In the fall of 2019, UPIKE announced the addition of the College of Nursing and Human Services. The new college is home to both the Elliott School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. Nursing and social work share many commonalities with both careers having missions driven for social change in a very physical discipline with extensive field work. Pairing the similar fields of study will continue to strengthen their common goals of improving the quality of life for the communities in which they serve. “For many years now, the social work program has been growing and our graduates have been making a difference in communities across the nation,” said Associate Professor of Social Work and Chair of the School of Social Work Genesia Kilgore-Bowling, Ph.D. “The impact is undeniable and immeasurable, but we can do more.” With both programs on a steady incline in recent years, the new college will soon offer a master’s degree in social work and will begin classes in fall 2020. “We are growing,” said Dean of the College of Nursing and Human Services Karen Damron. “The school of nursing just enrolled its second expanded class and currently has 108 students in the associate degree program. We have 17 full-time RNs completing their bachelor’s degree in our online RN to BSN program and the social work program is adding a new online master’s degree in fall 2020!”
4
UPIKE MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019
