborn son. His resilience and the support from his fellow firefighters and family was a true inspiration. 

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Alumni Reunion. Hosted on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at the LHSON Academic Building, alums gathered for a buffet brunch and nursing showcase experience. Guests experienced first-hand our school motto: Learn.Lead.Serve.® in a modern and memorable way. Alums had the opportunity to stroll three floors of the nursing school with new and dear friends to experience interactive, inspiring and nostalgic nursing themes. Upon arrival, alums enjoyed shopping at two “pop-up” shops that included the Baylor Bookstore and Nikki Smith Designs, as well as posing for fun photo keepsakes at the photo booth. 

Baylor University’s first-year experiences for students jumped to No. 4 nationally while its learning communities landed in the Top 10 in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings – highlighting Baylor’s transformational undergraduate academic programs and experiences. Overall, Baylor moved up one place to No. 46 among the nation’s Top 50 private universities and to No. 88 among the Top 100 national universities, tied with eight other institutions. In addition to its Top 10 programs that enhance the student experience, U.S. News also ranked Baylor’s commitment to undergraduate teaching, campus innovation and undergraduate research/creative projects among the nation’s Top 40. Plus, Baylor’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing jumped 11 places into the Top 30 at No. 28.

On Thursday, September 18, 2025, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing participated for the thirteenth consecutive year in Communities Foundation of Texas’ annual North Texas Giving Day, designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and causes.  This year we surpassed our goal of $10,000 with 75 donors and are grateful for the generosity of 113 donors who gave to help LHSON raise $42,700 to support student scholarships.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2025 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on August 15, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. 

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is grateful for the investment from the Discovery Foundation in supporting the work of the nursing school to purchase one state-of-the-art R42 Bariatric simulator, one bed and one mattress. The Discovery Foundation has also graciously given the LHSON scholarship funds over the years.

Mercy Ships, a global nonprofit organization that delivers healthcare to communities in medical deserts by operating fully volunteer staffed hospital ships that provide free, life-changing surgeries and medical care, today announced the inaugural cohort of its mission-driven internship program, The Mercyship. This two-week international service-learning experience for nursing students will take place aboard the hospital ship Africa Mercy in Madagascar this Summer. Five exceptional students from Baylor University, Belmont Abbey College and Texas Christian University (TCU) have been selected to participate in the immersive opportunity combining clinical shadowing, spiritual reflection, and cultural exchange.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2025 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on May 16, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. 

Linda Plank, Ph.D., Dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing since 2021, announced today during a faculty meeting in Dallas that she plans to retire in Summer 2026. A nationwide search for the next Dean of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing will commence later this month.

Through this year’s theme of The Power of Nurses, National Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2025), Karen J. Foli, Ph.D., offers three suggestions for nurses to get support for substance use in healthcare organizations.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to share the news of its placement in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Graduate School rankings. 

Baylor University has a long tradition of training healthcare providers who influence how the best care is delivered to patients in Texas and beyond. For many Baylor alumni who become practitioners and leaders shaping the field of medicine, their careers can become callings, and often the Baylor experience makes all the difference in the work they do.  So often, family plays a pivotal role in an individual’s career choice. So it was with Tammy Rodriguez, D.N.P. ’22. 

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2024 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. Graduating students were from the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Distance Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Endowed Scholarship Celebration Dinner. Hosted on Thursday, November 07, 2024 at the LHSON Academic Building, over 120 guests gathered for a heartfelt evening as eight new endowment plaques were presented.

In this Baylor Connections episode, Dr. Karen Foli discusses a lifetime of addressing needs in nursing and examines her new role at Baylor.

On Friday, September 20, six faculty members of the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing participated in a BMI screening event with the International Leadership of Texas. The LHSON faculty supervised seven of its DNP students as they worked alongside undergraduate students in collecting BMIs on 963 children grades 3-12. 

National Healthcare Simulation Week, Sept. 16-20, celebrates healthcare simulations, which have been in use for around 20 years. The Louise Herrington School of Nursing shared their perspective on the importance of “SIMs” in the nursing school.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Alumni Reunion. Hosted on Saturday, September 07, 2024 at the LHSON Academic Building, over 75 alums gathered for a buffet brunch and nursing showcase experience. Guests experienced first-hand our school motto: Learn.Lead.Serve.® in a modern and memorable way. Alums had the opportunity to stroll three floors of the nursing school with new and dear friends to experience interactive, inspiring and nostalgic nursing themes.

