College of Nursing Welcomes New Dean

from ETSU Today - Winter 2022

Equity and Inclusion Conference

As the new Dean of the ETSU College of Nursing, Dr. Leann Horsley brings more than 30 years of experience in nursing, nurse education, and health care simulation.

Before beginning her role at ETSU on August 16, 2021, Horsley served as an assistant dean, associate professor, and interim director for the Healthcare Simulation Center (HCSC) at South Dakota State University College of Nursing, the state’s land grant institution with the largest and most comprehensive nursing education programs. She has held many roles throughout her career, but her best memories involve helping students succeed.

“The highlights of my career as a nurse educator have always been when the ‘lightbulb’ goes off in a student’s head, when students begin to synthesize information to solve complex problems,” she said. “Now it is when I see our current nursing educators assisting students to reach their maximum potential as nurses who will impact many lives.”

Horsley’s own path to a career in nursing began when she was in high school.

“I had a close family friend who was three years older than I was, and she was very influential in my early academic career path,” Horsley said. “As she was in nursing school, I would hear about all that she was learning and the impact she was having on the lives of others. I wanted to be able to have that same positive impact on others.”

Horsley completed her B.S.N. in 1990 and an M.S. in nursing education in 2005 from the University of Oklahoma. In 2012, she received her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Kansas.

As a nurse, she served in medical/ surgical, critical care, and emergency/ trauma care, laying the groundwork for the progression of her career into higher education. “As a nurse, I have always provided education to patients, families, and nursing students, but I formally became a nurse educator in the spring of 2006 when I accepted a position at Tulsa Community College in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” she said.

Throughout her career, Horsley has maintained an interest in health care simulation, beginning in 2004 while she was at the University of Oklahoma.

“Simulation is an instructional strategy used during experiential learning,” she said. “My knowledge and experience with this pedagogy grew into a program of research involving interprofessional education and collaborative practice.”

While at SDSU College of Nursing, Horsley provided the leadership and oversight of all faculty, staff, and educational experiences at the Sioux Falls campus, located 55 miles south of SDSU’s main campus in Brookings. She was appointed to lead the HCSC as interim director, providing leadership for 25 facilitators in the university’s comprehensive simulation program that earned provisional accreditation through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in 2018.

She also served as lead nurse planner for the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, and in 2019, she was elected to a two-year term as the vice president for programs on the board of directors for the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.

Horsley has participated in two leadership development programs that have provided a strong foundation for her as a leader. From 2014-2015, she was a scholar in Sigma Theta Tau International’s Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy. More recently, she completed the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing program, specifically designed for aspiring deans and faculty in a leadership role who desire to advance to the next level of leadership.

“The ETSU College of Nursing is a leader in the state for preparing nurses, advanced practice nurses, and nurse educators, and the school is also a national model in the arena of faculty practice and delivering care to underserved populations,” said ETSU Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle. “Dr. Horsley was chosen from a field of outstanding candidates, and we were very impressed by her vision for the ETSU College of Nursing. I look forward to working with her as we continue the work of the college, which has been training nurses for more than 60 years.”

PHOTO BY CHARLIE WARDEN

Melissa Nipper is Director of Marketing and Communications in the Office of University Marketing and Communications.

‘BUCKY’S BIG TOP CARNIVAL’: ETSU HOMECOMING MAKES A JUBILANT RETURN TO FALL

PHOTO BY CHARLIE WARDEN

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to push the 2020-21 academic year Homecoming to spring 2021, East Tennessee State University students and alumni alike were thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate Homecoming in the fall semester once again.

“I think this Homecoming, coming back from a COVID spring celebration, was so exciting for everyone! Students were eager to get involved, and there was a sense of normalcy after missing out on so many other opportunities,” said Sadie King, Student Government Association Secretary of State. “I am so happy that everyone got to come together and participate in a traditional fall Homecoming.”

Once again nestled in the red, orange, and yellow hues of Appalachian fall, Homecoming was held from November 1-7. In contrast to the previous Homecoming, this fall’s events allowed for in-person participation for all. While face masks were required for events being held indoors, the bustling atmosphere from attendees excited to take that next step into normalcy was nearly tangible.

“After the limited participation during the spring Homecoming due to safety restrictions, I think students were really primed to enjoy a full range of activities this fall,” said Carter Warden, Director of Student Organizations and Activities. “The weather was absolutely fantastic for the festive kick-off events for the carnival and the pep rally, but that dunking booth was still cold.”

Participation in the events was up compared to last spring’s Homecoming; events like the carnival and pep rally saw student attendance in the hundreds. Other events included blood drives, a skit night, a comedy show, a fashion show, and an event named “Light Up Night,” in which campus icon Brendon “Light Up Guy” Tiggs hosted his last campus performance. A massive 90-foot-tall Ferris wheel was one of the main features of Homecoming, giving attending community members the opportunity to witness breathtaking aerial views of ETSU.

“We had considered bringing a Ferris wheel to campus in previous years,” said Warden. “However, considering the theme for this year, we were absolutely determined to make it happen. I’m so glad that we were able to. In just over two

After forgoing a football game last spring, ETSU hosted its Homecoming game against the Virginia Military Institute and came away with a 27-20 victory in front of a record crowd of approximately 10,416. POLO (Preview and Orientation Leader Organization) member and Kappa Delta active Trinity Owens was crowned Homecoming Queen, and Sigma Chi’s Cody Allen was crowned Homecoming King. The overall Homecoming point champions were Circle K International, Black Affairs Association, and POLO.

“It was very special to see the Homecoming celebration return to the fall semester,” said ETSU alumnus and staff member Jacob Bilek. “I’m still in awe at the amount of work the Student Government Association must have put into it. The events came together beautifully, and in such a short amount of time. Normally, they have an entire year to prepare something of that magnitude. Organizers this year only had half of that, and it was incredibly done.”