Edward Waters University students will soon be able to earn nursing degrees, partnership with University of Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students from Edward Waters University will soon have a pathway to earn a bachelor of science in nursing, or a B.S.N. diploma. EWU and the University of Florida College of Nursing entered into an settlement Wednesday that enables up to 5 Edward Waters students into this system.

Edward Waters University doesn’t have a nursing program, and this partnership will give certified organic sciences majors an choice to pursue a nursing diploma at UF’s Jacksonville campus.

The chosen EWU students would take their prerequisite programs at EWU, adopted by the remainder of the required programs on the UF Health Jacksonville campus.

“As president and on behalf of Florida’s first HBCU, we are tremendously excited to enter this historic and incredibly impactful partnership with the University of Florida’s College of Nursing,” mentioned Edward Waters University President and CEO, A. Zachary Faison Jr., J.D. “We believe that this first-of-its-kind focused academic and health-related collaborative initiative between EWU and UF will operate to positively address our state’s growing need for more nursing and health care professionals overall and support the increasing promulgation of the same, particularly amongst African-Americans and other communities of color.”

“Consistent with our core values of caring, diversity, engagement, excellence in learning and service,this program will provide innovative, high-quality academic nursing programs to meet the growing workforce needs for baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the state of Florida,” Anna M. McDaniel, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, College of Nursing dean and the Linda Harman Aiken chair mentioned.

This is the primary partnership between a traditionally Black faculty or college (HBCU) and the UF College of Nursing.

“We’re very pleased to partner with Edward Waters University to provide a pathway for under-represented students to earn a UF nursing degree and enter the nursing profession,” mentioned UF President Kent Fuchs. “Through this shared effort, we will help to improve health care through addressing a critical need for more Black nurses.”