As many Baylor Parents have experienced, it wasn’t until their daughter, Reese, was deep into her college search that Baylor became more than a name on a list for Ron and René Albee, of Spicewood, Texas. Reese determined in high school that she wanted to be a nurse. Baylor made the short list of schools, and it was during Reece’s first two years at the Waco campus that René and Ron had their first encounter with supporting scholarships at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON).

Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing, located in Dallas, appointed Dr. Karen Foli as the inaugural Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our August 2024 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on August 16, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at Fellowship Dallas, 9330 North Central Expressway, Dallas, Texas. 

Baylor University has announced the appointment of Karen J. Foli, Ph.D., RN, ANEF, FAAN, as the inaugural Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing, the first endowed chair position in the history of Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON). She comes to Baylor from the Purdue University School of Nursing and will begin her tenure with the LHSON on Aug. 1.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted its 2nd annual CompassRN Student Nurse Summer Camp on Wednesday, July 10 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. welcoming 30 campers (9th & 12th graders from local schools) plus four adult volunteers. The camp allowed students to hear from nursing faculty, nursing students and tour the LHSON and Clinical Simulation Building. They learned about nursing school programs and admission requirements and observed a few basic nursing skills in the simulation lab. The priority focus was on the campers engagement and interaction so they could gain an understanding of what it looks like to be in nursing school. 

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing celebrated the 15th anniversary of FastBacc®, a 12-month accelerated track for a post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Commemorating the milestone moment, a reception was held after the FastBacc® Summer 2024 White Coat Ceremony on Monday, July 8, 2024. The festivities, attended by many alumni and faculty, included recognition of key donors and past FastBacc coordinators.

The Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), Eta Gamma chapter, Honor Society of Nursing, at the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing, celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024. Established in 1984, student members are invited to join based on their academic achievements and leadership potential. Currently, there are 402 Eta Gamma chapter members. 

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2024 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, May 12, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas. Graduating students were from the Traditional track; FastBacc® track, DNP tracks, and our U.S. Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing, which is notably ranked #2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, LHSON’s Nurse-Midwifery program ranked No. 22 nationally and our DNP program ranked No. 66 in the Best Graduate Schools section.

Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is proud to have twenty-six nurses recognized over the years as DFW Great 100 Nurses. For 2024, we congratulate nurse leaders, Dr. Laura Zebreski (pictured) and Dr. Halli Carr. The prestigious event was held on May 03, 2024 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. As stated by the DFW Great 100 Nurses, more than 50,000 nurses practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and it helps raise the awareness of the contributions of nurses to patient care, research, leadership, education and community service.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is pleased to share the news of its placement in the U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) 2024-2025 Best Graduate School rankings. 

Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is honored to have two of its esteemed faculty members celebrated as D Magazine’s 2024 Excellence in Nursing award winners to include:  Dr. Janice Edmonson, DNP, MSN-CNS, APRN, CNE, Clinical Assistant Professor and Dr. Adrianne R. Duvall-Ingram, DNP, APRN, CNEcl, FNP-BC, Harris and Anne Clark FastBacc® Endowed Professor, FastBacc® Coordinator, Clinical Assistant Professor.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) congratulates Kathryn A. Osteen, PhD, RN, CMSRN, CNE on her appointment as Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Program and Clinical Associate Professor. Dr. Osteen will serve alongside Dr. Lisa Jones, also an Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Program, over all three tracks in the undergraduate program including: Traditional, FastBacc® and Distance Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (DABSN).

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2023 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas.

Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) congratulates Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing, Eta Gamma Chapter, for being selected as a 2023 recipient of the Chapter Key Award. The award recognizes chapters and chapter leaders for continued success in membership engagement and programming.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) located in Dallas, Texas is pleased to share that nursing’s undergraduate enrollment is reported as the highest undergraduate major at Baylor University. There are 126 undergraduate degree programs at Baylor.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is pleased to share the news of its placement in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) rankings as well as other Baylor ranking highlights. LHSON’s undergraduate nursing program moved up eight places to No. 31 in the U.S. News & World Report - 2024 Best Colleges Nationally. 

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Alumni Reunion. Hosted on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at the LHSON Academic Building, over 75 alums gathered for a heartfelt luncheon and fellowship.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2023 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted a Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on August 11, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing acknowledges the generosity of AMN Healthcare, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, which has recently established the AMN Healthcare Endowment for Faculty Development in Nursing.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted CompassRN Student Nurse Summer Camp on Friday, July 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. welcoming 30 campers (9th & 10th graders from local schools) plus four adult volunteers. The camp allowed students to hear from nursing faculty, nursing students and tour the LHSON and Clinical Simulation Building. They learned about nursing school programs and admission requirements and observed a few basic nursing skills in the simulation lab. The priority focus was on the campers engagement and interaction so they could gain an understanding of what it looks like to be in nursing school.

