SIUE School of Nursing

Community College Partnerships Offer Fast Track Options
Students Selected for Vanderbilt Residency
Students Spotlighted for Undergraduate Research
School Celebrates Record Donor Support, Dramatic Growth
School Hosts Inaugural Nurse Anesthesia White Coat Ceremony
School of Nursing Among College Factual’s Top 25 for Value
Alumni Association News and Events
SIUE Cougar Athletics
Personal and Professional Development Opportunities

Community College Partnerships Offer Fast Track Options

The School of Nursing has partnered with seven community colleges to offer an accelerated path to a bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) that would allow students to complete their general education courses at the community college, earning an associate’s in nursing, then complete their baccalaureate nursing coursework online through SIUE.

Students can take classes at community college for three years and begin a job in their profession, while working online to obtain their BSN from SIUE. In addition to the BSN completion program through this agreement, SIUE has offered to provide professional development for community college faculty, as well as planning for a healthcare and nursing administration track, and a nurse educator track for students interested in continuing their education for a master’s in nursing. This will assist colleges in the region with securing qualified nursing faculty.

Learn more about how the partnership benefits students in the region.

Students Selected for Vanderbilt Residency

Casey Ernfelt and Ania Szyfer

School of Nursing students Casey Ernfelt and Ania Szyfer have been selected for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nurse Residency Program. The duo was among a group of 300 selected from an applicant pool of 5,000.

“Ania and Casey were both confident and dedicated students, who provided quality care for their patients in the various clinicals,” said Melodie Rowbotham, PhD, RN, associate professor and director of the SIUE Regional Program in Carbondale. “They are engaged and enthusiastic about learning.”

Szyfer, a senior from Herrin, will be working on an acute medical unit, while Ernfelt, a senior from Marion, will be on an acute surgical unit.

Read more about the opportunity for these southern Illinois students.

Students Spotlighted for Undergraduate Research

URCA Nursing Students

SIUE’s unique and innovative Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program offers students the opportunity to dramatically impact their academic experiences. This spring, several nursing students were spotlighted for their research. The student projects:

School Celebrates Record Donor Support, Dramatic Growth

Annual Scholarship Luncheon

The School of Nursing had much to celebrate at its 12th Annual Scholarship Luncheon, including dramatic growth in enrollment and program development, thriving global initiatives, and national recognition for its high-quality programs and value.

Dean Laura Bernaix, PhD, RN, highlighted those accolades and more during the April event held in honor of donor generosity and student excellence. Nearly 45 students received scholarships, valued at nearly $44,000, an increase of approximately $13,000 over last year.

Read more about the scholarship luncheon.

School Hosts Inaugural Nurse Anesthesia White Coat Ceremony

White Coat Ceremony

The School of Nursing recognized 25 nurse anesthesia doctoral candidates for the hard work they have put into preparing for their clinical training with a White Coat Ceremony held in May. The students will graduate in 2021 as the School's third cohort of doctorally prepared nurse anesthetists.

“The White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage that serves to welcome students to healthcare practice and elevate the value of humanism as the core of healthcare,” said Kevin Stein, DNAP, CRNA, APRN, assistant professor and director of the anesthesia specialization.

Learn more about the White Coat Ceremony.

School of Nursing Among College Factual’s Top 25 for Value

College Factual’s 2019 Best Value Nursing Schools report ranks the SIUE School of Nursing 21st among 500 programs nationally as “Best for the Money.” SIUE also ranked second among the 20 schools in Illinois.

SIUE improved its ranking position 16 slots over the previous year’s #37 ranking. The School is in the top five percent of College Factual’s rankings nationally for value. See the full ranking of Best Nursing Schools for the Money. The rankings identify schools that provide an excellent education for an affordable price.

Learn more about the ranking.

Alumni Association News and Events

Homecoming 2019 

Save the date! September 27-28

SIUE Cougar Athletics

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Brad Hewitt Set to Retire

2019 Red and Black Benefit 
A record number of guests attended this year's benefit. See event photos here.

Personal and Professional Development Opportunities

Check out the Educational Outreach website to view our new offerings on the personal and professional development side for the summer semester. New course offerings include Spanish for Healthcare Professionals and Achieving Wellness in Everyday Life. New Professional Development offerings include Social Work: Critical Incident Debriefing. Sign up to receive a copy of our catalog by emailing outreach@siue.edu.