Southern University School of Nursing Alumni Association receives charter
The Southern University School of Nursing on Dec. 9, 2020 made history by virtually chartering its alumni association. The process to charter the association was spearheaded by a task force of dedicated alumni and faculty led by Dr. Juanita Garner. The task force included Dr. Dionne Bell, Rochelle Campbell-Howard, Steven Jackson, Jr., Dr. Kourtni-Atkins-Luster, Shanona McCelos, Dr. Wanda Spurlock, and Dr. Trudy Williams. Assistants to the task force included Alva Renee Millican, Kimberly Sewell and Donna Hubert. Dr. Derrick Warren, director of alumni affairs at Southern, provided oversight of the process.
“It took us 34 years to get here, but it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey… and our journey is just beginning with purpose, perseverance, and promise,” said Dr. Sandra Brown, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health. “We pledge to build a strong alumni network, reward student achievement, endorse the accomplishments of alumni, and cultivate community engagement. We welcome the 70 charter members and 15 honorary charter members whose names will be forever archived in the history book of the School of Nursing.”
The School of Nursing at Southern University was approved by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 1985 and opened its doors in 1986. In the spring of 1988, 14 students became the first graduates of the BSN program. Since that time, the School of Nursing has graduated 2,415 BSN students.
In addition to offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the School of Nursing offers three graduate degrees: Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and the Ph.D. in Nursing. The total number of students who have graduated from the School of Nursing over the past 34 years is 3,052 graduates. These graduates have made outstanding contributions to a global society as clinicians, educators, administrators, and nurse scientists.
The swearing in ceremony and induction of officers was led by Laquitta Thomas, national president of the Southern University Alumni Federation, and Dr. Warren. The event was sponsored by Matthew Valliere, CEO of CareSouth Medical and Dental.
“We appreciate and thank you for the very obvious time and attention to detail the team put into planning the amazing chartering and officer installation ceremony,” Thomas said to members of the new association. “It was the epitome of class and professionalism and was well attended! We are SU Proud of the charter members and the SUSON history shared during the chartering was the perfect touch.”
The charter officers include: Dr. Juanita Garner (Charter President), Dr. Dionne Bell (Charter Vice-President), Rochelle Campbell-Howard (Charter Treasurer) and Shanona McCelos (Charter Secretary).
To join the SUSON Alumni Association:
- Go to https://www.sualumni.org.
- Under “Membership,” select “Join the Federation” or click: https://www.sualumni.org/page/JOINPAGE1
- Select your desired membership level
- Follow the prompts to join, create a username and password and submit secure payment.
- Once the above steps are complete, follow the “FOR SUAF MEMBERS” instructions to become a SUSON Alumni Association Member.
For more information about the SUSON Alumni Association, email susonalumni@subr.edu.