HEALTH SCIENCES
A Cornerstone
O F C O L L A B O R AT I O N The establishment of Samford’s College of Health Sciences transforms and expands the university’s approach to health care education. By Sara Roman
In 2013, Samford University announced the establishment of the College of Health Sciences, a bold initiative that combined the strengths of the long-established Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing and McWhorter School of Pharmacy, with two new schools: the School of Health Professions and the School of Public Health. Having one college serve as an umbrella for the four schools was the vision of Nena Sanders, former Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing dean and founding College of Health Sciences vice provost.
Sanders’ multifaceted career provided her with a unique viewpoint, understanding that interprofessional education would be transformative for Samford students interested in a career in today’s ever-evolving health care industry and its team-based approach to care. In 2006, Andrew Westmoreland was settling into his new role as university president when Sanders first approached him with the idea. “I recall him being supportive and excited about the idea’s potential, but he also felt the timing wasn’t right,” she said.
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