Dillard University to offer masters degree in Nursing
9th January 2023 · 0 Comments
By Zoe Trask
Contributing Writer
For the first time in its history, Dillard University, a private historically Black college, plans to offer graduate education starting in Fall 2023.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the accrediting body for higher education for the Southern region, officially designated Dillard with the approval on Dec. 7.
Since the university’s founding in 1869, Dillard has only offered undergraduate programs. A century later, Dillard will finally have the ability to offer graduate courses and administer master’s degrees, which will raise its ranking from a Level II to a Level III degree serving institution. The school’s new leadership – under its new president Dr. Rochelle Ford – hopes that the milestone will help to advance the HBCU, but that it will also allow students to expand their education while remaining at Dillard after graduation.
“The first step was to make sure that we had the resources,” said Mablene Krueger, Dillard’s interim provost and senior vice president. Kruegar added that in order to properly equip students for the workforce, the need for graduate education was at an all-time high. “When you look at other Historically Black Universities that offer the master’s credential, there aren’t that many,” she said.
Dillard intends to commence its graduate education by offering a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). This will be the university’s first master’s degree program, which is reflective of the College of Nursing’s strength. In Fall 2022, the university submitted an application for graduate level education to the SACSCOC. Although this may seem as if it was a quick process, Krueger said that initiating this course of action took several years to accomplish.
“The process began with the facility developing a good plan, a proposal, and bringing it forward to the approval process,” Krueger said. “Nursing made the most sense for us to begin for a number of reasons.”
Dillard had long established its reputation in the city for its undergraduate nursing program. According to the university, the College of Nursing has hit several milestones, including its 80th anniversary in October 2022. The college is fully approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) and its authorization with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) will be upheld until 2025. Since its restructuring in 2017, the college continues to produce high academic achievements. In 2021, Dillard nursing graduates that took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) passed with 100 percent.
The legacy of the College of Nursing is only growing stronger, administrators said. Not only does this milestone impact Dillard’s reputation, but it also provides paths for current students. A’Miya Harris, a junior nursing major, said that she is appreciative of the option to earn a master’s at Dillard, especially for those that want to remain at an HBCU.
Until now, “you had to go somewhere else for graduate education,” Harris said. “Now that Dillard offers the master’s program, it encourages former students to come back and earn their degree,” she added.
For years, Dillard’s nursing students who wanted to pursue their master’s were forced to attend other schools, including predominantly white institutions (PWI). Now, those students have the chance to continue experiencing their HBCU culture at Dillard.
Harris’ excitement and gratitude about the opportunity circles back to her motivation to become a nurse. As an ambitious young Black woman, she knew that nursing was the perfect path for her to take.
“I knew that I had a caring heart,” Harris said. “Nursing was the only option where I saw myself career-wise,” she added.
When it comes to biomedical professionals, African Americans continue to remain an underrepresented group among health-related careers. In a 2020 survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers, nurses that identify as “persons of color” represent 19.4 percent of the registered nurse (RN) field. More specifically, African Americans make up 6.7 percent of the RN population, compared to their white counterparts at 80.6 percent. While the healthcare industry, with support from federal programs, pushes for more inclusivity and equity in medical fields, the workforce is still a long way from following suit.
“It’s very important that we continue to develop healthcare officials that can not only treat our community, but serve as ambassadors to the rest of the nation,” said Blair Condoll, a political science assistant professor at Dillard who shared that he believed the university is efficiently preparing aspiring healthcare professionals for success in the workforce.
As more HBCUs continue to find ways to remain competitive for the future, administrators hope to ensure the door of possibilities for Dillard’s future remains wide open. Although the Master of Science in Nursing is the first master’s program, the institution intends for it to be the start of preparing the university for its next century. Additional master’s degrees are under consideration and more programs are anticipated. As a professor, Condoll said he supports this step towards the growth of the university and sustaining its substantial legacy.
“For a 153-year-old HBCU like Dillard University, this is a tremendous step into the next generation,” Condoll said.
This article originally published in the January 9, 2023 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
