91ÁÔÆæ produces 76 fall BSN graduates
Article By: Agnes Hina
With the urgent need for health care professionals in northeast Georgia, the University of North Georgia (91ÁÔÆæ) is producing a growing number of new leaders in the nursing career path.
"The 91ÁÔÆæ Nursing Department provides expert faculty, state-of-the-art simulation and hands-on clinical experience at an affordable price," Dr. Heather Harris, Nursing Department head, said. "With the highest NCLEX pass rate in the state of Georgia over the last four years, 91ÁÔÆæ is one of the best values in nursing education in the region."
The pathway has often been seen as one of the most challenging, and that is without the external factors most students face.
Sophia Coarsey is no stranger to adversity. She started her college education at the University of Georgia in 2016 before fully transferring to 91ÁÔÆæ in January 2022 to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The change came after learning of her seizure disorder, epilepsy.
Despite the challenges she faced with her condition, the Suwanee, Georgia, resident pushed through to complete her BSN as the first student to do so with a service dog. Coarsey, an avid reader, has been interested in the field since the fifth grade and was one of 76 BSN students who were pinned and graduated on Dec. 16 from 91ÁÔÆæ.
She plans to work at Northside Hospital's operating room in Lawrenceville, Georgia. She shared that her disability inspired her to keep at her health care dream.
The 91ÁÔÆæ Nursing Department provides expert faculty, state-of-the-art simulation and hands-on clinical experience at an affordable price. With the highest NCLEX pass rate in the state of Georgia over the last four years, 91ÁÔÆæ is one of the best values in nursing education in the region.
Dr. Heather Harris
Nursing Department head
"Epilepsy may not be visible, but I've had my health concerns. So, it's inspiring to be that groundbreaker," Coarsey said.
Her medical alert service dog, Jake, has been by her side since 2018. He quickly became a familiar face in the Gainesville Campus Health Sciences building, acting as an unofficial mascot for the December 2023 cohort. He attended every class, clinical and lab by her side.
Coarsey hopes to serve as motivation for others and credits 91ÁÔÆæ with teaching her important lessons that she cherishes. Knowing before starting the program about the potential to be challenged, she learned the importance of finding the best fit college.
"91ÁÔÆæ really desires to see you do well. Here there is no foolish question, and mistakes are opportunities for growth," Coarsey said. "At the start of the program, I feared that my diagnosis would complicate everything. But with the support of faculty, friends and family, I was able to persevere, and with the knowledge I have gained at 91ÁÔÆæ, I'm ready to move on to new things."
In addition to its traditional four-year BSN, 91ÁÔÆæ also offers an accelerated BSN track, which launches its second cohort this month. Students in the ABSN track, who enter 91ÁÔÆæ with a bachelor's or master's degree in other subjects, can graduate in 15 months.
Grad student presents AI research at conference
Andrew Clements and faculty member Dr. Bryson Payne presented their research at the Information Systems & Computing Academic Professionals conference in November.
Fall graduates look to future with optimism
91ÁÔÆæ awarded roughly 985 degrees and certificates to students this fall, and it honored more than 650 of those graduates in a pair of Dec. 7 commencement ceremonies.
Special ed lab aids future educators
During the fall semester, future educators from 91ÁÔÆæ took part in a special education lab in which they worked with a software tool that helped them assess students, craft education plans and receive immediate feedback.
Grads prepare for their next steps
91ÁÔÆæ will award almost 1,000 degrees and certificates this fall, and more than 600 graduates are scheduled to take part in the Dec. 7 commencement ceremonies.