In June, Baylor University in Texas announced that its Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) received a $1.5 million donation from the family of the late Louise Herrington Ornelas — or Ms. Lou, as she was widely known on campus — to set up its first endowed chair, which will advocate for mental health training and student mental wellness.

The U.S. Army and Baylor University boast a long and proud history in health-related graduate education. This tradition continues with the five-year renewal of a program at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) in cooperation with the United States Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing (USAGPAN).

Baylor University recently announced it has received a $1.5 million gift to establish the first endowed chair in its Louise Herrington School of Nursing. Nursing school Dean Linda Plank said in an interview Baylor will create the Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health. Plank said there remains a critical shortage of mental health professionals, and the school has launched a national search to fill the new position. She said the chair “will have a research trajectory,” and will work closely with other disciplines at Baylor, including social work, health sciences and psychology.

The LHSON received great media coverage on Monday, June 19 from reporter, Hannah Hoover with KWKT Fox44 News about the Nursing schools recent gift of $1.5 million.

A $1.5 million gift from the family of Louise Herrington Ornelas to Baylor University will establish the first endowed chair position in the history of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing. The Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health will support research and teaching within the nursing school, with a special focus on the areas of mental and behavioral health research, including the need for more mental health professionals.

Supporting the efforts to fuel nursing education growth and help with the tremendous shortage of mental health providers here in Texas and the U.S., in August 2023, the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing will start a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner track within its Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate degree program.

Baylor University today announced a $1.5 million gift establishing the first endowed chair position in the history of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing from the family of the School’s namesake, Louise Herrington Ornelas. The Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health will support innovative research and teaching within the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, with a special focus on the areas of mental and behavioral health research, including the need for more mental health professionals.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is proud to recognize its 2023-2024 nurse faculty level coordinators for LHSON Undergraduate and Graduate Programs.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) congratulates Lori Spies, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-C, FAANP and Marie Lindley, Ph.D., RN, CNE for being recognized by Texas Nurses Association (TNA) as “25 Outstanding Texas Nurses for 2023.” The annual award recognizes nurses who excelled, innovated, and went above and beyond in the previous year. Nurses who have made a difference can be nominated by their peers, community, friends, family or employers for a variety of reasons. Honorees are nurses who create a culture of care, nurses who play a vital role in supporting health and wellness, nurse innovators, community contributors, and frontline heroes.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2023 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on May 12, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing congratulates Shirley Marion, DNP, CNM, APRN, Clinical Assistant Professor, DNP Faculty, on being named the new Midwifery Track Coordinator as of May 1, 2023. Dr. Marion follows in the footsteps of Dr. Jennifer Hensley who served five years at Baylor University LHSON as a revered Clinical Professor and DNP-NM Specialty Track Coordinator.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing congratulates Dr. Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN, Clinical Professor of Nursing at the LHSON, on receiving the Loretta C. Ford Distinguished NP Award from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to share the news of its placement in the U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) 2024 Best Graduate School rankings.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to welcome Ms. Jerchel Anderson, EMBA, who has been named Business Officer at Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON). Ms. Anderson is a financial professional with over 20 years of experience as a financial administrator and accountant. She began at the LHSON on March 20, 2023.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) has received a five-year renewal of its program in cooperation with the United States Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing (USAGPAN).

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing congratulates Brandy Brown, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC on her appointment as Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Program and Clinical Assistant Professor. As Dr. Brown transitions to the LHSON Leadership team, Kristi Calloway, PhD, RN, CNE, will become the second coordinator for the DABSN track. In addition, the LHSON is pleased to announce that Dr. Amy Anderson, DNP, RN, CNE, FAAN has accepted the appointment of Global Initiatives Coordinator for LHSON. We are also happy to welcome Kristen Westmoreland, MSN, RNC-NIC as a new RN Simulation Educator.

Baylor University announced the recipients of the 2023 Baylor Alumni Awards, which honor individuals who embody the distinctive mission of the University and their remarkable achievements. The Merrie Beckham Alumni By Choice of the Year, is presented to an individual who was previously nominated and selected as an Alumni By Choice recipient and who has achieved distinction through exceptional contribution to Baylor’s international, national, state or community welfare. The 2023 honor is awarded to Marie E. Chiles of Dallas.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2022 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on December 16, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas.

