The College of Health Sciences is actively seeking support for the Center for Health & Social Issues, the School of Nursing Simulation and Translational Research Center and the School of Health & Human Performance.

Your gift will expand access to healthcare services in our community, advance innovative researtch and enhance education opportunities.

Join us in making a difference in the College of Health Sciences through your generous donation by clicking below today.

Speaker: Ms. Anresa Davis ’75

Registered Nurse (Retired), COHS Leadership Board & GCSU Foundation Trustee

• Anresa Davis is a retired registered nurse who received her Associate Degree in Nursing from GCSU in 1975 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia in 1976. For more than 20 years, Ms. Davis served in the surgical intensive care unit and the emergency departments of hospitals. She subsequently joined the leadership team of Park Springs, a lifecare community in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where she served until her retirement. She is an enthusiastic supporter of GCSU, serving as a GCSU Foundation Trustee and as a member of the COHS Leadership Board. Ms. Davis established the M. Catherine Summerlin Honorary Scholarship for Nursing in 2013.

• Kevin Hunt, Health and Human Performance, Virtual Service-Learning Study Abroad: Medical Electives Belize, $4,000.

Georgia College & State University recently honored several students who received the President's Volunteer Service Award and the Eve Puckett Giving Tree Award.

The Eve Puckett Giving Tree award is given to an individual who is nominated and will have a tree planted on campus in their honor.

This year’s recipient was Public Health student, Blakely Queen. The nomination was submitted by Dr. Scott Butler, professor of Public Health.

“Blakely is an outstanding honors student at GCSU who is majoring in public health and minoring in sociology. Through her volunteerism, Blakely is highly active on our campus and in our community,” he said. “For example, she has a passion for helping animals, serving as a Kennel Technician at Ashley Hills Pet Center and as an Assistant Coach at Shiloh Horse Ranch, and volunteers (100+ hours/year) through the campus Shelter Buddies RSO. Since 2022, Blakely has served as a Community Advisor in the Residence Halls and over the last year has served as my research assistant. In addition, she participated in the GCSU Leadership Academy, is the President of the National Residence Hall Honorary and actively volunteers in the community through the Center for Health and Social Issues. Blakely has received numerous awards including the Pauline Kelly Malone Scholarship, the 2024 Outstanding Sr. in Public Health Award, and the GCSU Bronze Service Medal. Overall, Blakely is a kind-hearted student and one of the most altruistic public majors I have ever met. I believe she represents the ideals of Eve Puckett and that she would be an excellent ambassador of Eve’s legacy.”

The estimated tree planting ceremony will be in April with a detail about the event to come.

Pictured above: Dr. Scott Butler and the Eve Puckett Giving Tree Award and the President's Volunteer Service Bronze Award winner Blakely Queen.

The School of Health and Human Performance had an impressive showing from our Public Health program the 2024 Research Day.

We continue to be wowed at the time and work these amazing students put into scholarship and also thank the mentorship, commitment, and impact our faculty make in the process.

The COHS Inclusive Excellence committee continued it’s partnership with the Georgia College Early College (GCEC) students in the Health Sciences Club.

GCEC students were provided lunch and exposure through applied activities to our various majors. The February event was led by our athletic training program faculty and students and for March, nursing took the lead.

The nurse midwifery concentration in Georgia College & State University’s Master of Science in Nursing is now fully accredited through the Accreditation Commission of Midwifery Education.

Pre-accredited since May 2020, the program has graduated two cohorts of nurse-midwives and is the first public program of its kind to be accredited in Georgia.

“The establishment of the Nurse Midwifery program at Georgia College stands as a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing women's services in Central Georgia,” said Dr. Josie Doss, director of the School of Nursing. “The prestigious ACME accreditation serves as an unequivocal endorsement of our dedication to excellence in both midwifery education and practice.”

The program is specifically designed to solve healthcare problems in Georgia, a state that ranks poorly (48th) for pregnancy-related death. Student clinicals must be completed in Georgia, some aid programs at Georgia College specifically target local students and all graduates have continued to practice in-state so far.

Read the rest of the Front Page story here.

Read the Union Recorder story here.

Pictured above: Current graduate student Ashley Porter simulates a birth with new technology.

Representatives from Atrium Health Navicent visited our campus to discuss opportunities for collaboration. The meeting explored opportunities for collaboration that promises to bring benefits to our community.

Pictured left to right: Emily Edwards, DNP, FNP-C (AHNMG AVP, Clinical Operations) who is a proud Triple Bobcat at left and Melissa Ricker Bridges, DMSc, PA-C (Center for Advanced Practice Fellowship Director), along with our own Dr. Krystal Canady and Dr. Josie Doss (right).

Georgia College & State University was well represented during Nurses Day at the Capitol by Dr. Joy King, President Cox and Thunder.

Joy L. King, DNP, MBA, APRN, NP-C, FAIHM is a Triple Bobcat, earning her BSN, MSN and DNP from the Georgia College & State University School of Nursing.

She is the current President-Elect & ANA Delegate-At-Large for the Georgia Nurses Association as well as a practicing NP and one of our clinical adjunct faculty.

• Kystal Canady and Joyce Norris-Taylor, Nursing, Primary Prevention of Incivility in Nursing Students, $580.

Leading Change: Flourish Forward

Flourishing leaders exemplify a dynamic commitment to growth, resilience, and making a positive impact. In the spirit of “Flourish Forward,” the conference theme celebrated the continuous journey of individuals who not only strive to serve as leaders in their everyday lives, but also inspire others to blossom in their own leadership.

Pictured below: Some of the School of Nursing faculty and staff that were in attendance.

The Georgia College Association of Nursing Students (GCANS) is holding its last meeting of the semester Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in Peabody Auditorium!

We have had a very successful year thus far, and have contributed to several organizations including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Day Break Shelter Items, Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, The Cottages, and more. This past month we helped fund the College of Health Science’s most recent event, where they conducted various activities with high school students to spark their interest in the health care industry and GCSU.

This upcoming week, GCANS will be attending the Bobcat Awards Ceremony as a nominee!

Join us for our last meeting of the school year on April 16 to learn more about GCANS and how you can get involved! More information on point opportunities, upcoming events, and how to join can be found on our Instagram @gcsu_gcans or visit our Facebook page. For any questions, please email the GCANS President

"The Georgia College Association of Nursing Students (GCANS) is holding its last meeting of the semester on Tuesday, April 16th at 6 pm in Peabody Auditorium! We have had a very successful year thus far, and have contributed to several organizations including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Day Break Shelter Items, Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, The Cottages, and more.

This past month we helped fund the College of Health Science’s most recent event, where they conducted various activities with high school students to spark their interest in the health care industry and GCSU. This upcoming week, GCANS will be attending the Bobcat Awards Ceremony as a nominee!

Join us for our last meeting of the school year on April 16 to learn more about GCANS and how you can get involved! More information on point opportunities, upcoming events, and how to join can be found on our Instagram @gcsu_gcans or visit our Facebook page. For any questions, please email the GCANS President eliza.berry@bobcats.gcsu.

A new face will be added to the Baldwin County Board of Education following the May 21 nonpartisan election.

Local small business owner Dylan Amerson hopes to be that face. He’s running for the District 3 seat currently held by longtime school board member and former Baldwin High School principal Lyn Chandler. Chandler opted not to run for re-election, so his seat is up for grabs with political newcomers Amerson and Beverly Rayford vying to fill it.

Read the rest on the Union Recorder story here.