Applications Open Today for 19th year of FastBacc®
The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) is excited to open applications today at https://www.nursingcas.org for the 19th year of FastBacc®, a 12-month accelerated track for a post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
“We believe that nursing is more than just a profession but a lifetime calling to make a genuine difference,” said Lisa M. Jones, DNP, MPH, RN, CNEcl, CHES®, Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Pre-Licensure Program, LHSON. “Our school is unlike any other in that we truly consider ourselves called to prepare nurses through the integration of faith and excellent academics. Being a Baylor nurse means our graduates strive to be the hands and feet of Christ for those who are hurting or in need of comfort.”
Established in 2009, FastBacc celebrates 855 total graduates to date with a robust cohort expected this fall. Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline and are admitted to the FastBacc program will complete 62 hours of nursing course work for the bachelor's degree in nursing on the Dallas campus. This is an exciting, intensive, full-time, in person program that begins each summer with a combination of teaching methodologies including traditional classroom, online courses, clinical and lab experiences and hybrid interactive learning. Program completion leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, preparation for the NCLEX-RN exam, and a bright future with graduate nurse job and nurse residency offers.
FastBacc 2024 alum, Lauren Beury, received the 2026 DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, honoring nurses internationally in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Lauren was recognized for advocating for a pediatric patient's care to be escalated due to his quick decline. Lauren’s care helped make a difference for the patient to ultimately achieve a full recovery.
“FastBacc taught me to be more than a task-oriented nurse. Its emphasis on critical thinking, looking at the whole patient, and understanding the ‘why’ behind what I am seeing and doing prepared me as a trauma ER nurse,” said Lauren. “I learned to recognize subtle changes in a patient’s condition, anticipate potential complications, and use my clinical judgment to determine what a patient may need next,” she said “It also taught me the importance of going above and beyond and not only looking and assessing my patients but truly listening to them, understanding their concerns, and making sure their needs are addressed. Most importantly, nursing school taught me to be a strong patient advocate—to speak up, ask questions and effectively communicate concerns with the healthcare team, especially when patients can't do so themselves. Those lessons have shaped the way I practice nursing and have helped me provide safe, compassionate, and patient-centered care,” said Lauren.
“The FastBacc program is uniquely designed for students wanting rigorous academics paired with a Christian mission,” said Beth L Hultquist PhD, RN, CNE, Harris and Anne Clark, FastBacc Endowed Professor, FastBacc Coordinator, Clinical Associate Professor, LHSON. “Baylor nursing is a renowned program and while FastBacc is rigorous beyond words, there's truth behind ‘you can do anything for 12 months’. Our FastBacc students bring life experiences and a previous degree to their nursing practice. Our graduates excel in their career because of the FastBacc experience paired with a critical thinking mindset. Lauren is a perfect example of this as she realized her patient needed her to advocate for care!”
The LHSON is grateful for donors who help provide scholarships and program support. In fact, in 2009 a gift from Deerbrook Charitable Trust of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Harris and Anne Clark of Dallas helped to establish the FastBacc program. The first cohort of 16 students graduated in 2010 and the program has shown significant growth over the last 19 years with a total of 855 graduates.
Further sustaining the pacesetter program, FastBacc also received a gift of $1.5 million on December 9, 2021 from the Deerbrook Charitable Trust of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Harris and Anne Clark of Dallas to establish the LHSON’s first endowed faculty position. The Harris and Anne Clark FastBacc Endowed Professorship provides permanent, enduring support for the FastBacc program. Harris and Anne Clark previously supported the FastBacc program and LHSON through the establishment of several endowed scholarships. Knowing that FastBacc students have access to fewer financial assistance opportunities due to the nature of their status as degree-holding students, the Clarks also created an emergency fund to support them during their time at Baylor.
“We are continually blessed by Harris and Anne’s incredible support of the FastBacc program and our nursing students,” said Tanya Sudia, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, Dean and Professor, LHSON. “Our Baylor nurses have been called to learn, lead and serve in their communities, and I am grateful for those wh o are helping them answer that call.
To learn more about FastBacc click here. To apply online visit, https://www.nursingcas.org.
About Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing
The Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON), located in Dallas, was established in 1909 as a diploma program within Baylor Hospital in Dallas, which is now Baylor Scott & White Health’s Baylor University Medical Center, and in 1950 became one of the six degree-granting schools of Baylor University. The first Baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1952, establishing the School among the earliest baccalaureate nursing programs in Texas. In 1999, the School was renamed the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing after Louise Herrington Ornelas, a 1992 Baylor Alumna Honoris Causa, who made an endowment gift to the School. The LHSON offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees through Traditional, FastBacc® (one-year accelerated) and Distance Accelerated BSN programs. Plus, the LHSON offers an online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program with tracks that include Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Executive Nurse Leadership and U.S. Army Anesthesia Nursing (USAGPAN). Notably in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, Baylor’s BSN program jumped into the Top 30 at No. 28, while RegisteredNursing.org ranked the Best Accelerated BSN Programs No. 2 in Texas. The latest 2026 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings list several LHSON programs, including the DNP program at No. 37 nationally. The DNP-Nurse Midwifery program track is in the Top 20 at No. 16 and The U.S. Army-Baylor graduate program in anesthesia nursing (USAGPAN), which operates at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence at Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, is ranked in the Top 10 to No. 3 nationally. To learn more, www.baylor.edu/nursing
About Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more, www.baylor.edu.