Bears Helping Hearts (BHH), a student organization at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, is open to any nursing students interested in learning about congenital heart disease and defects. Until Dec. 6, BHH and the Children’s Heart Foundation are hosting a toy drive for Medical City Children’s Hospital, specifically for children in congenital heart units.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of its Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Program and Clinical Assistant Professor Karen Cotter, Ph.D., RN, CNE.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing joined together in celebration of its annual LHSON Alumni Reunion. Hosted on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the Academic Building, over 75 alums gathered for a luncheon and fellowship and shopping.

To increase awareness among the public of the importance of simulation to healthcare, the fourth annual global Healthcare Simulation Week is September 13-16, 2022, sponsored by Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Healthcare Simulation Week celebrates professionals who use healthcare simulation to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of healthcare delivery.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to share the news of its placement in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings as well as other Baylor ranking highlights. LHSON’s undergraduate nursing program is now at No. 39 in the U.S. News national rankings, moving up from No. 58. Additionally, for the 11th time, Baylor University has attained elite Honor Roll status as a 2022 Great Colleges to Work For, according to a new survey by The Great Colleges to Work For program.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing in partnership with Austin Street Center hosted a “Living Your Best Life” Health Fair on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The health fair was hosted at Austin Street Center for Community Engagement, 1717 Jeffries, St., Dallas, TX 75226.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to welcome four new Associate Deans to take the helm in Fall 2022 including: Dr. Lisa Jones, Associate Dean for the Pre-Licensure Programs; Dr. Deborah Petty, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Dr. Deborah Shirey and Dr. Stacia Hays, Associate Deans for the Online Graduate Programs.

The Louise Herrington School of Nursing’s Dr. Shelby Garner, PhD, RN, CNE, Associate Professor, has been selected for induction as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing for her significant contributions in advancing the science of global health and building healthcare simulation capacity in India.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to host the 12th Annual SimGHOSTS USA 2022, August 2 - 5, 2022. Approximately 250 simulation professionals will be attending from across the globe (Canada, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, New Zealand, etc.) and 39 of the 50 United States. The theme for this year’s conference is, Embracing Connection: Creativity and Community in a Changing World.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing is pleased to welcome four new staff members to LHSON Simulation including: Shopha Tserotas, Melissa Malone, Amanda Callahan and Chloe Silcox.

Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is proud to have twenty-three nurses recognized over the years as DFW Great 100 Nurses. For 2022, we congratulate Jessica L. Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN, Clinical Professor and Jane Price, MSN, RN, CNE, Clinical Assistant Professor.

In the spirit of commemorating the success of our 2022 graduates, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) hosted its Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on May 13, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, Texas.

On Saturday, April 30, 2022, The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON), hosted 600 guests at The Dallas Renaissance for its 10th and final Going for the Gold Gala, raising over $1 million. Since the inaugural gala in 2014, the Gala has become a transformational fundraising event providing critical resources for the nursing school and its students.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is pleased to welcome Keith Wickliffe, EdD as the new Director of Student Services.

The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is pleased to welcome Baylor alum, Sarah Beth Rogers, as the new Events Coordinator. Her responsibilities include coordination of all LHSON events through collaboration with volunteers, faculty, students and community vendors to conceptualize, plan and implement internal and external events.

On Monday, February 28, 2022, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) collaborated with UT Southwestern Medical Center Emergency Medicine and Hiroshima University (Japan) to host, “COVID-19 and Public Health System Resilience Workshop” with facilitators, Drs. Andrew Stricklin, UTSW and Benjamin Ryan, Baylor University. The workshop is part of a broader research project titled, “Systematically Identifying and Evaluating Strategies for Strengthening Community Resilience,” funded by the World Health Organization (WHO) which has Baylor University and Hiroshima University working in partnership with colleagues to conduct workshops in six countries that include: Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, Slovenia, Turkey and the United States.

Baylor FastBacc nursing students went outside of the requirements for their community clinical to create a cookbook for a group of women in a homeless shelter.

Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) went back to in-person instruction on Thursday, January 20 after a power outage caused by a transformer explosion. On Tuesday, January 18, the LHSON had to go fully online for the first two days of the spring semester after a transformer exploded that morning and resulted in the entire building running out of power.

The LHSON celebrates the USAID Mission projects in India with the inauguration of two centres: Women and Children’s Healthcare and Research Centre and the Living and Learning Centre with Smart Classrooms.

Baylor University today announced a gift of $1.5 million from the Deerbrook Charitable Trust of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Harris and Anne Clark of Dallas to establish the Louise Herrington School of Nursing’s (LHSON) first endowed faculty position. The Harris and Anne Clark FastBacc Endowed Professorship will provide permanent, enduring support for the FastBacc program, a 12-month accelerated post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.